Blacksmith Software Analysis: $500K Raised
What is Blacksmith Software?
Blacksmith provides high-performance GitHub Actions runner infrastructure as a drop-in replacement across Linux, Windows, and macOS. The company combines bare-metal hardware, Firecracker microVMs, and local cache storage to speed CI jobs, Docker builds, and cache downloads. Its website says the service is used by thousands of teams and processes more than 50 million jobs monthly.
Location
San Francisco, United States
Employees
11-50
Founded
2024
Business Model
Subscription model charging per minute for CI/CD services.
Investors
- Y Combinator
Product Features & Capabilities
- GitHub Actions integration, high-performance gaming CPUs, serverless CI, colocated cache, built-in analytics, accelerated Docker builds, ironclad security, SOC2 Type 2 compliance, 3000 free minutes per month.
Pricing
- 3,000 free minutes per month
- Per-minute cost is exactly half of GitHub's pricing
- Enterprise contracts available for large customers
How much Blacksmith Software raised
Seed - $500,000
December 2023 (accepted into Y Combinator)Lead Investor: Y Combinator
Who are the founders of Blacksmith Software
Market Focus
Blacksmith Software primarily focuses on the software development industry, specifically in providing Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) solutions that enhance GitHub Actions.
Competitors Overview
Blacksmith Software operates in the CI/CD market, specifically enhancing GitHub Actions with high-performance computing. Its main competitors include:
-
CloudBees: Known for its enterprise-level CI/CD solutions, CloudBees offers extensive features for managing complex workflows and security, making it suitable for large organizations. It provides a more comprehensive platform compared to Blacksmith, which focuses on cost and speed.
-
Jenkins: A widely used open-source automation server, Jenkins is highly customizable and supports a vast array of plugins. Unlike Blacksmith, which specializes in optimizing GitHub Actions, Jenkins can integrate with various version control systems, making it more versatile.
-
CircleCI: This platform is recognized for its speed and efficiency in CI/CD processes. CircleCI offers advanced caching and parallelism features, which can lead to faster build times, similar to Blacksmith's focus on performance but with a broader range of integrations.
-
GitLab CI/CD: Integrated within the GitLab ecosystem, this tool provides a seamless experience for users already on GitLab. It offers robust features for CI/CD, including built-in security scanning, which may appeal to organizations looking for an all-in-one solution.
-
Octopus Deploy: While primarily focused on deployment, Octopus integrates well with CI tools and offers sophisticated release management features. It differs from Blacksmith by providing a more comprehensive deployment strategy rather than just CI enhancements.
These competitors have notable advantages in terms of features, integrations, and scalability, which may appeal to different segments of the market compared to Blacksmith's specialized offering.
See something that needs updating? Suggest edits to this profile.