Grafana Labs founders on the future of observability and how to scale an open source company

Grafana Labs, founded in 2014 by Raj Dutt, Anthony Woods, and Torkel Ödegaard, has seen rapid growth, establishing itself as a leading open-source company with a significant suite of observability tools, including Grafana Loki, Mimir, Tempo, and OnCall. The company emphasizes a culture of transparency, autonomy, and accountability, aiming to maintain these values while scaling. The co-founders reflect on the challenges and successes of growing the company during the pandemic, underscoring the importance of relationships and maintaining company culture amidst rapid expansion. They discuss the evolving definition of observability, the role of open source in commoditizing observability, and the importance of balancing high performance with avoiding burnout. The company is committed to fostering a supportive environment, emphasizing the need for effective hiring practices and onboarding processes to sustain its culture as it continues to grow.