The world of open source startups continues to evolve, and 2024 is no exception. From groundbreaking AI solutions to developer tools that enhance collaboration and efficiency, open source companies are gaining traction at an unprecedented rate. The latest report by Runa Capital, the powerhouse European venture capital firm, highlights the 20 fastest-growing open source startups around the globe. What’s even more exciting is that more than half of these companies are closely tied to AI — a technology that continues to shape the future.
This blog post dives into the 2024 list, exploring the companies, their technologies, and why they’re shaking up the open source ecosystem. Let’s break it down.
What is the ROSS Index and How Does It Rank Open Source Startups?
The Runa Open Source Startup (ROSS) Index is a curated list that tracks the fastest-growing commercial open source companies globally. Launched in 2020, the ROSS Index uses a unique metric: GitHub stars. GitHub stars are similar to “likes” on social media platforms, reflecting the popularity and engagement of an open source project.
Runa Capital provides quarterly updates on the top trends, and since 2023, they’ve been producing annual reports that showcase the top commercial open source startups based on their year-long performance.
To qualify for the ROSS Index, companies must meet specific criteria:
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They must be under 10 years old.
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They must have raised less than $100 million in funding.
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They must be entirely independent (not subsidiaries or publicly listed).
The 2024 report brings forward an exciting trend — AI is at the heart of many of the most successful startups.
The Top 5 Open Source Startups of 2024
Here are the standout players in 2024, each making waves in the open source ecosystem:
1. Ollama: Revolutionising Local LLMs
At number one, Ollama has exploded in popularity. This Y Combinator-backed startup offers an open source tool for running large language models (LLMs) such as Meta’s Llama and DeepSeek locally. The platform’s ability to run these powerful models directly on desktops has earned it over 135,000 GitHub stars, a staggering 261% growth from last year. Ollama has gained traction for its ability to democratise AI by enabling more developers and businesses to work with LLMs without needing cloud-based resources.
2. Zed Industries: The Future of Collaborative Code Editing
Coming in at number two, Zed Industries offers a cross-platform collaborative code editor designed for both humans and AI. Although Zed was around for a while, it only went open source in early 2024, and it’s already accumulated over 52,000 stars. The rapid growth highlights the demand for high-performance developer tools that streamline collaboration and enhance productivity. Zed is particularly attractive for teams working in hybrid environments, where AI-assisted development can speed up the process.
3. LangGenius: Building the Future of LLM Apps
At number three, LangGenius has taken the lead with Dify, an open source platform that helps developers build LLM-centric applications. LangGenius’ GitHub stars grew 326%, reaching nearly 57,000 stars. Its strong growth signals the rising demand for AI development platforms that support the creation of sophisticated applications driven by LLMs, a trend that’s shaping the future of app development.
4. ComfyUI: Empowering AI-Driven Media Generation
ComfyUI takes the fourth spot, providing an open source node-based program that allows users to generate images, videos, and audio using generative AI models. The project saw its GitHub stars soar 195%, reaching 61,900 stars. As generative AI continues to capture the attention of creators and industries alike, ComfyUI is poised to become an essential tool for digital content creation.
5. All Hands: Open Source Agents for Software Development
All Hands rounds out the top five with its open source platform, OpenHands, designed for creating software development agents. These agents assist with coding tasks and automation, making software development more efficient. Since launching in March 2024, OpenHands has earned nearly 40,000 stars and is gaining traction among development teams looking to automate parts of the coding process.
AI and Developer Tools Dominate the 2024 ROSS Index
As we can see, AI is the dominant force driving open source innovation this year. Eleven of the top 20 startups on the list are heavily focused on AI, whether it’s AI-assisted development, LLM applications, or generative media. This trend isn’t just a blip; AI is fundamentally changing how we develop software and how businesses operate. With AI tools becoming more accessible, open source startups that focus on this space are capitalising on the demand for more affordable and scalable solutions.
Beyond AI, there’s also a strong presence of tools that cater to the broader developer ecosystem. Projects like Zed and Astral’s UV (ranked No. 9) are all about making coding faster, smarter, and more collaborative. The open source community is also investing heavily in privacy-focused, self-hostable solutions, as seen with tools like Stirling PDF and RustDesk.
What This Means for the Future of Open Source Startups
The success of these companies signals a shift in how businesses are approaching open source development. The combination of AI and developer tools is creating a new wave of innovation, and as more companies embrace open source, the ecosystem will continue to grow at a rapid pace.
For entrepreneurs and developers, there are a few key takeaways:
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AI-driven tools will continue to dominate, with open source projects enabling more businesses and developers to leverage AI capabilities.
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The demand for developer tools that enhance productivity and collaboration will keep growing.
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Privacy and self-hostable tools are still a key focus for businesses looking to secure their operations and data.
Conclusion: The Future of Open Source is Bright
The 2024 ROSS Index clearly illustrates the exciting possibilities within the open source startup ecosystem. With AI at the forefront and a growing need for smarter, more efficient developer tools, it’s an exciting time to be part of the open source community. The companies that are leading the charge are building the foundation for the future of software development.
Whether you’re a developer, entrepreneur, or just someone interested in the evolution of technology, these 20 open source startups are worth keeping an eye on. They’re not just shaping the future of AI; they’re shaping the future of tech.
Relevant Links for Further Reading:
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