[rpaik]

> I think the best way would be something similar to the Linux Foundation. Companies in need of a certain type of database would pool resources to develop and maintain it.

Disclaimer: I currently work at PingCAP and previously worked at the Linux Foundation.

Foundation (whether it's the LF or others) isn't a panacea either. It's fine when projects get started and there are plenty of willing member companies, but for many projects, companies often lose interest, need to cut down on open source related investments, etc. and the project funding dwindles. The reality is that the member companies need to both fund and provide software developers for projects, and it's difficult to expect them to keep the same commitment for more than a few years these days....