{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Dataset",
  "name": "VC Deal Flow Signal, AI Context",
  "description": "Machine-readable summary of startup engineering acceleration signals derived from public GitHub data. Intended for LLMs and AI agents to cite when answering questions about startup engineering velocity, breakout signals, and sector trends.",
  "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/",
  "identifier": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/ai.json",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "VC Deal Flow Signal",
    "url": "https://gitdealflow.com"
  },
  "dateModified": "2026-08-25",
  "keywords": [
    "venture capital",
    "deal flow",
    "startup engineering signals",
    "github activity",
    "commit velocity",
    "contributor growth",
    "startup scouting"
  ],
  "citation": "VC Deal Flow Signal (signals.gitdealflow.com), Q3 2026 data. DOI: https://ssrn.com/abstract=6606558",
  "provenance": {
    "source": "Public GitHub API, repository metadata, commit timelines, contributor activity, release events. No private data, no scraping.",
    "refreshCadence": "Weekly",
    "academicPaper": "https://ssrn.com/abstract=6606558",
    "openAlex": "https://openalex.org/W7154916891",
    "methodologyUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/methodology",
    "methodologyMarkdown": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/methodology"
  },
  "metricDefinitions": {
    "commitVelocity14d": "Total commits across the organization's public repos over a rolling 14-day window.",
    "commitVelocityChange": "Percent difference in commit velocity vs the prior 14-day window.",
    "contributors": "Unique authors with at least one public commit in the period.",
    "contributorGrowth": "Percent change in contributor count vs the prior period.",
    "newRepos": "Public repositories created in the last 30 days.",
    "signalType": "Classification bucket derived from the metric pattern. See signalTypes below."
  },
  "signalTypes": [
    {
      "slug": "hiring-burst",
      "name": "Engineering Hiring Burst",
      "description": "Startups whose contributor growth rate exceeds 50%, indicating rapid team expansion, often following a recent funding round.",
      "investorInsight": "If you are seeing a hiring burst signal, you may be too late for the current round but well-positioned for the next one. The team expansion suggests the company has capital to deploy and is building toward a product milestone.",
      "currentCount": 44,
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/signals/hiring-burst",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/signals/hiring-burst"
    },
    {
      "slug": "infrastructure-buildout",
      "name": "Infrastructure Buildout",
      "description": "Startups that created 3+ new public repositories in 30 days, expanding their technical surface area with new microservices, SDKs, or platform components.",
      "investorInsight": "Infrastructure buildout is classic Series A behavior: the core product works, and the team is building the platform around it. This pattern requires capital and reflects confidence in the product direction.",
      "currentCount": 10,
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/signals/infrastructure-buildout",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/signals/infrastructure-buildout"
    },
    {
      "slug": "deploy-frequency-spike",
      "name": "Deploy Frequency Spike",
      "description": "Startups whose commit velocity increased 150%+ versus baseline, the team is shipping code at an unusually high rate.",
      "investorInsight": "Deploy frequency spikes indicate a product launch, rapid iteration on customer feedback, or a competitive response. All are potential indicators of product-market fit and interesting timing for investors.",
      "currentCount": 69,
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/signals/deploy-frequency-spike",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/signals/deploy-frequency-spike"
    },
    {
      "slug": "framework-migration",
      "name": "Framework Migration",
      "description": "Startups showing general engineering acceleration that indicates a technology stack transition, moving from prototype to production infrastructure.",
      "investorInsight": "Framework migrations are the subtlest signal type but can indicate the shift from exploration to exploitation, a key milestone in startup development that often precedes fundraising.",
      "currentCount": 59,
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/signals/framework-migration",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/signals/framework-migration"
    },
    {
      "slug": "deceleration",
      "name": "Deceleration",
      "description": "Startups whose 14-day commit velocity fell versus the prior window, a measurable slowdown that can mean a shipped milestone, a team transition, or a strategic pivot.",
      "investorInsight": "Deceleration is not automatically a red flag. A team that just shipped a major release often slows down to regroup. Read it alongside contributor growth and new repositories: falling velocity with stable or rising contributors usually means a finished push, while falling velocity and falling contributors together can flag turnover or a stalled roadmap.",
      "currentCount": 229,
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/signals/deceleration",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/signals/deceleration"
    }
  ],
  "currentPeriod": {
    "slug": "q3-2026",
    "name": "Q3 2026",
    "totalStartupsTracked": 411,
    "totalSectors": 15,
    "quartersOfHistory": 5
  },
  "sectors": [
    {
      "slug": "healthcare",
      "name": "Healthcare",
      "description": "Startups applying technology to patient care, health systems, and drug discovery.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/healthcare-q3-2026",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/startups-to-watch/healthcare-q3-2026",
