Semaphore
Fast CI/CD platform with native Docker support — a Croatian alternative to Travis CI.
Overview
Semaphore is a Zagreb, Croatia-based European company building ci/cd and developer tools software since 2012. As an EU-headquartered provider, Semaphore operates under GDPR and is outside the reach of the US CLOUD Act, making it a privacy-friendly alternative to well-known US incumbents for European teams.
Why European teams pick Semaphore
Teams in Europe pick Semaphore when they want a ci/cd provider that bills in EUR, supports their local data-protection officer requirements, and keeps customer data under Croatia law, operating since 2012. Compared with well-known US incumbents, Semaphore avoids cross-border data transfers under Schrems II and the US CLOUD Act, which is often the deciding factor for European procurement and legal teams.
See more EU ci/cd tools or browse other startups from Croatia.
About
Semaphore is a CI/CD platform founded in Croatia, known for its speed — Semaphore's machines start in under 5 seconds and its caching architecture consistently delivers some of the fastest build times in the market. It supports all major languages and frameworks and offers Docker layer caching, parallel test splitting, monorepo support, and deployment pipelines to any target. Semaphore CI 2.0 introduced a YAML-based pipeline syntax and self-hosted agent support, allowing EU teams to run builds on their own infrastructure. All data is processed in the EU and a GDPR DPA is available. Semaphore is the favourite CI platform among Rails, Python, and Go teams that prioritise raw build speed.
Details
- Founded
- 2012
- Headquarters
- Zagreb, Croatia
Categories
Other EU startups like Semaphore
- FjordIDNorway — Managed OIDC/OAuth2 identity platform hosted on Hetzner in Germany. Drop-in Auth0 replacement with EU data residency and zero US subprocessors.
- RailwayUnited Kingdom — Instant deployment infrastructure for developers — popular across European teams.
- LiveblocksFrance — APIs for adding collaborative real-time features to your app — a French alternative to Firebase Realtime.
- PocketbaseBulgaria — Open-source backend in a single file — a European alternative to Firebase.
- NocoDBGermany — Open-source Airtable alternative that turns databases into smart spreadsheets.
- PortainerNew Zealand — Container management UI for Docker and Kubernetes — a New Zealand/European alternative to Rancher.
Frequently asked questions
What is Semaphore?
Semaphore is a CI/CD platform founded in Croatia, known for its speed — Semaphore's machines start in under 5 seconds and its caching architecture consistently delivers some of the fastest build times in the market. It supports all major languages and frameworks and offers Docker layer caching, parallel test splitting, monorepo support, and deployment pipelines to any target. Semaphore CI 2.0 introduced a YAML-based pipeline syntax and self-hosted agent support, allowing EU teams to run builds on their own infrastructure. All data is processed in the EU and a GDPR DPA is available. Semaphore is the favourite CI platform among Rails, Python, and Go teams that prioritise raw build speed.
What does Semaphore do?
Semaphore is fast ci/cd platform with native docker support — a croatian alternative to travis ci. It is listed under ci/cd and developer tools on EU Alts because its core functionality serves teams looking for a European ci/cd tool with EU data residency, typically as a switch away from well-known US incumbents.
Is Semaphore a good European ci/cd alternative?
Semaphore is a fit for European businesses evaluating ci/cd options where data residency and GDPR alignment matter — typical buyers include EU-based SaaS teams, public-sector projects, regulated industries (healthcare, finance, legal), and any organisation that needs to demonstrate that customer data does not leave the EU. It also overlaps with developer tools use cases.
Is Semaphore GDPR compliant?
Semaphore is headquartered in Zagreb, Croatia and falls under EU jurisdiction, so it processes user data under the GDPR by default. Because the company is not US-incorporated, it is not subject to the US CLOUD Act — meaning US authorities cannot compel Semaphore to disclose customer data the way they can with well-known US incumbents. For European buyers, that often simplifies DPIA paperwork and standard contractual clauses.
How do teams switch from well-known US incumbents to Semaphore?
Most teams move to Semaphore from well-known US incumbents because they want EU data residency without giving up the core ci/cd workflow. Semaphore's Croatia base means a single jurisdiction for both the company and (typically) its hosting infrastructure, so you can drop Schrems II transfer impact assessments for this part of your stack. Plan the migration in stages: export your data from the US incumbent, pilot Semaphore with a small team, then move the rest once the integration coverage you need is confirmed.
Where is Semaphore based?
Semaphore is headquartered in Zagreb, Croatia. The company was founded in 2012. Its main website is https://semaphoreci.com.