Founder Story: Sid Sijbrandij of GitLab
From Submarines to Software: The Unlikely Path
Sid Sijbrandij's path to becoming a tech mogul was anything but traditional. Born and raised in the Netherlands, Sijbrandij's early career took an unexpected dive – quite literally. For four years, he worked on building recreational submarines for U-Boat Worx, a far cry from the world of software development he would later revolutionize.
This unique experience, however unconventional, laid the groundwork for Sijbrandij's future success. Working on submarines taught him the importance of precision, collaboration, and thinking outside the box – skills that would prove invaluable in his future endeavors.
"My time building submarines taught me that innovation can come from the most unexpected places. It's about seeing connections where others don't," Sijbrandij once reflected in an interview.
The transition from submarines to software came in 2007 when Sijbrandij encountered Ruby code for the first time. It was love at first sight. Fascinated by the elegance and power of programming, he taught himself how to code, setting the stage for his future in tech.
The GitLab Revolution Begins
The seeds of GitLab were planted in 2011, not by Sijbrandij, but by Dmitriy Zaporozhets, a Ukrainian developer who created the initial open-source project. Zaporozhets, working from a house without running water, saw a need for a better collaboration tool for programmers.
In 2012, Sijbrandij stumbled upon GitLab and was immediately impressed by its potential. He saw an opportunity to commercialize the open-source project and took a leap of faith. Sijbrandij's entrepreneurial instinct kicked in, and he made a pivotal decision to launch GitLab.com.
"When I first saw GitLab, it seemed so natural that a collaboration tool for programmers was open source. I knew this was something special," Sijbrandij recalled.
The response was overwhelming. After posting about GitLab.com on Hacker News, hundreds of people signed up for the beta within hours. This moment of validation was so exciting that Sijbrandij, who was making pancakes at the time, never returned to finish cooking – a small sacrifice in the face of what would become a tech revolution.
Building in the Face of Opposition
As GitLab began to grow, Sijbrandij faced a crucial decision that would define the company's future: whether to establish a traditional office or embrace a fully remote work model. Despite pressure from investors to set up a U.S. headquarters, Sijbrandij's experience had shown him that colocation wasn't necessary for success.
In 2015, after participating in Y Combinator's prestigious startup program, GitLab opened an office in San Francisco. However, Sijbrandij quickly realized that team members were more productive working from home or other spaces. This observation led to a bold decision: GitLab would become an all-remote company.
"We saw that colocation wasn't necessary for us to create and market a great product. We made it official: GitLab would be an all-remote company," Sijbrandij explained.
This decision was met with skepticism from many in the tech industry who believed that certain roles, particularly in sales and finance, couldn't be performed remotely. Sijbrandij and his team set out to prove them wrong.
Rewriting Industry Rules
GitLab's commitment to remote work wasn't just a operational decision – it became a core part of the company's identity and a key differentiator in the competitive tech landscape. Sijbrandij and his team developed best practices for virtual collaboration long before the COVID-19 pandemic made remote work a global necessity.
The company's approach focused on several key principles:
- Measuring output, not input
- Aligning team members on norms and values
- Continuously documenting policies and processes openly
- Reinforcing self-management and people-management skills
This unconventional approach allowed GitLab to attract top talent from around the world, driving impressive growth. By the quarter ended October 31, 2022, GitLab's quarterly revenue had reached $113 million, with a year-over-year growth of 69%.
The Human Side of DevOps
While GitLab's technical innovations were groundbreaking, Sijbrandij's focus on the human element of software development truly set the company apart. He recognized that the best tools in the world are useless without a culture that supports collaboration and innovation.
GitLab's handbook, a comprehensive guide to the company's operations and culture, became legendary in the tech world. At over 2,000 pages, it covered everything from coding practices to communication norms, embodying the company's commitment to transparency and shared knowledge.
"We believe that all-remote work, when done right, is not just a different way to work – it's a better way to work," Sijbrandij often stated.
This human-centric approach extended to GitLab's product philosophy. The platform was designed not just as a set of tools, but as a comprehensive ecosystem that supported the entire DevOps lifecycle. This holistic view of software development resonated with developers and companies alike, fueling GitLab's rapid adoption.
Defining Moments
The Y Combinator Breakthrough (2015)
On January 2015, GitLab was accepted into Y Combinator's Winter 2015 batch. This marked a turning point for the company, providing not just funding but invaluable mentorship and connections. During the intense three-month program in Silicon Valley, Sijbrandij and his team of nine learned to work at a breakneck pace, making rapid iterations and improvements to their product.
The Y Combinator experience culminated in a successful Demo Day presentation, which led to GitLab securing $1.5 million in seed funding. This injection of capital and vote of confidence from top investors set the stage for GitLab's explosive growth in the following years.
