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CloudBees Acquires Launchable to Enhance GenAI Capabilities in DevSecOps Platform

• By John K. Waters
• 08/16/2024

CloudBees has announced the acquisition of Launchable in a move aimed at expanding GenAI optimization capabilities across its DevSecOps platform.

The acquisition brings AI-driven testing solutions to CloudBees, which promises to significantly reduce test execution times and enhance developer productivity. With the integration of Launchable's technology, CloudBees aims to cut dev-test iteration times by up to 90%, providing a more streamlined and efficient software development process, the company said.

"Bringing CloudBees and Launchable together represents two milestones for the field of software development," said Anuj Kapur, President and CEO of CloudBees, in a statement. "First it brings the first AI-augmented Test Intelligence capability to any DevSecOps platform. Second, it marks the return of a true open-source visionary to CloudBees to continue the mission-oriented efforts around software-based digital transformation in enterprises."

The deal also marks the return of Kohsuke Kawaguchi and Harpreet Singh, who left CloudBees to start Launchable in 2019. Kawaguchi is the creator of the Jenkins open-source automation server, and Harpreet Singh is the former head of the product group at Atlassian who is credited with building CloudBees’ Jenkins business. The list of the company's founders also includes Andrew Freakley, Kitagawa Shuhei, Satoshi Asano, and Alastair Wilkes.

Kawaguchi is considered a visionary in the open-source community, and both he and Singh have deep ties to CloudBees and the broader DevOps ecosystem.

"At Launchable, we focused on delivering innovative solutions to the pervasive challenges of software development. Namely, AI to QA," Kawaguchi said in a statement. "CloudBees is a time-tested and trusted DevSecOps platform that rocks the world, so this is a perfect combination."

"CloudBees has been a lighthouse in the DevOps market," Singh wrote in a blog post. "When we started talking to them about our synergies, we were quite taken by how they had thought about this space, the overlap in our vision, and their emphasis on solving customer problems."

Testing is a crucial component of the software development lifecycle, often consuming up to 25% of a developer’s time, according to industry estimates. By incorporating Launchable’s AI-augmented testing tools, CloudBees aims to alleviate this bottleneck and enable teams to identify and address critical issues more efficiently.

The move comes as demand for AI in software development continues to rise. According to a July 2024 Stack Overflow survey, 46% of developers expressed interest in using AI for code testing, the highest percentage among various workflow improvements surveyed.

Early adopters of Launchable’s technology, including companies like BMW and GoCardless, have reported significant reductions in testing and build times, with some seeing a 50% decrease in machine hours and a 40% reduction in overall build times, the company said.

"The acquisition of Launchable marks a significant milestone in CloudBees' journey to redefine software delivery through AI-driven innovation," Kapur said. "As more enterprises embrace AI to optimize their software development processes, CloudBees remains committed to delivering innovative solutions that drive efficiency, reliability, and agility."

The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.