Redpanda is a real-time streaming engine designed for modern applications, offering capabilities that go beyond the Kafka protocol, including inline Wasm transforms and geo-replicated hierarchical storage. It is scalable from small projects to handling petabytes of data globally, with a focus on speed and ease of use, akin to running nginx without dependencies. The project, which began in January 2019, is released under the Source Available License (BSL) to prevent cloud providers from offering it as a service, while allowing open use for most users. The Redpanda community embraces contributions and offers enterprise features that are distinctly configurable. The platform is easy to start, with simple Docker deployment options and an active ecosystem, supported by insights from industry experts and community builders.