Before there was Combodo, there was an idea
On May 26, 2010, Combodo was officially born, but the real story had already begun a year earlier, fueled by three passionate developers and a bold vision.
In early 2009, Erwan Taloc, Denis Flaven, and Romain Quetiez – former colleagues at HP – decided to take a leap. They believed IT Service Management (ITSM) could be simpler, more accessible, and more open. So, they created a new project: iTop.
Without a company, without marketing, and armed only with their code and determination, they uploaded the first version of iTop, version 0.7, to SourceForge in May 2009.
The idea was simple: test if there was a real community need.
A quiet launch, a loud signal
The response? 89 downloads in the very first month.
It may not sound like much today, but for a project born out of pure passion, it was a signal: something was resonating.
By July 2009, downloads had tripled to 249.
By August, they soared to 839.
And month after month, a growing community started to gather around iTop.
There was no business model yet. Combodo didn’t even exist. Just three developers experimenting with an idea, listening to feedback, and building something they believed in.
Combodo : from community to company
By early 2010, it became clear: the project needed a home.
In March 2010, at the Salon Linux Open-Source event in Paris, the founders met David Guembel, founder of ITOMIG. This meeting would spark a partnership that endures to this day as David became Combodo’s first and most loyal partner.
Momentum was building. On May 26, 2010, Combodo was officially created. The statutes were signed, and the mission was clear: support and grow the iTop ecosystem.
Starting as a service company
In its early days, Combodo functioned as a service provider. The relationship with the community was everything. Early users weren’t just customers, they were co-builders.
Commercial contracts emerged naturally from trust built within the community.
But the early road wasn’t without bumps. One of the very first customers even questioned whether Combodo would survive long enough to support them.
Fifteen years later, that same customer is still with us, a living testament to Combodo’s reliability and dedication.
The shift to software editor and SaaS
In 2014, Combodo made a bold pivot: it transitioned from a service-based model to a full-fledged software publisher.
The focus sharpened. New features, more robust versions, and a growing appetite for innovation led to the evolution of iTop as not just a CMDB, but a complete ITSM platform.
Combodo also began developing SaaS solutions , a move that would open new doors and markets in the years to come.
The rise of the RIC: real people, real stories
As the user base expanded, so did the desire for real-life connections.
In 2016, the very first RIC (Rencontres iTop Communauté) was born. It has been a dedicated space for users, partners, and contributors to meet, share, and help shape the future of iTop.
What started as a technical project had become something much more: a community.
What is Combodo today
Fifteen years later, the journey from SourceForge prototype to global open-source platform is nothing short of remarkable.
- From 89 downloads/month to over 3,000/month
- From a prototype CMDB to a comprehensive ITSM solution
- From three founders to a growing team
- From zero clients to a solid network of clients, community users and partners worldwide
What hasn’t changed
What hasn’t changed is our spirit:
- A passion for ITSM
- A belief in open communities
- A commitment to building reliable, flexible, transparent solutions
To everyone who downloaded, contributed, challenged us, believed in us, or helped us grow…thank you.
Fifteen years is a proud milestone, but it’s also just the beginning.
New features, new community events, new frontiers… The next chapters are already being written!