typestreamio · jevy · Jan 20, 2026 · Jan 20, 2026 · Jan 20, 2026 · Jan 20, 2026
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+Business Source License 1.1
+
+Parameters
+
+Licensor:             TypeStream, Inc.
+Licensed Work:        TypeStream
+                      The Licensed Work is (c) 2024 TypeStream, Inc.
+Additional Use Grant: You may make production use of the Licensed Work,
+                      provided that you do not use the Licensed Work for a
+                      Streaming Data Service.
+
+                      A "Streaming Data Service" is a commercial offering that
+                      allows third parties (other than your employees and
+                      contractors) to access the functionality of the Licensed
+                      Work by creating or managing streaming data pipelines.
+
+Change Date:          Four years from the date the Licensed Work is published.
+Change License:       Apache License, Version 2.0
+
+For information about alternative licensing arrangements for the Licensed Work,
+please contact: licensing@typestream.io
+
+Notice
+
+Business Source License 1.1
+
+License text copyright © 2017 MariaDB Corporation Ab, All Rights Reserved.
+"Business Source License" is a trademark of MariaDB Corporation Ab.
+
+Terms
+
+The Licensor hereby grants you the right to copy, modify, create derivative
+works, redistribute, and make non-production use of the Licensed Work. The
+Licensor may make an Additional Use Grant, above, permitting limited production
+use.
+
+Effective on the Change Date, or the fourth anniversary of the first publicly
+available distribution of a specific version of the Licensed Work under this
+License, whichever comes first, the Licensor hereby grants you rights under
+the terms of the Change License, and the rights granted in the paragraph above
+terminate.
+
+If your use of the Licensed Work does not comply with the requirements
+currently in effect as described in this License, you must purchase a
+commercial license from the Licensor, its affiliated entities, or authorized
+resellers, or you must refrain from using the Licensed Work.
+
+All copies of the original and modified Licensed Work, and derivative works of
+the Licensed Work, are subject to this License. This License applies separately
+for each version of the Licensed Work and the Change Date may vary for each
+version of the Licensed Work released by Licensor.
+
+You must conspicuously display this License on each original or modified copy
+of the Licensed Work. If you receive the Licensed Work in original or modified
+form from a third party, the terms and conditions set forth in this License
+apply to your use of that work.
+
+Any use of the Licensed Work in violation of this License will automatically
+terminate your rights under this License for the current and all other versions
+of the Licensed Work.
+
+This License does not grant you any right in any trademark or logo of Licensor
+or its affiliates (provided that you may use a trademark or logo of Licensor
+as expressly required by this License).
+
+TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE LICENSED WORK IS PROVIDED ON AN
+"AS IS" BASIS. LICENSOR HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS, EXPRESS
+OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING (WITHOUT LIMITATION) WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND TITLE.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 <div align="center">
     <a href="https://github.com/typestreamio/typestream/blob/main/LICENSE">
-        <img src="https://img.shields.io/github/license/typestreamio/typestream" />
+        <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/license-BSL%201.1-blue" />
     </a>
     <a href="https://discord.gg/Ha9sJWXb">
         <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Chat-on%20Discord-blue" alt="Discord invite" />
@@ -198,4 +198,23 @@ covenant](http://contributor-covenant.org/) initiative!
 
 ## License
 
-[Apache 2.0](/LICENSE)
+TypeStream is licensed under the [Business Source License 1.1](/LICENSE) (BSL).
+
+### Why BSL?
+
+We're a small team building TypeStream in the open. We chose the Business Source License because it lets us:
+
+- **Stay transparent**: You can read, audit, and learn from every line of code
+- **Enable adoption**: You can freely use TypeStream for internal projects, development, testing, and non-commercial use
+- **Protect our work**: The BSL prevents large cloud providers from offering TypeStream as a competing service without contributing back
+- **Commit to open source**: After 4 years, each version automatically converts to Apache 2.0
+
+**What this means for you:**
+- ✅ Use TypeStream internally at your company
+- ✅ Modify and extend it for your own needs  
+- ✅ Contribute back to the project
+- ❌ Offer TypeStream as a managed streaming service to third parties (without a commercial license)
+
+If you're building a product on TypeStream or have questions about licensing, reach out to us at licensing@typestream.io.
+
+Companies like [MariaDB](https://mariadb.com/bsl11/), [CockroachDB](https://www.cockroachlabs.com/blog/oss-relicensing-cockroachdb/), [Sentry](https://blog.sentry.io/introducing-the-functional-source-license-freedom-without-free-riding/), and [HashiCorp](https://www.hashicorp.com/license-faq) use similar licenses to balance openness with sustainability.