Semaphore
Pending verificationFast 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 likely operates under GDPR, though EU Alts has not yet independently verified its ownership and hosting facts, so its exposure to the US CLOUD Act isn't confirmed yet — see the Details section below for what's known so far.
Why European teams pick Semaphore
Teams in Europe consider Semaphore when they want a ci/cd provider that bills in EUR and keeps customer data under Croatia law, operating since 2012. Its EU headquarters is a good sign compared with well-known US incumbents, but EU Alts hasn't yet verified Semaphore's ownership and hosting facts — check back once verification is complete.
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
- Ownership
- Independently owned (Serbia)
- Company size
- 11–50 employees
Categories
Other EU startups like Semaphore
- Unchained Engine Switzerland — Open-source headless e-commerce framework for Node.js, self-hostable and Swiss-made.
- Codebahn Sweden — Codebahn is managed Git and CI for European teams.
- Curity Sweden — Swedish identity and API access platform. OAuth and OpenID Connect infrastructure for organisations where security and control are non-negotiable.
- Hanko Germany — Open-source passkey and passwordless authentication from Kiel, Germany. Made and hosted in Europe, with self-hosting available.
- cidaas Germany — German cloud identity and access management (CIAM) platform — made and hosted in Germany, with dedicated German server locations for regulated sectors.
- Ploq The Netherlands — Ploq is EU-built webhook infrastructure: retries, event filtering, and health monitoring, GDPR-compliant end to end. SDKs for Node.js and Java, a WordPress plugin, and a forkable Mac/Windows app for sending and receiving events.
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 likely processes user data under the GDPR by default. EU Alts has not yet independently verified Semaphore's ownership structure or hosting location, so we can't yet confirm its exposure to the US CLOUD Act the way we can for verified entries.
How do teams switch from well-known US incumbents to Semaphore?
Most teams considering a move from well-known US incumbents to Semaphore are drawn to its EU headquarters and ci/cd workflow fit. EU Alts hasn't yet verified Semaphore's ownership and hosting facts, so treat any CLOUD Act or Schrems II conclusions as provisional until verification is complete. Plan a migration in stages regardless: export your data from the US incumbent, pilot Semaphore with a small team, then move the rest once integration coverage 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.