Time flies….and all of a sudden your baby is five years old!
Looking back on the years since our launch in 2016, we are filled with pride, joy, astonishment, and a bit of nostalgia.
In early 2016, Kubermatic (or Loodse back then) was not much more than two guys with a gut feeling that Kubernetes could potentially be a big thing, as well as the ambition to build a business model around that. After discussing this rather vague idea on several cycling trips, we didn’t hesitate for very long, registered the company, and turned Julian’s living room into our first office.
What followed thereafter can only be described as a crazy rollercoaster ride that sometimes left us dizzy:
- In June 2016 we organised the first ContainerDays conference, which was attended by over 200 container enthusiasts, in Hamburg harbour. (Looking at ContainerDays’ participation numbers today, this seems ridiculous. But in a year where KubeCon Europe had about 400 participants, this clearly felt huge.)
- Convinced that organizations would get to a point where they would adopt multiple, rather than single Kubernetes clusters, we launched the beta version of Kubermatic Kubernetes Platform (KKP) in February 2017. (Interestingly, multi-cluster deployments are increasingly becoming the standard. But there were times when we asked ourselves if the idea of running hundreds or even thousands of clusters was not a little too crazy).
- In May 2017, we received the German Accelerator Tech award for exceptionally promising tech startups. This brought us to Silicon Valley for six months, which allowed to grow our network of US-based cloud native companies and gain initial traction overseas.
- In May 2018, Kubermatic became one of the first twenty Kubernetes Certified Service Providers and Kubernetes Training Partners. Just three years later, the cloud native landscape lists 200 KCP and 50 KTP.
- One year later, in May 2019 we open sourced KubeOne – our Kubernetes lifecycle management tool, which automates deployment and operations for single Kubernetes clusters.
- Most recently, the big bang in June last year: We open sourced our core software Kubermatic Kubernetes Platform and changed the name of the company from Loodse to Kubermatic. (After four years of trying to explain how Loodse was actually pronounced, we decided to give up).
Now, in April 2021, Kubermatic is a 100% open core company with more than 60 team members spread across 14 countries (We’ll add Turkey to that list very soon).
This is clearly reason enough to thank all of those who made this incredible journey possible:
- First and foremost, our thanks go to an incredible team full of ideas, proactive energy and team spirit! Keep BALLERN!
- Thanks to all of our customers for your trust and collaboration. We are totally committed to remain at the forefront of cloud native innovation and deliving the best-in-class solutions that you demand.
- In this context, we want to thank our earliest and original customers in particular, who were crazy enough to believe that a small start-up would be able to deliver on its promise to help you accelerate your cloud native journey.
- We recognize the impact you have had, not only in lines of code, but also when we remember the bad jokes and anecdotes, still being told at every company party. Thanks to our alumni who have accompanied us on our journey.
- Kubermatic could not be Kubermatic without the extraordinarily exceptional cloud native community and the CNCF at its heart. Thank you!
- Finally, a big thanks to our friends and family for their support, loyalty, trust, and open ear over an intensive five years.
We could not have come so very far without all of you. Just as in 2016 when everything started we are still hungry, full of energy, and keenly committed to contributing our part to the cloud native story. Looking forward to the years to come!