The Microsoft-GitHub Acquisition (2018)
On June 4, 2018, Microsoft announced its acquisition of GitHub, GitLab's main competitor, for $7.5 billion. This news sent shockwaves through the developer community, with many expressing concerns about the future of the platform under Microsoft's ownership.
Sijbrandij saw this as a massive opportunity. In the 24 hours following the announcement, GitLab saw a tenfold increase in repositories being imported. Sijbrandij quickly mobilized his team to capitalize on this influx, improving GitLab's import tools and reaching out to developers looking for alternatives.
This moment solidified GitLab's position as the leading independent DevOps platform and accelerated its growth trajectory.
The $100 Million Series D (2018)
On September 19, 2018, GitLab announced a $100 million Series D funding round led by ICONIQ Capital, valuing the company at $1.1 billion. This catapulted GitLab into unicorn status and provided the resources needed to accelerate product development and market expansion.
Sijbrandij used this moment to reaffirm GitLab's commitment to its vision of a single application for the entire DevOps lifecycle. The funding allowed GitLab to invest heavily in R&D, setting the stage for its continued innovation and market leadership.
Innovation Philosophy
Sijbrandij's approach to innovation at GitLab was rooted in transparency, collaboration, and rapid iteration. He believed that the best ideas could come from anywhere, not just from the top down.
"Everyone can contribute – that's not just a saying, it's how we operate. Our best features often come from our community or from team members you might not expect," Sijbrandij explained in a company-wide meeting.
This philosophy was reflected in GitLab's unique approach to product development:
- Open-core model: By keeping much of GitLab's code open-source, Sijbrandij ensured a constant flow of innovations and improvements from the community.
- Monthly releases: GitLab committed to releasing new features every month on the 22nd, a cadence that kept the team focused and users engaged.
- Transparency: All product plans and roadmaps were public, allowing users to see what was coming and contribute their ideas.
- Dogfooding: GitLab used its own product for development, ensuring that the team intimately understood user needs.
Industry Impact
Under Sijbrandij's leadership, GitLab fundamentally changed how companies approach software development and DevOps:
- Unified DevOps: GitLab pioneered the concept of a single application for the entire DevOps lifecycle, reducing tool sprawl and improving collaboration.
- Remote work validation: GitLab's success as an all-remote company challenged traditional notions about office-based work, influencing many other tech companies.
- Open-core business model: GitLab demonstrated that open-source software could be the foundation of a highly profitable business, inspiring many other startups.
- Transparency in tech: GitLab's public handbook and open development process set new standards for transparency in the tech industry.
By 2021, GitLab had grown to over 30 million registered users and was used by more than 100,000 organizations worldwide, including industry giants like Goldman Sachs, Nvidia, and Siemens.
Legacy and Future Vision
As Sijbrandij transitioned from CEO to Executive Chair in 2024, his impact on the tech industry was undeniable. GitLab had grown from a simple project management tool to a comprehensive DevOps platform valued at billions of dollars.
Looking to the future, Sijbrandij remains committed to pushing the boundaries of software development and remote work. Through his venture capital firm, Open Core Ventures, he continues to invest in and mentor the next generation of open-source companies.
"The future of work is remote, and the future of software development is collaborative. We've only scratched the surface of what's possible," Sijbrandij stated in his final earnings call as CEO.
Closing Thoughts
Sid Sijbrandij's journey from building submarines to revolutionizing software development is a testament to the power of unconventional thinking and unwavering vision. His ability to see potential where others saw obstacles – whether in open-source software, remote work, or transparent business practices – has left an indelible mark on the tech industry.
GitLab's success under Sijbrandij's leadership proves that it's possible to build a billion-dollar company while staying true to principles of openness, collaboration, and work-life balance. As the tech industry continues to evolve, Sijbrandij's legacy serves as a blueprint for a more inclusive, transparent, and efficient future of work.
In Sijbrandij's own words: "Success in tech isn't just about the code you write or the products you build. It's about the culture you create and the lives you improve." This philosophy, more than any single product or innovation, may be Sid Sijbrandij's most enduring contribution to the world of technology and entrepreneurship.
References
- https://sytse.com/about-sid/
- https://buildd.co/startup/founder-stories/sid-sijbrandij
- https://sytse.com/gitlab-ceo/
- https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2017/06/02/pick-your-brain-interview-brandon-foo/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GitLab
- https://github.com/thechangelog/transcripts/blob/master/founderstalk/founders-talk-70.md
- https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/company/history/
- https://hackernoon.com/founder-interviews-sid-sijbrandij-of-gitlab-862c391a3929
- https://hbr.org/2023/03/gitlabs-ceo-on-building-one-of-the-worlds-largest-all-remote-companies
- https://www.clay.com/dossier/gitlab-ceo