Unkey
API key management as a service. Open-source, self-hostable. Used by indie devs and startups instead of building API auth in-house.
- Location
- Remote, Germany
- Raised
- $2.5M+
- Stage
- Seed
- Founded
- 2023
- Category
- Open Source
- Funding
- VC-backed
- Team
- 1-10
Funding figures as of Jul 2025 · not independently verified
Founders of Unkey
- Andreas Thomas
- James Perkins
Investors backing Unkey
- Y Combinator
Frequently asked questions
What does Unkey do?
API key management as a service. Open-source, self-hostable. Used by indie devs and startups instead of building API auth in-house.
Where is Unkey based?
Unkey is based in Remote, Germany.
When was Unkey founded?
Unkey was founded in 2023.
How much has Unkey raised?
Unkey has raised $2.5M+ in their Seed round as of Jul 2025.
Who founded Unkey?
Unkey was founded by Andreas Thomas, James Perkins.
Who has invested in Unkey?
Unkey is backed by Y Combinator.
How Unkey would pitch themselves
○ Auto-generated01Target customer
Developers + open-source communities + enterprises wanting an OSS-first tool in this category, with optional commercial support.
02Problem they solve
API key management as a service. Open-source, self-hostable. Used by indie devs and startups instead of building API auth in-house. The category has historically been served by tools that miss the modern workflow this product is built around.
03Key differentiator
Unkey differentiates on open-source api authentication and authorization. Backed by Y Combinator, $2.5M+ raised — the company has resources + validation to compound this thesis. Founded by Andreas Thomas + team.
04Go-to-market strategy
Early-stage GTM — typically product-led growth (free tier or low-friction onboarding) paired with founder-led sales for the first 100 customers. Heavy content marketing + community presence on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and category-specific Slack groups.