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You've got it the wrong way around. The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a shareholder in Raspberry Pi Ltd, not vice versa. It benefits from the profits generated by

You've got it the wrong way around. The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a shareholder in Raspberry Pi Ltd, not vice versa. It benefits from the profits generated by the commercial arm. The commercial arm was established on 10 September 2012 [1]. [1] https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08207441 https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/c...

palata 3y ago
> You've got it the wrong way around. I don't see how it is the wrong way around: what you are saying is that they are a for-profit, and depending on how much profit they make with their business, the foundation gets more money to "play with", right?
- jacquesm 3y ago
  The commercial entity, just like every other commercial company that has stock has stockholders. That happens to be - in part - the foundation. If there are profits then the stockholders, including the foundation, get a pro-rata payout named a dividend. But it can take a long time to make that scheme work at a level where the foundation can do what it would like to do so this IPO kind of gets a head start on those dividends, by selling some of the stock rather than to make a profit and wait they get some of that cash today, with the downside of being required to live in a glass house from now on and having somewhat reduced future dividends (assuming there are any).
  - hasty_pudding 3y ago
    Lotta words for "yes"
- Dalewyn 3y ago
  The similarities here with Mozilla are interesting.
- alibarber 3y ago
  Well, where else is the foundation supposed to get the money from?
  - exe34 3y ago
    They could sell raspberry pi single board computers.
  - palata 3y ago
    Being a non-profit does not mean that you cannot sell stuff. I think it just means that you cannot make profit for it. So there is no incentive for stakeholders to make you grow infinitely, because they don't get money from that. At least that would be my understanding with a non-profit?
- ianburrell 3y ago
  Which "they" are you talking about? There are the foundation and the company. The foundation partly owns the company and makes money from company. They are going to make more money from the IPO. The important question is how much does the foundation own and does it control the company. Non-profits that sells things like a business aren't allowed.

palata 3y ago

> You've got it the wrong way around. I don't see how it is the wrong way around: what you are saying is that they are a for-profit, and depending on how much profit they make with their business, the foundation gets more money to "play with", right?

jacquesm 3y ago
The commercial entity, just like every other commercial company that has stock has stockholders. That happens to be - in part - the foundation. If there are profits then the stockholders, including the foundation, get a pro-rata payout named a dividend. But it can take a long time to make that scheme work at a level where the foundation can do what it would like to do so this IPO kind of gets a head start on those dividends, by selling some of the stock rather than to make a profit and wait they get some of that cash today, with the downside of being required to live in a glass house from now on and having somewhat reduced future dividends (assuming there are any).
- hasty_pudding 3y ago
  Lotta words for "yes"
Dalewyn 3y ago
The similarities here with Mozilla are interesting.
alibarber 3y ago
Well, where else is the foundation supposed to get the money from?
- exe34 3y ago
  They could sell raspberry pi single board computers.
- palata 3y ago
  Being a non-profit does not mean that you cannot sell stuff. I think it just means that you cannot make profit for it. So there is no incentive for stakeholders to make you grow infinitely, because they don't get money from that. At least that would be my understanding with a non-profit?
ianburrell 3y ago
Which "they" are you talking about? There are the foundation and the company. The foundation partly owns the company and makes money from company. They are going to make more money from the IPO. The important question is how much does the foundation own and does it control the company. Non-profits that sells things like a business aren't allowed.