LittleBits: Balancing Open Source Innovation and Competitive Edge While some of LittleBits is patented, most of it is not, says founder and CEO Ayah Bdeir. She explains why.

By Nina Zipkin Dec 16, 2015

A benchmark of electronics startup LittleBits is its dedication to the open source movement and its belief that peers collaborating helps invention thrive. Founder and CEO Ayah Bdeir says while there are some aspects of LittleBits that are protected, the majority of what the company creates is transparent to anyone who is interesting in learning more.

To stay competitive, Bdeir explains that the company patented the magnetic connector and modular structure system, but the circuits and instruction, are open and available to anyone who wants to use and modify them. "We want to allow people to build on top of each other," says Bdeir.

For more, check out the video above.

Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

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