Redis 7.2, a significant update from Redis Labs, has brought along enhanced vector search functionality aligning with the growing AI application demands in India. Yiftach Shoolman, co-founder and CTO of Redis Labs, discussed this key development with AIM on his recent visit to Bangalore. 

This advancement, coupled with Redis’ collaboration with LangChain resulting in OpenGPT on Redis Cloud, underscores the company’s commitment to generative AI and AI-driven applications. This progress is a vital part of Redis’ growing influence in India. The expansion complements Shoolman’s vision of leading innovation in data management.

Shoolman is a key figure in the tech industry, recognized for co-founding Redis Labs. His journey in technology began at 14, with coding setting the stage for a career marked by innovation and leadership in areas like application acceleration, cloud computing, software-as-a-service (SaaS), broadband networks, and metro networks.

Shoolman’s foray into technology began when he developed a game akin to Tetris and by assisting a local library in establishing an online presence. 

He later founded Crescendo Networks, focusing on building load balancers to enhance network and application capacity. His tenure at Crescendo Networks, where he served as the founder, president, and CTO, culminated in the company’s acquisition by F5. Post-2008, Shoolman’s interest shifted towards cloud technologies, leading to the early adoption of cloud-based database services, starting with Memcached and subsequently Redis.

He was also the founder and CEO of ViConsole and served as the vice president of software at Native Networks. 

Shoolman worked at Electronics Corporation of Israel (ECI) in while studying. It was during the time (1993-2001) when the internet was new, and he said they built broadband, which later converted to the ADSL network. They worked on the early dial-up modem system. It was moved to a VDSL network, which is used even today by many broadband providers.

Redis Labs, under Shoolman’s leadership, has made significant contributions to the tech ecosystem. Redis, an open-source, in-memory data structure store, is used as a database, cache, and message broker. Shoolman’s vision and guidance have been instrumental in the growth of Redis Labs, helping it to serve over 7,500 customers worldwide, including major clients in India such as Freshworks, Razorpay, and others.

We wanted to build something reliable and I think we managed to do that. He said during the interview, that the real time use cases are vital for different industries gaming, media, financial services, and e-commerce. He spoke about Netflix or financial trading companies as an examples for whom real time data processing is crucial. Their focus is also to making real-time use cases more cost-effective, where they’ve seen expenses cut by 40 to 60% according to the CEO.

Interestingly, Shoolman is not confined to the corporate world. His time in the Israeli Defence Force and as a senior software developer for the Israeli ministry of defence instilled discipline and precision into his work ethics. Following his military service, Shoolman pursued a master’s degree in mathematics and computer science at Tel Aviv University, further enriching his technical skills and knowledge.

In 2016, he collaborated with Salvatore Sanfilippo, enhancing the management of Redis’s open-source project. Shoolman envisions that Redis will serve all real-time use cases, including AI, in the future. He emphasises the importance of understanding core systems in programming and technology development.

Redis’ Expanding Influence in India

Under Shoolman, Redis has significantly impacted India’s rapidly growing tech sector. The company’s focus on ecosystem integrations, including collaboration with LangChain for Harrison’s OpenGPT on Redis Cloud, shows its commitment to supporting advanced technologies like generative AI.

“Since 2020, Redis has doubled its headcount within India, expanded its presence across the country (Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune), and opened its first dedicated regional office in Bangalore in 2019.”

The release of Redis 7.2 marked a significant advancement in the company’s capabilities, particularly in vector search functionality. This development aligns with the demands of generative AI applications, where Redis’ solutions address challenges in AI implementations, offering efficient, real-time data management crucial for interactive AI applications.

Shoolman’s journey from a young coding enthusiast to a leading tech visionary underscores his significant impact on the tech industry, particularly in the realm of data management and AI.

Read more: How Redis Finds Moat in the Indian Market