DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Open Invention Network (OIN), the organization formed to safeguard open source and the largest active patent cross-license in history, announced today that ByteDance Ltd. (ByteDance) has joined in support of OIN 2.0. Through a suite of more than a dozen products including TikTok, TikTok Shop, Lark, Douyin and Toutiao, ByteDance’s participation underscores its commitment to open source software (OSS) as a critical foundation for modern digital infrastructure, innovation, and global-scale computing systems.
“Internet platforms have transformed how people communicate, create, and consume content around the world. Open source technologies provide the infrastructure that enables these platforms to operate and scale globally,” said Keith Bergelt, CEO of Open Invention Network. “We are pleased to welcome ByteDance to the OIN 2.0 community. Their participation helps reduce patent-related risk for open source software and demonstrates a commitment to collaborative innovation and patent non-aggression.”
“Open source software technologies play a vital role in powering innovation,” said Juan Qi, Chief IP Counsel at ByteDance. “By joining OIN 2.0, we are demonstrating our active support for open innovation and for helping advance a collaborative environment where shared technologies thrive and evolve.”
Through participation in OIN 2.0, companies strengthen the collaborative framework that helps mitigate patent risk for open source technologies while supporting continued innovation across the global open source ecosystem.
With investments from funding members IBM, Google, NEC, Philips, Red Hat, Sony, SUSE, and Toyota, OIN has assembled the largest active patent cross-license ever created. Its membership now exceeds 4,100 organizations, which collectively account for more than $10 trillion in annual revenues, and who own more than three million patents and applications. Building on this track record of mitigating patent risk in open source at scale, OIN 2.0 takes the next step forward, delivering continuously refreshed patent protection to its community, broadening the range of technologies it covers and reinforcing the model to meet the demands of the years ahead.
About OIN 2.0 and Open Invention Network
Founded in 2005, Open Invention Network is the only organization solely dedicated to mitigating patent risk in open source software. Its patent cross-license community includes over 4,100 members and more than 3 million patents and applications, fostering a global environment of patent non-aggression that empowers open innovation.
Launched in 2026, OIN 2.0 represents the organization’s evolution into a sustainable, shared funding model, enabling OIN to expand patent protection coverage as open source software grows and evolves across new technologies and industries. For more information on OIN 2.0, visit www.openinventionnetwork.com.
Media-Only Contact:
Ed Schauweker
Agile Public Relations for Open Invention Network
(703) 963-5238
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