LaunchDarkly
LaunchDarkly CEO Edith Harbaugh
DevOps, the term for a philosophy of combining software development and operations, is turning into a big business - as software continues eating the world, DevOps is a methodology for helping developers write more software, faster.
On a larger scale, tech giants are investing in DevOps as well. Just a few years ago, investors would have balked at developer-focused startups. But in 2018, the industry proved that it's here to stay. Microsoft acquired GitHub, Google Cloud is snapping up a DevOps research firm, and now, with DevOps startups, developers want in. These startups range from ones that help companies release code faster, to those that help IT departments keep up.
It's not just in terms of M&A, either. The most in-demand job that recruiters are looking for on LinkedIn is that of DevOps engineer. As those roles fill up, they'll need DevOps-focused tools to help them do their jobs. Enter the new class of DevOps startups that are helping plug that gap.
We looked at a variety of factors when selecting this list including the experience of leaders and founders, the reputations of investors and the amount of funding raised along with valuations, based on data from online finance database Pitchbook, keeper of such records. We also selected startups at a variety of stages from just starting out, to well established.
Here are the five DevOps startups to bet your career on in 2019: