I can't recall any off the top of my head, but I've definitely heard of multiple SaaS companies doing this. Most customers are lazy and will just go with the hosted version. They don't have to host it themselves and it's less work to maintain/support, which is usually what you're paying for.
I think this marketing channel depends on who your customers are. If they're developers, then releasing something to developers would be valuable. If they're sales people, then probably less so.
Another thing I've heard of is releasing a less related project for free / open source. This way you build a good brand with your target customer segment. Then they're more likely to find out about your core product, and they already like you for your free tool. Front did this.
I think this marketing channel depends on who your customers are. If they're developers, then releasing something to developers would be valuable. If they're sales people, then probably less so.
Another thing I've heard of is releasing a less related project for free / open source. This way you build a good brand with your target customer segment. Then they're more likely to find out about your core product, and they already like you for your free tool. Front did this.