Keith Pitt and How Buildkite Changed Software Delivery
Keith Pitt, the founder and long-serving CEO of Buildkite, has left a lasting mark on the world of continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD). This article explores Pitt’s entrepreneurial journey, the story behind Buildkite, and how his vision transformed not just his company, but also the way the best software teams deliver code at scale.
The Early Drive of Keith Pitt
You could say that Keith Pitt was always destined to become a founder. At just 16, he was running an IT business selling computer hardware to friends. This wasn’t a start-up for funding and headlines, but a genuine business learning experience that set the tone for his practical, business-minded approach to technology.
Before launching Buildkite, Pitt was at the centre of start-up activity in Australia. He co-founded Desktoppr, DesksNear.Me, and Swoon Me between 2010 and 2013, gaining deep product knowledge and sharpening his software engineering skills with each new venture. These roles helped him build the blend of technical expertise and entrepreneurial drive that made Buildkite possible.
Why Buildkite? Overcoming CI/CD Roadblocks
The idea for Buildkite came from a real-world problem Pitt faced as a developer. He worked at a company that couldn’t use any of the big cloud CI/CD tools due to security restrictions. None of the available platforms offered the control and hybrid flexibility modern engineering teams truly needed. Pitt spotted an opportunity, but, most importantly, he acted fast to build his own solution.
Starting in 2013, Pitt decided to build Buildkite as a hybrid platform. By combining cloud-based orchestration with self-hosted agents, Buildkite delivered the scalability, security, and flexibility that existing tools lacked. This approach immediately struck a chord with other developers facing the same frustrating limitations.
Treating Buildkite as a Business, Not Just a Startup
One of Pitt’s guiding philosophies was to treat Buildkite as a business from day one. Rather than chase the “startup” label (with all its unnecessary baggage and tolerance for mistakes), he focused on sustainable business models, product quality, careful hiring, and listening to customers. For Pitt, success came from building something real and lasting, not just something buzzworthy.
He kept Buildkite lean and profitable, charging customers from the earliest stage and avoiding the pitfalls of a “growth-at-all-costs” mindset. This clarity gave Buildkite a solid foundation, even as the company started to scale.
Buildkite’s Growth and Innovation
Over the past decade, Buildkite has evolved from a tiny Australian startup to a trusted platform used by more than a billion people every day. Under Keith Pitt’s leadership, Buildkite constantly innovated to address complex software delivery challenges.
Pushing the Limits of CI/CD Scalability
Recently, Buildkite introduced its Scaleout Delivery Platform, which allows teams to run 100x more agents and workflows than most competitors. This upgrade delivers immense speed and efficiency for companies tackling large-scale software projects.
Buildkite’s pricing model also stands out. Teams pay per seat, with unlimited use, instead of usage-based pricing (like charging per build minute or concurrent job). This not only makes budgeting simpler but also keeps costs predictable as teams grow.
Expanding Beyond CI/CD
Buildkite continued to add powerful features, such as:
- Buildkite Test Engine for smarter test execution
- Package Registries for high-performance asset management
- Mobile Delivery Cloud to streamline mobile app deployment
Each of these tools fits seamlessly into the software development lifecycle, giving engineering teams unmatched flexibility and control.
Real Results for Industry Leaders
Buildkite’s impact isn’t theoretical. Global companies rely on the platform every day to deliver apps and services to billions of users.
- Uber halved their build times by moving to Buildkite
- Tinder uses Buildkite to manage low-latency deployment at massive scale
- Kasada accelerated time-to-market by integrating their licensing systems with Buildkite Package Registries
Other notable users include Airbnb, Shopify, and Twilio. These businesses credit Buildkite and Keith Pitt for giving their engineering teams the same velocity and agility as Silicon Valley’s leading tech giants.
The Importance of Listening and Moving Fast
A big part of Buildkite’s success came from Pitt’s focus on customer feedback and rapid iteration. Early customers would ask for features, and Pitt’s team would deliver improvements within days. This built trust and kept development tightly aligned with the actual needs of users, not just industry trends.
Pitt also credits mentorship from people like Matt Allen, who helped guide Buildkite from a side project into a business with product–market fit. Listening, learning, and acting fast became central to how Pitt led.
Leadership That Values Wellbeing
Pitt’s leadership style included many hard-won lessons:
- Prioritise self-care. He avoided burnout by keeping boundaries between work and life, for example, keeping work apps off his phone.
- Lead with transparency. Pitt believed in honesty, even when the news was tough.
- Start with MVPs. Ship simple versions quickly, then improve based on real feedback.
- Build with spreadsheets. He planned carefully, using practical tools to make data-driven decisions.
He also made time for hobbies outside work—including magic, avocado farming, and 3D printing—to keep his creativity and energy high.
Funding and Future Vision
Buildkite’s sustainable model didn’t stop the company from raising capital for growth. After the successful launch of its Test Analytics product (which now runs a billion tests weekly), Buildkite announced a $21 million Series B round, enabling it to build even more for the future of DevOps.
Keith Pitt was always clear that Buildkite would continue to enable developers, unblock teams, and create innovative tools for tomorrow’s challenges. The company’s events, including UnblockConf, bring the community together to learn and push the boundaries of what’s possible with CI/CD.
Unexpected Transition at the Top
After over a decade at the helm, Keith Pitt stepped down as Buildkite CEO in March 2025. The news came as a surprise, with no immediate successor named. Chairman Barry Crist took over as interim CEO while a search for a new leader began.
Pitt leaves a company with a $200 million valuation, a global client base, and an industry-leading product. Barry Crist and the Buildkite team remain committed to the mission and the strong foundation Pitt helped lay. The company is set for further growth and innovation, continuing to empower engineers around the world.
Lessons for Founders and Software Teams
Keith Pitt’s story holds important lessons for entrepreneurs and technologists:
- Build tools to solve real problems you face.
- Treat your venture as a business from day one.
- Charge for value immediately.
- Iterate quickly and never lose touch with customers.
- Prioritise wellbeing and boundaries to avoid burnout.
- Lean into mentorship and support.
- Stay curious and keep learning beyond your main field.
Ultimately, Pitt’s focus on scalability, customer centricity, and sustainable growth set a new standard in the CI/CD space. If you’re building a software product or leading an engineering team, there’s a lot to learn from his approach.
Learn more about Keith Pitt on his LinkedIn
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