iDempiere Business Suite, commonly known as iDempiere, originates from the ADempiere project, which itself was a fork of Compiere. Compiere is one of the early open-source ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software platforms. 

The iDempiere project focus on leveraging the OSGi standard for plugin management, which would allow more modular and flexible developments. The project aimed to combine ERP, CRM (Customer Relationship Management), and SCM (Supply Chain Management) functionalities within a comprehensive business suite. Its development and maintenance are supported by a global community of contributors who continue to evolve the platform, adding new features and ensuring it meets the changing needs of businesses.