A new report has been published on the most popular open-source startups of 2024. This report analyzes the fastest-growing and most innovative open-source projects worldwide, highlighting the latest trends and the most attention-grabbing ventures. Interestingly, most of the startups on this list are focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and related fields. The report’s author is Runa Capital, one of Europe’s leading venture capital firms. Since 2020, Runa Capital has been working on the "Runa Open Source Startups (ROSS)" Index and updates this index every quarter.
The rise of open-source projects has accelerated in recent years, often merging with more commercial ventures and startups. One of the key indicators of success in the open-source ecosystem is the number of "stars" (likes or followers) on GitHub repositories. These stars reflect the projects that developers, companies, and users are analyzing. The Runa Capital report not only presents the star count but also highlights the projects that are rapidly growing and making a significant impact on the market.
At the top of the list of the most popular open-source startups for 2024 is Ollama. A Y Combinator alum, Ollama is a startup that combines the latest innovations in AI. The company has developed an open-source tool that allows users to run large language models (LLMs), such as Meta’s Llama and DeepSeek, on local desktop computers. In 2024, this project garnered more than 76,000 new GitHub stars, representing a 261% increase. This rapid growth showcases the growing popularity of Ollama and the increasing demand for AI applications.
Next up is Zed Industries. Zed is a cross-platform code editor designed for high-performance collaboration. Zed goes beyond just coding, enabling powerful collaboration between human users and AI. Initially a commercial project, Zed became open-source in January 2024. Since then, the Zed project has gained over 52,000 GitHub stars, reflecting a major success. The startup is not just popular among developers; it also brings together AI and human collaboration in an innovative way.
Third place goes to LangGenius. LangGenius is the creator of the open-source LLM development platform called "Dify." The platform aims to simplify the development of applications based on large language models. In 2024, LangGenius has seen a remarkable 326% increase in stars on GitHub, with over 43,000 new stars earned. This rapid growth indicates the increasing demand for tools that streamline the use of large language models in development.
ComfyUI is an open-source, node-based program designed for creating images, videos, and sounds using AI models. The project simplifies the use of generative AI and has widespread applications in creative fields. In 2024, ComfyUI saw a 195% increase in GitHub stars, with over 61,900 new stars. The project’s popularity demonstrates the growing demand for tools that make generative AI more accessible to creators.
All Hands is another noteworthy startup, which works on the open-source "OpenHands" platform. This platform allows developers to create intelligent agents for software development automation. Launched in March 2024, the project gained 39,600 GitHub stars within a year. All Hands is dedicated to creating agents that can automate the software development process, highlighting the growing interest in AI-driven automation.
The ROSS Index report for 2024 shows that AI is the dominant theme, but other areas are also thriving. Projects like Zed and Astral's "UV" (a developer tool) highlight the growing demand for development tools, while other projects, such as Stirling PDF (a PDF manipulation tool) and Maybe Finance (a financial management app), continue to reflect the importance of privacy and self-hosting. Additionally, the Fuel project, related to Ethereum blockchain technology, demonstrates that crypto and web3 technologies remain strong and relevant.
The most popular open-source startups of 2024 showcase the powerful impact of artificial intelligence. Startups like Ollama, Zed, LangGenius, ComfyUI, and All Hands not only represent technological advancements but also demonstrate the growing commercial potential of open-source projects. These startups highlight how open-source initiatives are not just technical endeavors but also revenue-generating ventures. As the open-source ecosystem continues to evolve, these projects will play a key role in shaping the future of technology.
