Webiny Raises $3.5M Seed Funding - Serverless Development
Webiny Secures $3.5 Million Seed Funding to Expand Serverless Development Tools
Webiny, a startup founded in 2019, initially focused on an open-source, serverless Content Management System (CMS). However, the company discovered significant interest in the underlying framework used to construct the CMS, prompting a shift in strategy.
Investment Details
A $3.5 million seed round has been secured by Webiny, led by Microsoft’s venture fund, M12. Participation in the round also came from Samsung Next, Episode 1, Cota Capital, and several other undisclosed investors. Previously, Webiny had raised $348,000 in funding back in 2019.
The Evolution of Webiny’s Focus
Sven Al Hamad, founder of Webiny, anticipated the growing importance of serverless technology when the company was launched. The initial plan was to create an open-source serverless CMS, but customer interactions revealed a broader opportunity.
Over 300 companies expressed a belief in a serverless future and showed considerable interest not just in the CMS itself, but in the methodology behind its construction. Many had previously attempted serverless implementations with unsatisfactory results.
From CMS to Framework
The Webiny team dedicated a substantial amount of time to developing the serverless framework that underpinned the CMS. This led to the realization that offering both the framework and the CMS as separate products could be beneficial.
Companies demonstrated a desire to leverage the CMS for content platforms while simultaneously building custom APIs and business logic utilizing a serverless architecture.
Future Development Plans
Currently, Webiny operates with two distinct products. The new capital infusion will be used to further develop the company and expand its offerings. A Slack community of nearly 1,000 developers is already established, and the focus will now shift towards creating commercial products built upon their open-source foundation.
These commercial offerings will likely include enterprise-level features such as enhanced management tools for complex environments, single sign-on capabilities, and improved security protocols.
Understanding Serverless Architecture
Serverless computing automates infrastructure delivery, allowing developers to concentrate on application development without managing resource allocation. This approach necessitates a specific programming style involving functions and triggers.
Webiny’s serverless framework is specifically designed to assist developers in building these specialized applications and the necessary components for their operation.
Team Expansion and Diversity
Webiny currently employs nine individuals and intends to add approximately six more team members before the end of 2021. Prioritizing diversity in hiring is a key objective, although the current competitive technical job market presents challenges.
Al Hamad acknowledges the need for broader STEM education initiatives to cultivate a more diverse talent pool, while simultaneously committing to seeking a diverse workforce despite these obstacles.
Workplace Flexibility
The company’s employees are currently distributed geographically. When feasible, Webiny plans to provide office spaces in areas with a concentration of talent, while still offering employees the flexibility to choose their work location.
