Docker, the company known for pioneering container technology, has made an exciting move in the acquisition of AtomicJar, a rising startup in the testing space. AtomicJar had previously raised an impressive $25 million in Series A funding in January, establishing itself as a promising player in the industry. By joining forces with Docker, AtomicJar’s 19 employees will now become part of Docker’s new testing division.
Key Takeaway
Docker has acquired AtomicJar, a startup that specializes in testing container applications. This move allows Docker to strengthen its position as a leading provider of comprehensive developer tools and services.
Although the purchase price was not disclosed, the acquisition of AtomicJar is a significant move for Docker. The company has been actively developing a comprehensive suite of build, test, and deploy services on the Docker platform, specifically targeting developers working on projects before they go into production. With the acquisition, Docker is gaining the crucial testing component to enhance its offering.
One of the advantages of the acquisition is that AtomicJar’s platform was built on top of Docker. It was also one of the top 10 applications in the Docker marketplace, enjoying significant popularity. Testcontainers, AtomicJar’s flagship product, has been widely adopted, with millions of pulls or downloads each month and over 600,000 unique IP addresses accessing it regularly.
AtomicJar’s value proposition lies in solving a critical problem for developers. Traditional testing methods often rely on representations of testing components, rather than the actual software, leading to doubts about the accuracy of the tests in reproducing real-world scenarios. Testcontainers, on the other hand, addresses this issue by testing against real versions of dependent software pieces.
While AtomicJar’s co-founder, Sergei Egorov, initially had no intentions to sell the company, the alignment between Docker and AtomicJar, coupled with a favorable offer, made the deal compelling. Despite the challenges of the market, AtomicJar had secured sufficient funding to continue building independently. However, the opportunity for quicker liquidity, combined with the product and cultural fit with Docker, convinced Egorov and his team to seize the moment.
The acquisition has been met with enthusiasm from investors as well. Ed Sim, managing partner at Boldstart, an early investor in AtomicJar, acknowledges the decision to sell ultimately lies with the founders. In this case, the attractive offer and opportunity to collaborate with Docker made it an appealing choice.
AtomicJar’s success can be attributed to the brilliant work of co-founder Richard North, who created the original Testcontainers open-source project in 2015. Joined by Egorov in 2021, the duo built the commercial company on top of the open-source project, attracting notable users like Uber, Netflix, Spotify, and Capital One. In total, AtomicJar raised $29 million in funding prior to the acquisition.
With the acquisition of AtomicJar, Docker secures a talented team and a solid foothold in the testing market. This strategic move allows Docker to expand its developer-centric offerings and reinforces its position as a leading provider of containerization tools and services.