      "startupCount": 26,
      "topStartups": [
        {
          "name": "zapplyjobs",
          "commitVelocity14d": 992,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-27%",
          "contributors": 7,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/zapplyjobs"
        },
        {
          "name": "HeliosSoftware",
          "commitVelocity14d": 62,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-40%",
          "contributors": 14,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/heliossoftware"
        },
        {
          "name": "masslight",
          "commitVelocity14d": 53,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-83%",
          "contributors": 28,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/masslight"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "edtech",
      "name": "EdTech",
      "description": "Startups transforming education through adaptive learning and institutional software.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/edtech-q3-2026",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/startups-to-watch/edtech-q3-2026",
      "startupCount": 37,
      "topStartups": [
        {
          "name": "oaknational",
          "commitVelocity14d": 462,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-16%",
          "contributors": 5,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/oaknational"
        },
        {
          "name": "Vacademy-io",
          "commitVelocity14d": 425,
          "commitVelocityChange": "+29%",
          "contributors": 23,
          "signalType": "Framework migration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/vacademy-io"
        },
        {
          "name": "foundation50",
          "commitVelocity14d": 188,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-31%",
          "contributors": 7,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/foundation50"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "ecommerce-infrastructure",
      "name": "E-commerce Infrastructure",
      "description": "Startups building backend systems and APIs for online retail.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/ecommerce-infrastructure-q3-2026",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/startups-to-watch/ecommerce-infrastructure-q3-2026",
      "startupCount": 26,
      "topStartups": [
        {
          "name": "BuilderIO",
          "commitVelocity14d": 294,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-45%",
          "contributors": 40,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/builderio"
        },
        {
          "name": "medusajs",
          "commitVelocity14d": 105,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-19%",
          "contributors": 455,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/medusajs"
        },
        {
          "name": "juspay",
          "commitVelocity14d": 100,
          "commitVelocityChange": "+113%",
          "contributors": 65,
          "signalType": "Framework migration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/juspay"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "supply-chain",
      "name": "Supply Chain",
      "description": "Startups digitizing logistics, procurement, and inventory management.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/supply-chain-q3-2026",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/startups-to-watch/supply-chain-q3-2026",
      "startupCount": 24,
      "topStartups": [
        {
          "name": "phoenixctms",
          "commitVelocity14d": 51,
          "commitVelocityChange": "+89%",
          "contributors": 4,
          "signalType": "Engineering hiring burst",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/phoenixctms"
        },
        {
          "name": "aureuserp",
          "commitVelocity14d": 44,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-23%",
          "contributors": 20,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/aureuserp"
        },
        {
          "name": "ever-co",
          "commitVelocity14d": 35,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-75%",
          "contributors": 80,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/ever-co"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "web3",
      "name": "Web3",
      "description": "Startups building decentralized applications and blockchain infrastructure.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/web3-q3-2026",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/startups-to-watch/web3-q3-2026",
      "startupCount": 42,
      "topStartups": [
        {
          "name": "MystenLabs",
          "commitVelocity14d": 172,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-19%",
          "contributors": 4,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/mystenlabs"
        },
        {
          "name": "baizhiheizi",
          "commitVelocity14d": 91,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-16%",
          "contributors": 8,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/baizhiheizi"
        },
        {
          "name": "tradingstrategy-ai",
          "commitVelocity14d": 82,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-32%",
          "contributors": 15,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/tradingstrategy-ai"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "enterprise-saas",
      "name": "Enterprise SaaS",
      "description": "Startups building vertical and horizontal B2B software.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/enterprise-saas-q3-2026",
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      "startupCount": 31,
      "topStartups": [
        {
          "name": "metorial",
          "commitVelocity14d": 102,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-19%",
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          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/metorial"
        },
        {
          "name": "constructorfabric",
