JFrog, a Silicon Valley software supply chain firm, has announced its acquisition of Qwak, a New York-based startup led by a former Payoneer executive, Alon Lev. This acquisition, valued at $230 million, aims to integrate Qwak’s advanced machine learning capabilities into JFrog’s DevSecOps platform. Yoav Landman, JFrog’s CTO, emphasized that the move will address critical challenges in deploying machine learning models effectively in production environments.
Qwak, founded in 2020 and backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, specializes in model versioning, dependency management, and security scanning. These features are crucial for maintaining security and compliance by identifying and managing potential risks such as malicious activities and license issues. The integration of Qwak’s technologies into JFrog’s ecosystem is expected to streamline the process of deploying and managing machine learning models alongside other software assets.
The acquisition reflects JFrog’s commitment to enhancing its platform’s capabilities in response to growing demands for secure and efficient machine learning operations (MLOps). By leveraging Qwak’s expertise, JFrog aims to provide end-to-end visibility and control over machine learning assets, ensuring that organizations can deploy models reliably and securely in production settings. This strategic move also aligns with industry trends emphasizing the importance of integrating robust security measures into software development and deployment processes.