When we launched SkySQL at the company meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, in October 2010, I charged the SkySQL Team - then only 13 strong - to “Go Big, or Go Home”. Two weeks ago, while at our company meeting in Athens, Greece, as I listened to SkySQLers - now numbering 40 plus - share their experiences with customers, their ideas for new products and solutions, their suggestions for bettering the company, etc., I found it abundantly clear that the Team had taken my words to heart, and had exceeded my expectations.
It’s been six quarters since our launch, and the company has had a remarkable run. In this short time, we’ve increased our customers tenfold and have more than tripled our staff; we’re now serving customers in 30 countries around the globe. Additionally, thru numerous strategic partnerships with MariaDB and key MySQL ISVs, including Calpont InfiniDB, Continuent, and Webyog, we extended our offerings to include best-of-breed solutions for high availability, Web scalability, data warehousing/business intelligence, and the cloud.
Our product strategy, especially with regards to the cloud, has also generated a lot of industry excitement and has garnered the attention of and funding from key technology investors, including Tekkes, OnCorps, the Finnish Industry Investment Ltd., Spintop Ventures, and Open Ocean Capital. Just this morning we announced that while in Athens, we closed on an additional €2 million in Series A funding from California Technology Ventures, LLC. This investment, along with the €4 million raised earlier this year, will accelerate SkySQL’s R&D efforts for the enterprise and cloud. More information on our Series A funding can be found here .
From the start, I expected to be able to bootstrap the company in its first couple of years, and then bring on an experienced executive to help expand our business and fully capitalize on the growing database and cloud services market. With that goal in mind, today we announced that Patrik Sallner - a former executive at F-Secure - has been appointed CEO, effective July 1st. Patrik comes to SkySQL with demonstrated experience in building international software and services businesses, including delivering cloud storage solutions to the world’s largest telecommunications operators. The addition of Patrik to SkySQL’s Leadership Team is a tremendous boon to the company, and I have every confidence that he will be instrumental in catapulting SkySQL to the next level. You can read our press release on the appointment at here .
What about me, you ask? No worries - I won’t be going far. In recent months, SkySQL has experienced explosive growth in the demand for its solutions and services in the Americas. We recently added a number of market leaders to our customer roster, including Home Depot, Reuters, Soft Voyage, Harvard University, and Juniper Networks. SkySQL’s continued success in the Americas will require a dedicated strategic focus. Towards that end, I will be serving as President of SkySQL, Inc., and will have responsibility for operations in the Americas. I look forward to working with Patrik and the Americas Team to expand our presence in the region.
Clearly, these are exciting times for SkySQL - there are lot of changes on the horizon, especially as we enter into the cloud market. However, while change is par for the course, one thing will remain constant: SkySQL’s unwavering focus on its customers’ needs. Rest assured, while we may lift our sights to the clouds, we will continue to serve our customers and their interests as we always have.
So there you have it: New faces and funding will expand SkySQL business into the cloud. Needless to say, I continue to be extremely bullish about SkySQL’s prospects. The question is, What are you waiting for? To learn more about SkySQL and its efforts around the MySQL database in the enterprise and in the cloud, or to share your ideas for what we can be doing better, email me at ulf@skysql.com - I’d love to hear from you.
Ulf Sandberg, CEO, SkySQL Ab
PlanetMySQL Voting: Vote UP / Vote DOWN