Sequoia backs Pydantic to expand beyond its open source data-validation framework

A U.K.-based open-source startup is making waves in the tech world with the launch of its first commercial product, backed by Silicon Valley’s renowned venture capital firm, Sequoia. Pydantic, known for its Python library and data-validation framework, has introduced an observability platform called Logfire after successful open beta testing. The startup secured $12.5 million in Series A funding led by Sequoia, marking a significant milestone in its journey.

Founded by U.K developer Samuel Colvin in 2017, Pydantic has gained popularity among developers at major companies such as Meta, Nvidia, Netflix, Google, and OpenAI. The Python library is used to validate data structures, ensuring integrity and accuracy in various applications. For instance, OpenAI utilized Pydantic for structured outputs in its API, showcasing the library’s versatility and reliability.

In a recent interview, Colvin mentioned that Pydantic’s success has paved the way for the launch of Logfire, an observability platform designed to provide developers with insights into software performance. Leveraging Pydantic’s credibility and brand recognition, the startup aims to simplify the observability process and offer a user-friendly alternative to complex tools like Datadog.

Unlike traditional open-source businesses, Pydantic is taking a unique approach by using its open-source project as a marketing tool to promote other products like Logfire. By capitalizing on the trust and reputation built within the Python community, the startup aims to attract users to its new offerings and establish a strong foothold in the market.

With Logfire, Pydantic seeks to address a different yet complementary need for developers, offering a simpler and more intuitive solution for observability compared to existing tools. The startup envisions Logfire as a viable alternative to Datadog, catering to smaller teams and simplifying the monitoring and analysis of software performance.

As Pydantic continues to expand its product portfolio and enhance its offerings, the startup is poised to redefine the open-source business model and set new standards in the tech industry. With the support of Sequoia and a strong reputation in the developer community, Pydantic is well-positioned for growth and success in the competitive technology landscape.

As Pydantic continues to evolve, the focus remains on providing solutions for a specific group of users. The goal is to target the same people who have benefited from the framework in the past.

Show me the money

In the early stages of Pydantic, founder Colvin was able to secure sponsorships from major corporate users such as Salesforce, AWS, and GitHub. These sponsorships provided crucial financial support, with Salesforce donating $10,000 in 2022, while AWS and GitHub sponsored $5,000 and $750, respectively.

However, as Pydantic has grown and attracted venture capital funding, corporate donations have become less frequent.

“We’ve received generous sponsorships in the past, especially when I was working independently,” Colvin explained. “But now that we have backing from Sequoia, the support from corporate sponsors has decreased.”

With Pydantic now available to the public, the focus is on expanding its user base beyond the 2,000 developers and 150 companies that participated in the beta phase. The framework is particularly targeting AI companies for adoption.

In addition to lead investor Sequoia, Pydantic’s recent Series A funding round included participation from Partech and Irregular Expression, as well as angel investors like Logan Kilpatrick and Jason Liu. The new funding will primarily be used to hire additional team members, with a focus on expanding the engineering team.

“The funds will be used for hiring, primarily in the engineering department,” Colvin stated. “While we may consider hiring for sales in the future, our immediate focus is on strengthening our development team.”