Grafana k6 one year later: Lessons learned after an acquisition

In the year following Grafana Labs' acquisition of k6, the integration has been marked by a strategic focus on maintaining team autonomy while fostering collaboration between the two entities. Initially inspired by the potential synergies between k6's performance testing capabilities and Grafana's observability tools, the acquisition emphasized keeping k6 as an independent entity to retain its core team and culture. This approach proved successful, as most k6 employees remained post-acquisition, and the team size nearly doubled. Over time, efforts were made to integrate k6 into Grafana Labs' broader operations, particularly in sales, product development, and cross-team collaborations, which enhanced the overall product offering and company culture. The acquisition not only strengthened Grafana Labs' position in observability but also set a precedent for future acquisitions by prioritizing people, product integration, and cultural evolution, ensuring a cohesive and unified company vision.