The problem
AI apps need fast, cheap retrieval over their data
What they do
Open-source search and retrieval database for AI (vector, full-text, regex)
Traction Popular open-source project (27k GitHub stars); Chroma Cloud live
Hiring trend
- Open roles
- 1
Hiring in
- San Francisco
Funding
- Last round
- $18M
- Stage
- Seed
- Date
- Apr 2023
Led by Quiet Capital
- Hiring+0.51 open role on the live job board (1–2 roles = +0.5)
- Funding recency0Seed · $18M, Apr 2023 (42 months ago): over 24 months = 0
- Traction+0.75Some growth: Popular open-source project (27k GitHub stars); Chroma Cloud live
- Red flags0None found in the last 24 months
- Total1.250.5 + 0 + 0.75 − 0 = 1.25 → Warm-up (under 1.5)
Distance (10K) is a separate read on how long the lead can last. It doesn't change the score.
Distance
10K · edge: hard to leave
Popular open-source vector database, but one of many in a crowded field.
Sources: TBPN Digest: Chroma Cloud near 1,000 paying customers (Aug 2026) ↗
Open ops roles
No ops roles open right now
Last checked Oct 25, 2026