DevOps was created to do two things: 1) accelerate time-to-value from when developers start building an application to when it is pushed into production (Dev) and 2) ensure the application operates at scale (Ops). DevOps tools and best practices support these goals of accelerating time-to-value and operating at scale, but as we at Catalyst have spent more time in the DevOps ecosystem, it has become clear that application testing remains one of the biggest bottlenecks to getting new functionality in the hands of users with the desired velocity and quality. And where there is a challenge, we believe there tends to be opportunity as well.

Historically, application testing has been personnel-driven, requiring human capital resources. Recently, however, teams are increasingly looking for ways to automate / outsource basic testing requirements, freeing up resources to add value elsewhere. Testing platforms and products are capitalizing on this shift, providing greater leverage to QA teams by requiring fewer people to manage testing across a greater number of apps. That said, the testing market remains fragmented with a variety of functionally-specific solutions.