Mastra AI Adopts Apache 2.0 License, Boosting Open-Source Accessibility

San Francisco, CA – Mastra AI, a TypeScript framework for building AI applications, announced on July 11, 2025, its transition to the more permissive Apache 2.0 open-source license. This strategic shift, confirmed by company founder Sam Bhagwat via social media, aims to remove barriers for developers, particularly those within larger organizations, who previously sought more flexible terms than the initial ELv2 license.

The move signifies a commitment to broader adoption and collaboration within the developer community. Bhagwat explained, > "developers at larger orgs kept asking for a more permissive license (even if we gave them verbal permission to fork and modify)." He further emphasized that "great developer tools are all about removing friction!"

Mastra AI, founded by former Gatsby.js developers Sam Bhagwat, Abhi Aiyer, and Shane Thomas, provides a comprehensive suite of primitives for AI development, including agents, workflows, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), integrations, and evaluation tools. The company, part of the Y Combinator Winter 2025 batch, has rapidly grown since its inception, gaining significant traction for its developer-friendly approach.

The Apache 2.0 license is widely recognized and adopted for its highly permissive terms, allowing users to freely use, modify, and distribute the software for any purpose, including commercial applications, without significant restrictions. This contrasts with the Elastic License v2 (ELv2), which, while source-available, includes limitations on offering the software as a service, a common concern for large enterprises.

Bhagwat underscored the company's vision, stating, "today Mastra is big enough to go more open-source." He expressed a strong belief that "open-source is one of the most powerful forces for innovation on the planet. It lets us build together across borders, across timezones, across languages." This licensing change is expected to accelerate Mastra AI's growth and solidify its position as a leading framework in the burgeoning AI development landscape.