Introduction Of Open Source Startups
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A recent report highlights the 20 most trending open-source startups globally, with over half of them deeply involved in AI technologies.
The report is produced by European venture capital firm Runa Capital, which has maintained the Runa Open Source Startup (ROSS) Index since 2020. This index provides quarterly updates on the fastest-growing projects based on GitHub “stars”—a metric similar to “likes” on social media. In 2023, Runa began publishing annual reports to showcase the most prominent commercial open-source startups of the year. Open Source Startups
Last year’s report emphasized the rising demand for AI and data infrastructure solutions, with LangChain securing the top position due to its open-source framework for developing LLM-centric applications. This year, the trend continues, with AI playing a crucial role in 11 out of the 20 leading startups. Open Source Startups
Selection Criteria
The ROSS Index is carefully curated, ensuring that only certain open-source projects qualify. The criteria include:
- The project must be tied to a commercial company (vendor-led) rather than being a side project.
- The company must be less than 10 years old.
- Funding must not exceed $100 million.
- The company must remain independent—not a subsidiary or publicly traded entity. Open Source Startups
Leading Open Source Startups of 2024
1. Ollama
Securing the top spot is Ollama, a Y Combinator-backed startup offering an open-source tool for running LLMs like Meta’s Llama and DeepSeek locally. The project saw an astonishing 76,000 increase in GitHub stars in 2024, representing a 261% growth to over 105,000 stars (which has since surpassed 135,000).
2. Zed Industries
Following closely is Zed Industries, a cross-platform code editor designed for high-performance collaboration between humans and AI. Despite being an established project, Zed became open source only in January 2024, amassing more than 52,000 GitHub stars throughout the year. Open Source Startups
3. LangGenius
Ranked third, LangGenius developed an open-source LLM app development platform called Dify. In 2024, the project grew by 326%, jumping from 13,000 to nearly 57,000 stars, with its total now exceeding 84,000 stars.
4. ComfyUI
ComfyUI is a node-based program enabling the generation of images, videos, and audio using generative AI models. The project experienced a 195% growth, reaching 61,900 stars. Open Source Startups
5. All Hands
Rounding out the top five is All Hands, the company behind OpenHands, an open-source platform for building software development agents. OpenHands garnered 39,600 GitHub stars from its launch in March through the end of 2024 and has since added another 12,000.
Key Takeaways from the ROSS Index
While AI and LLMs dominate, the Index also highlights continued demand for developer tools such as Zed and Astral’s UV (ranked ninth). Additionally, privacy-focused self-hostable solutions remain in demand, as seen with Stirling PDF (ranked seventh), Maybe Finance (eighth), and RustDesk (seventeenth). Furthermore, Fuel (twelfth) reinforces that blockchain and Web3 are still relevant in 2024.
Geographic Distribution
The report also provides insight into the geographical distribution of top startups:
- San Francisco is home to six of the top 20 startups.
- Canada has three companies on the list.
- Other locations include the U.K., Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Singapore, and China.
Methodology and Considerations
There are multiple ways to track trending open-source projects. For example, Two Sigma Ventures’ Open Source Index showcases the top 100 projects regardless of commercialization, while GitHub itself provides a list of trending repositories.
The ROSS Index focuses on the absolute number of GitHub stars gained annually rather than just quarterly growth. However, GitHub stars are not always a direct indicator of active usage, as they reflect interest rather than engagement.
Additionally, the definition of “open source” can be ambiguous. While most startups on the list adhere to recognized open-source licenses, Runa Capital follows a “commercial perception” approach. This means that projects under licenses like the Server Side Public License (SSPL), which is not officially recognized by the Open Source Initiative, may still be considered “open source.”
Conclusion
The ROSS Index remains a valuable tool for identifying emerging trends in open-source technology and tracking which companies are building successful businesses around them. The growing intersection of AI, developer tooling, and privacy-focused solutions suggests a bright future for open-source innovation in 2024 and beyond.
