For most social entrepreneurs, that’s not a viable path. Increasingly, their conversations about scaling turn to so-called open-source strategies: flexible and decentralized ways to speed innovation. Open-source innovation relies on transparency — everyone can see and understand the underlying processes, mechanics, and code — and adaptability — anyone can build something new atop what’s been done before, fixing bugs or adding new features. In open-source networks, participants become co-owners with the freedom to create and iterate to add value in new contexts.