[about the tech stack with k8s] the payoff feels abstract and are hard to quantify.

It's the same for OSS dependencies.

what if platforms like AWS or GitHub started splitting the check? By adding a line-item to the invoices of their customers to support Open Source finding.

For example, 3% ?

OSS projects have no governance and most of them are not ready to receive money though. How to distribute this tax too?

Another model is to pay depending of how many developer there are in the company.

The second step after recognizing the OSS funding issue is having a baseline funding amount.