Open Source Blog

Back in February I totted up the recent funding rounds involving a variety of open source software and services vendors: MySQL, Greenplum, SugarCRM, Qlusters, Xensource, JasperSoft, Black Duck, Zimbra, ActiveGrid, SpikeSource, Astaro, Scali, SWsoft (included thanks to its involvement in the OpenVZ project), Zend, Groundwork, Alfresco, JBoss, Collax, Univa, EnterpriseDB, Optaros, Trolltech, Funambol, Gluecode (now owned by IBM), Pentaho, OpenLogic, and SourceLabs.

Between them these companies had raised over $362m in the last few years. A second look brings that total to $515m and takes into account the likes of ActiveState, SIPphone, rPath, Centeris, Continuent, Hyperic, Sourcefire, WS02, Palamida, Melodeo, and Compiere.

Once again the usual suspects were involved from an investment perspective, with Accel adding to its investments in Xensource, Zimbra, Alfresco, JBoss by investing in Hyperic, and Intel Capital adding Melodeo, Sourcefire and Centeris to a list that already included MySQL, Black Duck, SpikeSource, Scali, SWsoft, Zend, JBoss, and Collax.

Compiere backer NEA is also a serial investor in open source, having already pumped funding into SugarCRM, Xensource, Pentaho, and Sourcefire. The $6m investment in Compiere is the first for the enterprise software firm, which had previously been funded by its founders Jorg Janke and Kathy Pink.

The deal sees two NEA partners - Vladimir Jacimovic and Harry Weller - join Compiere's board, while Compiere is planning to relocate from Portland, Oregon to Silicon Valley, signifying its growth from open source start-up to enterprise challenger.