I am curious if there is a open source type model for getting a higher return for doing riskier work, as economics would suggest is fair and also helpful.

That is obviously a typical closed source situation, but people find creative solutions.

Not talking about selling services, but somehow compensating for writing the code after the fact, risk adjusted, while keeping the code itself free. Might need a temporarily hybrid license to accomplish this. I.e. the code is obligated to become free, after some fixed license fees have covered the work cost and risk.