Embracing the Future of SaaS with Akeneo Serenity

Hello Akeneo Community,

Today, I’m excited to talk about a natural progression in our journey at Akeneo. Our SaaS offering, Serenity, has grown into our most capable and fastest-evolving product, and in order to invest our resources efficiently, we will not be releasing any new versions of our PaaS (Flexibility) and on-premise offerings. This decision is a reflection of both the evolution of our customer needs and the advancements in our technology. Let me walk you through our journey, enriched with key insights and data points.

A Little Bit of History 

Back in 2017, with an entirely on-premise customer base, we stepped into the cloud space. Our PaaS offering, Flexibility, was a bridge connecting our legacy of customization with the emerging cloud technology. It was an exciting time, with 45% of our customer base embracing PaaS by the end of 2018. However, as we continued our journey, we noticed a shift.

As you can see above, the landscape has changed over the years By the end of 2023, SaaS adoption soared to 80% of our customer base, a clear indicator of changing preferences and needs.

We listened to our customers and acted accordingly – popular custom features from PaaS such as table attributes and import/export mapping were seamlessly integrated into Serenity, and the Akeneo App Store grew into an expansive, customizable network of expert partners that reduces the need for a dedicated PaaS solution.

At Akeneo, we firmly believe in the importance of adaptability and responding quickly to market changes, and so these reasons and more support our focus on delivering SaaS capabilities in the future. Plus, transitioning to a SaaS only offering will result in:

• Operational Efficiency: Migrating between PaaS versions, while straightforward, consumed resources. We observed that our clients’ time and effort could be more impactful in areas other than technical upgrades.
• Exclusive Features for SaaS Users: Our newest innovations, including Activation and emerging AI capabilities are designed for SaaS, offering cutting-edge tools that were not possible with PaaS.
• Reduced Carbon Footprint: A SaaS model is more resource-efficient, aligning with our goal to minimize environmental impact. We estimate the carbon footprint of a PaaS instance to be about twice that of a SaaS instance.
• Focus on Innovation: Freeing our resources from PaaS development allows us to expedite new features and products, fostering a culture of rapid innovation.

Comprehensive Support for PaaS Customers

Though we’re excited for the future, I’d like to take a second and acknowledge the importance of a seamless transition and continued support for our PaaS customers, which is why we’re investing nearly $5 million in resources designed to mitigate concerns, address potential challenges, and enhance the overall migration experience. This includes:

• Dedicated Professional Services Team: To ensure a smooth transition to SaaS, we have assembled a dedicated team of 13 individuals, comprised of both Product and Professional Services team members, at your service. This team is specifically tasked with assisting our PaaS customers in migrating to SaaS over the next 2.5 years, providing tailored support and expertise every step of the way.
• Focused Product Team: Understanding that feature parity is crucial, we have a dedicated product team identifying and addressing any major feature gaps that could hinder migration. This team is committed to ensuring that all critical functionalities available in PaaS are seamlessly transitioned or adapted to the SaaS environment.
• Extended Support Period: We’re extending support for the last PaaS version, V7, until September 2026, giving ample time for our customers to plan and execute their migration with our full support.
• Investment in App Engine: We’re also enhancing our App Engine to offer more SDK-like capabilities, providing more flexibility and customization options in the SaaS environment.

A Migration to Serenity 

This shift towards SaaS is a logical step in our growth trajectory, driven by data, customer feedback, and our commitment to innovation and sustainability. It’s a testament to our adaptability and dedication to providing the best solutions for our community. 

If you have any questions or concerns about this migration, please do not hesitate to reach out to your point of contact at Akeneo. We’re excited about this new phase and grateful for your continued support!