
Continuum Analytics Raises $24M Series A for Anaconda Python and PyData - pwang
http://continuum.io/blog/the-journey
======
christopheraden
Very well deserved!

With Anaconda, I just tell my students to download a quick installer, slap on
iPython or PyCharm, and it's ready to go. It's one less thing to worry about!
The installation is dead-simple, and is almost exactly the same whether on
Mac, Windows, or Linux. When I do data science, I don't want to have to be
doing IT, too!

~~~
fixxer
While I do like the ease of deployment for MKL binaries, I told my students
"do it from scratch and learn sysadmin skills as well".

As a data scientist, admin/dev skills are a huge plus.

~~~
darkarmani
Sure. That is important to do a few times. Just like writing a compiler.
However, most people do just fine using GCC and the same thing applies here.

~~~
fixxer
Respectfully, I think your comparison is false. There are always new libs with
awkward dependencies on platform X.

------
eliben
Continuum are great benefactors in the Python community. With the explosion of
"data science" in the last few years, I'm very hopeful that Python will keep
holding its ground against the plethora of domain-specific languages that pop
up, and Continuum are a big part of that.

------
fiveoak
As a Python newbie, Anaconda helped out a lot. Getting SciPy/NumPy/Pandas etc
working on a regular Windows machine was a huge pain compared to just
installing a single application.

~~~
altrego99
WinPython did the same for me when I was a newbie. Still use it.

------
dbecker
I'm grateful for everything Continuum has done for the Python community. They
seem to have such an amazing team, and I'm glad to hear this.

------
sahat
Congrats Travis, Peter and everyone from Continuum Analytics!

~~~
pwang
Thanks, Sahat! Hope all is well with you!

------
Lofkin
Congrats! Looking forward to additional work on the already amazing pydata
stack. Thanks for all your contributions to the community!

------
yzh
I'm collaborating with folks from Continuum, they are awesome! Congrats!

~~~
pwang
Thank you!

------
Radim
Awesome!

Like I always say: when these guys go public, I'll be the first in line to buy
stock :)

Great team, great vision, great execution + no-bullshit, bottom-up approach.

------
dewarrn1
Excellent news! The Anaconda distribution has been great for me, and CA's
policy of free academic licensing for their go-fast extensions [0] is the
cherry on top.

[0]
[https://store.continuum.io/cshop/academicanaconda](https://store.continuum.io/cshop/academicanaconda)

------
armabiz
Also for people who never heard about Continuum:

[http://venturebeat.com/2015/07/22/python-distribution-
vendor...](http://venturebeat.com/2015/07/22/python-distribution-vendor-
continuum-analytics-raises-24m/)

------
raymondh
Anaconda is a fine distribution where many otherwise hard to install tools
work right out of the box.

------
vtuulos
Congrats Continuum!

~~~
pwang
Thanks, Ville! :)

------
whatok
Congratulations! Absolutely changed the Python game and great hosts of events
as well.

------
vonnik
Congrats, Peter!

~~~
pwang
Thank you!

------
quasiben
Congratulations!

------
siavosh
Anyone know where most of the money is going to be spent? R&D, sales?

~~~
pwang
Yes - all of the above. :)

We're able to more strategically invest in open source projects since we're
not operating in hand-to-mouth mode.

We're able to pursue partnerships and push even better Python integration with
industry partners, because we can now afford to make long-term investments
like that.

We're able to hire more strategically to beef up the engineering team.

And we'll be able to field more sales and sales engineering personnel to
ensure that customers doing cool things with Python/SciPy/PyData get all the
support they need to succeed.

~~~
Redoubts
>We're able to more strategically invest in open source projects

Like numpypy?

------
saool
Congrats Peter, Travis, Matt, and the rest of Continuum!

------
jordigh
Hm, I was trying to contact them a while ago, as we seem like a good fit for
each other. Never heard back, and I just accepted a offer from someone else.

Oh well. Good luck with that pile of money, CA.

~~~
pwang
Really sorry about that - we've been trying to clean up and streamline our
hiring process, and your application must have gotten lost in the shuffle. I
hope your new gig works out well!

~~~
jordigh
S'ok. I didn't actually formally submit an application, just sent my CV
through someone I met at Pycon. Maybe we'll talk again sometime in the future.

------
tomrod
Way to go Peter, Travis, and the Continuum Team!

------
toddm
Congratulations! Well-deserved!

------
dman
Congrats!!

------
smortaz
congrats peter & travis! and see you today at pydata seattle :)

------
hogu
WOOT!

