Neon, a pioneering serverless Postgres database tailored for developers, has successfully secured a strategic investment of .6 million, spearheaded by M12, the venture fund of Microsoft. This latest funding round also saw participation from existing investors including Abstract Ventures, General Catalyst, Menlo Ventures, and Notable Capital, bringing Neon’s total funding to an impressive 0.6 million since its inception in 2021.
This significant investment underscores Microsoft’s dedication to addressing the evolving needs of modern developers. Recent data from the Stack Overflow survey indicates that Postgres has overtaken MySQL as the preferred database among professional developers, largely due to its open ecosystem, stability, and robust performance.
Innovative Features of Neon
Neon distinguishes itself by decoupling computing and storage components while maintaining core Postgres functionalities. This innovative approach not only modernizes the database experience but also aligns seamlessly with contemporary developer workflows, enhancing automation, management, and AI readiness. The fresh capital influx from M12 is poised to propel the development of the next generation of AI applications on the Azure platform.
Here are the standout features of Neon’s modern database:
- Instant provisioning: Neon’s architecture, featuring a custom-built storage engine, allows for the rapid provisioning of new databases in under a second, thanks to its native decoupling of storage and computing.
- Efficient scaling: Neon optimizes engineering time during the development phase and effortlessly manages scaling during peak loads. The database automatically adjusts resources based on demand, ensuring peak performance without the necessity for prior overprovisioning. Additionally, Neon’s storage operates on-demand, eliminating the need for manual disk management.
- Integrated developer workflows: With database branching capabilities, Neon enables developers to seamlessly incorporate their databases into CI/CD pipelines, significantly shortening software lifecycles. This integration, coupled with cost-effectiveness, has contributed to the growing popularity of Neon’s serverless Postgres technology.
KEY QUOTES:
- “Postgres is quickly becoming the database of choice for developers, and we are investing heavily in that ecosystem. Neon is a leading Postgres platform, and this strategic investment emphasizes our commitment to deeply integrate Neon into Azure.” — Andrew Smyth, managing partner at M12
- “We’re confident that Neon provides the best developer experience for Postgres users. This new investment ensures Neon is well-positioned to build and ship features that will transform the developer experience within Microsoft Azure.” — Nikita Shamgunov, CEO of Neon
