Flojoy, an emerging startup, aims to revolutionize the industrial testing process by introducing a new open-source tool. This tool enables companies, traditionally excluded from automated testing, to leverage the power of no-code Python testing and create automated test scripts effortlessly.
Key Takeaway
Flojoy secures $1.3 million in seed funding to develop their innovative no-code Python testing solution for industrial instrumentation.
CEO and founder Jack Parmer, known for his success in building Plotly, an open-source Python-based data visualization company with over 300 million users, is venturing into a new realm with Flojoy. By exploring novel applications of Python programming, Flojoy aims to address the niche of test measurement and control in industries such as manufacturing, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals.
Parmer stresses the significance of test measurement and control in these industries, comparing it to software testing in the technology sector. Much like software, physical elements undergo continuous testing during the manufacturing process and undergo final testing before reaching the end consumer. Recognizing this untapped potential, Parmer recognized the need for a Python-based testing solution in this domain.
Flojoy takes a unique approach by providing connections to a comprehensive range of scientific equipment and instrumentation, commonly used for these measurements. Parmer has developed a user-friendly online catalog featuring popular instruments and accompanying Python code to establish effortless connections and collect data. This consolidation of instrument connectivity information in one accessible platform simplifies the process for users.
The ultimate goal is to utilize the collected data to enhance processes using artificial intelligence (AI). Traditionally, instrumentation data has been excluded from the model building process due to the complexities involved. Flojoy seeks to bridge this gap by providing an intuitive solution.
Parmer’s rationale for choosing Python as the foundation for Flojoy is its strong capabilities in AI, machine learning, and data visualization. By integrating Python’s strength in downstream pipelines with the ability to connect to various industrial machines, Flojoy offers a natural fit for users.
Flojoy already boasts an enterprise version with paying customers and aims to achieve $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and a million users on the open-source version within the next year. Parmer draws on his prior experience with Plotly, expressing confidence in reaching these ambitious milestones.
With 20 employees onboard, Parmer emphasizes the importance of a diverse team in building a popular open-source software. He emphasizes the need to “dog food,” i.e., extensively test and use their own software, and highlights the significance of accommodating diverse use cases to cater to millions, and potentially hundreds of millions, of future users.
The recent $1.3 million seed funding round was led by Flybridge Capital Partners, Boreal Ventures, and BDC Capital. With this infusion of capital, Flojoy is well-positioned to further develop their innovative no-code Python testing solution for the industrial instrumentation sector.