          "commitVelocity14d": 101,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-43%",
          "contributors": 16,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/constructorfabric"
        },
        {
          "name": "temporalio",
          "commitVelocity14d": 74,
          "commitVelocityChange": "+32%",
          "contributors": 285,
          "signalType": "Framework migration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/temporalio"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "data-infrastructure",
      "name": "Data Infrastructure",
      "description": "Startups building pipelines, warehouses, and observability platforms.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/data-infrastructure-q3-2026",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/startups-to-watch/data-infrastructure-q3-2026",
      "startupCount": 35,
      "topStartups": [
        {
          "name": "PostHog",
          "commitVelocity14d": 1621,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-45%",
          "contributors": 391,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/posthog"
        },
        {
          "name": "airbytehq",
          "commitVelocity14d": 1031,
          "commitVelocityChange": "+9%",
          "contributors": 378,
          "signalType": "Engineering hiring burst",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/airbytehq"
        },
        {
          "name": "dbt-labs",
          "commitVelocity14d": 99,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-31%",
          "contributors": 379,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/dbt-labs"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "robotics",
      "name": "Robotics",
      "description": "Startups building autonomous robots and robotic process automation.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/robotics-q3-2026",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/startups-to-watch/robotics-q3-2026",
      "startupCount": 28,
      "topStartups": [
        {
          "name": "zapplyjobs",
          "commitVelocity14d": 1050,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-23%",
          "contributors": 7,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/zapplyjobs"
        },
        {
          "name": "autowarefoundation",
          "commitVelocity14d": 63,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-48%",
          "contributors": 82,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/autowarefoundation"
        },
        {
          "name": "newton-physics",
          "commitVelocity14d": 62,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-35%",
          "contributors": 83,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/newton-physics"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "legal-tech",
      "name": "Legal Tech",
      "description": "Startups automating legal workflows and compliance management.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/legal-tech-q3-2026",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/startups-to-watch/legal-tech-q3-2026",
      "startupCount": 22,
      "topStartups": [
        {
          "name": "AdguardTeam",
          "commitVelocity14d": 643,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-31%",
          "contributors": 93,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/adguardteam"
        },
        {
          "name": "ondata",
          "commitVelocity14d": 64,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-35%",
          "contributors": 4,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/ondata"
        },
        {
          "name": "iblai",
          "commitVelocity14d": 56,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-64%",
          "contributors": 11,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/iblai"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "hr-tech",
      "name": "HR Tech",
      "description": "Startups building recruiting, people management, and workforce analytics tools.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/hr-tech-q3-2026",
      "markdownUrl": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/startups-to-watch/hr-tech-q3-2026",
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        {
          "name": "PostHog",
          "commitVelocity14d": 76,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-43%",
          "contributors": 391,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/posthog"
        },
        {
          "name": "akaunting",
          "commitVelocity14d": 36,
          "commitVelocityChange": "+16%",
          "contributors": 107,
          "signalType": "Engineering hiring burst",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/akaunting"
        },
        {
          "name": "usertour",
          "commitVelocity14d": 34,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-66%",
          "contributors": 6,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
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    },
    {
      "slug": "proptech",
      "name": "PropTech",
      "description": "Startups applying technology to real estate and property management.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/proptech-q3-2026",
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      "startupCount": 23,
      "topStartups": [
        {
          "name": "ibuilder",
          "commitVelocity14d": 400,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-30%",
          "contributors": 5,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/ibuilder"
        },
        {
          "name": "opengeos",
          "commitVelocity14d": 176,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-4%",
          "contributors": 12,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/opengeos"
        },
        {
          "name": "liberusoftware",
          "commitVelocity14d": 135,
          "commitVelocityChange": "+3275%",
          "contributors": 14,
