Jay Kreps, Confluent CEO, at TC Sessions: SaaS

The Challenge of Real-Time Data Processing

Organizations are increasingly grappling with the complexities of managing and moving vast quantities of data in real time. Confluent provides a solution as a streaming data platform constructed upon the Apache Kafka open source project. This platform is specifically engineered for handling massive event volumes.

Jay Kreps at TC Sessions: SaaS

To delve deeper into this topic, and related innovations, Jay Kreps, CEO and co-founder of Confluent, will participate in a fireside chat at TC Sessions: SaaS on October 27th.

Data's Central Role in Modern Business

Data is a pivotal theme at our SaaS event, given its fundamental importance to all businesses. Kreps has consistently emphasized that data streams form the very foundation of modern operations, encompassing everything from sales figures to order processing and customer interactions.

He articulated this view in a company blog post announcing their $250 million Series E funding round in April 2020, stating that Confluent’s core mission is real-time data processing – a key factor in attracting substantial investor confidence.

The Rise of Event Streaming

Kreps explained that event streaming is rapidly becoming a crucial category, poised to be as essential to modern digital architecture as databases currently are. This emerging importance is driving significant investment and innovation in the field.

Confluent's Approach to Streaming Data

Confluent’s streaming data platform employs a comprehensive strategy for data streaming, building upon the foundation of the open-source Kafka project. While Kafka is freely available for download and use, many organizations lack the internal resources or specialized knowledge to effectively manage the underlying code.

Numerous startups have emerged to simplify the complexities of open-source projects, and Confluent and Kafka are prime examples of this trend.

Notable Confluent Users

In 2017, Kreps identified companies like Netflix, Uber, Cisco, and Goldman Sachs as core technology users of Kafka. However, these organizations possess the capacity to handle the intricacies of such complex software.

Other companies can opt for a managed cloud version offered by Confluent, or they can choose to self-manage and deploy it within their preferred cloud infrastructure.

The Origins of Apache Kafka

The project originated at LinkedIn in 2011, where engineers were tasked with developing a tool to manage the immense flow of events within the platform. Subsequently, the technology was open-sourced, leading to the creation of Apache Kafka.

Confluent's Growth and Valuation

Confluent was founded in 2014 and has since secured over $450 million in funding. Their most recent private funding round in April 2020 resulted in a $4.5 billion valuation based on a $250 million investment.

Currently, the company boasts a market capitalization exceeding $17 billion.

Join Us at TC Sessions: SaaS

Alongside our conversation with Kreps, the conference will feature insights from Google’s Javier Soltero, Amplitude’s Olivia Rose, and investors Kobie Fuller and Casey Aylward, among others. We anticipate a highly stimulating and insightful event.

Secure Your Spot

Purchase your pass now to take advantage of savings up to $100 when you register before October 1st. We look forward to welcoming you in October!