Why This Matters

In my opinion, the MSP industry is at a critical juncture. We’ve all watched as venture capital transformed software markets and tools we use and love (loved?) - not always for the better. I believe the next frontier for MSP is in the Integration Services industry where we focus on using the automation skills we’ve developed over the last couple of decades and build value for new and existing customers.

This is our chance to own the tools we build our businesses on.

The Problem with Vendor Lock-In

The Integration Services industry is at a critical juncture. We’ve all watched as venture capital transformed software markets - not always for the better. Traditional RPA platforms may start with reasonable pricing, but as they grow and seek returns for investors, the focus shifts from value creation to value extraction.

This creates several problems:

• Escalating costs as platforms gain market dominance
• Feature development driven by investor returns, not user needs
• Lock-in mechanisms that make it difficult to switch providers
• Proprietary limitations that constrain what you can build

Why Open Source?

Bifrost Integrations is built on the principle that the community should own the tools we build our businesses on. By making the platform open source under the AGPL license, we ensure:

AGPL Protection

The AGPL license requires that anyone who modifies and deploys Bifrost must share those modifications with the community. This prevents proprietary forks and ensures improvements benefit everyone.

Community Ownership

When the platform is open source, you’re not at the mercy of a single vendor’s pricing decisions or feature roadmap. The community collectively owns and guides the direction of the platform.

Transparency and Trust

You can inspect the code, verify security practices, and understand exactly how your workflows and data are handled. There are no black boxes or hidden mechanisms.

Freedom to Customize

Need a feature that doesn’t exist? Build it yourself. Want to deploy on-premises or in your own cloud? Go ahead. The platform doesn’t restrict your choices.

Sustainable Economics

Without the pressure to deliver venture capital returns, the platform can focus on sustainable growth and long-term value for users rather than short-term extraction for investors.

The Integration Services Opportunity

Just as early PSA and RMM tools transformed Managed Services, the Integration Services industry needs purpose-built tooling that truly scales automation. But this time, we have the chance to do it right - to build tools that serve the community rather than extract from it.

What Makes This Different

This isn’t about recreating another RPA platform with slightly different features. It’s about fundamentally rethinking how automation platforms should work:

• Real programming languages instead of proprietary syntax
• Modern development tools (VS Code, Git, AI assistants)
• Multi-tenancy by design rather than bolted on later
• Community-driven development instead of VC-driven feature churn

Join the Movement

This platform exists to give the community the tools we need to build sustainable, scalable automation businesses without being beholden to extractive pricing or vendor lock-in.

Whether you contribute code, documentation, community support, or simply use the platform to build great solutions for your customers - you’re part of ensuring the next chapter of Integration Services doesn’t get ravaged by venture capitalists who prioritize extraction over value creation.

This is our chance. Let’s build the future we want to work in.