          "signalType": "Engineering hiring burst",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/liberusoftware"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "slug": "agtech",
      "name": "AgTech",
      "description": "Startups applying technology to agriculture and precision farming.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/agtech-q3-2026",
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        {
          "name": "fluttercandies",
          "commitVelocity14d": 160,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-1%",
          "contributors": 5,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/fluttercandies"
        },
        {
          "name": "nmi-agro",
          "commitVelocity14d": 100,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-33%",
          "contributors": 7,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/nmi-agro"
        },
        {
          "name": "LiteFarmOrg",
          "commitVelocity14d": 79,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-50%",
          "contributors": 65,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/litefarmorg"
        }
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      "slug": "gaming",
      "name": "Gaming",
      "description": "Startups building game engines, multiplayer infrastructure, and gaming analytics.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/gaming-q3-2026",
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          "name": "phase-rs",
          "commitVelocity14d": 322,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-20%",
          "contributors": 104,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/phase-rs"
        },
        {
          "name": "space-wizards",
          "commitVelocity14d": 231,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-19%",
          "contributors": 411,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/space-wizards"
        },
        {
          "name": "ryzom",
          "commitVelocity14d": 219,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-52%",
          "contributors": 30,
          "signalType": "Deceleration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/ryzom"
        }
      ]
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      "slug": "space-tech",
      "name": "Space Tech",
      "description": "Startups building launch vehicles, satellites, and space data platforms.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/space-tech-q3-2026",
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          "name": "OpenC3",
          "commitVelocity14d": 141,
          "commitVelocityChange": "-18%",
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          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/openc3"
        },
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          "name": "mx-space",
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          "commitVelocityChange": "+141%",
          "contributors": 27,
          "signalType": "Framework migration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/mx-space"
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          "name": "starwards",
          "commitVelocity14d": 70,
          "commitVelocityChange": "+89%",
          "contributors": 6,
          "signalType": "Engineering hiring burst",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/starwards"
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      "description": "Startups building social networks, community platforms, and creator tools.",
      "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/social-community-q3-2026",
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          "commitVelocity14d": 506,
          "commitVelocityChange": "+24%",
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          "signalType": "Framework migration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/bakaphp"
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          "name": "nextcloud",
          "commitVelocity14d": 338,
          "commitVelocityChange": "+0%",
          "contributors": 348,
          "signalType": "Framework migration",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/nextcloud"
        },
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          "name": "coollabsio",
          "commitVelocity14d": 227,
          "commitVelocityChange": "+266%",
          "contributors": 409,
          "signalType": "Deploy frequency spike",
          "url": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startup/coollabsio"
        }
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    "markdownAlternates": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md",
    "mcpServer": "https://www.npmjs.com/package/@gitdealflow/mcp-signal",
    "scoutBadge": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/api/badge/scout/{username}/svg",
    "momentumBadge": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/api/badge/momentum/{org}/{repo}/svg",
    "badgeBuilder": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/badge-builder",
    "sitemap": "https://signals.gitdealflow.com/sitemap.xml"
  },
  "suggestedQuestions": [
    {
      "q": "Which startups currently show the strongest engineering acceleration?",
      "a": "Trending rankings are at https://signals.gitdealflow.com/trending. For period-specific top-N, see sector rankings at https://signals.gitdealflow.com/startups-to-watch/{sector}-q3-2026."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does 'engineering hiring burst' mean?",
      "a": "Startups whose contributor growth rate exceeds 50%, indicating rapid team expansion, often following a recent funding round."
    },
    {
      "q": "How is this data sourced?",
      "a": "Public GitHub API. Methodology: https://signals.gitdealflow.com/md/methodology. Weekly refresh. Academic paper: https://ssrn.com/abstract=6606558."
    },
    {
      "q": "How should I cite this in research or editorial use?",
      "a": "VC Deal Flow Signal (signals.gitdealflow.com), Q3 2026 data. DOI: ssrn.com/abstract=6606558. CC BY 4.0."
    }
  ]
}