David Cuartielles receives the Open Supply Award on Expertise and Training

We’re proud to announce that David Cuartielles, co-founder of Arduino, has been honored with the Open Supply Award on Expertise and Training 2025 and has develop into a founding member of the Open Supply Academy of Europe. This prestigious award acknowledges people who’ve made excellent contributions to open-source schooling, guaranteeing that data stays accessible to all.

David’s impression on the world of schooling and expertise is simple, however this recognition is about greater than only one particular person’s efforts: it’s a celebration of the large group of educators, college students, and innovators who’ve embraced open-source instruments, shaping the way in which all of us have interaction with expertise and empowering tens of millions worldwide.

To share this second with all of you, listed here are some key reflections from David’s acceptance speech.

A lifelong dedication to schooling and openness

“I turned an engineer by following my very own goals. Since then, I’ve devoted my skilled profession to schooling. I taught, and nonetheless train, programming and electronics to artists and designers. As a facet impact, I co-authored what might be essentially the most copied piece of instructional {hardware} thus far – Arduino. {Hardware} that we determined to publish underneath an open license.”

When Arduino was launched in 2005, open-source {hardware} was a radical concept. On the time, open licenses had been primarily related to software program, music, and written content material, not bodily artifacts. Arduino helped broaden the attain of openness, to incorporate design information for {hardware}, lab instruments, and even furnishings. This was a game-changer for schooling, enabling college students, researchers, and makers in all places to construct, modify, and share expertise freely.

“We had been the hippies of {hardware}, however we believed that open licenses had been the way in which to make sure full entry to instruments for college students and researchers. We had been a part of an emergent motion occurring on a world scale, and we had been fortunate to reach early.”

Defending openness within the fashionable world

However as open-source adoption has grown, its which means has shifted. What as soon as symbolized accessibility, collaboration, and moral duty has, in some instances, develop into diluted inside giant company constructions. David spoke on to this concern: “Openness went from being a membership of misfits to being what everybody needed to be. Being a hacker was as soon as seen as harmful and unusually unlawful… now, it’s what dad and mom need for his or her youngsters, fueled by tales of financial success.”

Regardless of widespread – typically superficial – adoption, the political values and moral foundations of open supply are fading. “That is the second to handle the elephant within the room. We now dwell in a world the place some declare to be creating open-source LLMs operating on the general public cloud, however neither are the LLMs open, neither is the cloud public.”

David’s message is evident: the open-source motion should reaffirm its roots in solidarity, companionship, and social progress. True openness ought to proceed to empower people, foster collaboration, and break down obstacles to schooling and innovation.

A heartfelt thanks

David concluded his speech by acknowledging the individuals who have supported him all through his journey:

“I wish to thank all of those that supported me on the way in which: my colleagues and college students at Malmö College, the group members and mates at Arduino, my associates, and my household. Thanks.”

This award is a recognition not simply of David’s achievements, however of the shared effort of the Arduino group and the worldwide open-source motion. It’s a second to replicate on how far we’ve come and to proceed pushing ahead, collectively.

Congratulations to Dr. David Cuartielles, and thanks to everybody who carries the spirit of open-source ahead!