Ollama
The easiest way to run large language models locally
Ranked #6 in Best Open-Source AI Startups.
A CLI tool that serves an OpenAI-compatible REST API on port 11434, enabling developers to run open-source models locally with seamless integration across the entire local AI ecosystem.
At a glance
| Price from | Free (MIT license) |
| Best for | Developers and API automation |
From Ollama's own website.
Company facts
| Social profiles | LinkedIn, X |
What stands out
- Universal compatibility with local AI tools and frameworks
- Simple installation and CLI-first design for developers
Worth knowing
- Requires command-line familiarity for initial setup
How it ranks
Ollama is ranked 6th of 10 in Best Open-Source AI Startups (Lister Score 90.9).
#6 in Best Open-Source AI Startups · Lister Score 90.9
Ollama, based in Palo Alto, makes an open-source tool for downloading and running open models locally, plus cloud options. It announced $88 million in funding in July 2026, with Benchmark, Theory Ventures and 8VC among its backers.
Ollama says 8.9 million developers use it, including teams at 85 percent of Fortune 500 companies..
| Rank | Best Open-Source AI Startups | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mistral AI | 97.3 |
| 2 | Moonshot AI | 96.0 |
| 3 | Together AI | 94.8 |
| 4 | Black Forest Labs | 93.5 |
| 5 | Reflection AI | 92.2 |
| 6 | Ollama | 90.9 |
| 7 | LangChain | 89.6 |
| 8 | Inferact | 88.3 |
| 9 | Nous Research | 87.0 |
| 10 | Stability AI | 85.7 |
Frequently asked questions
How does Ollama rank on Lister?
Ollama is ranked 6th of 10 in Best Open-Source AI Startups (Lister Score 90.9).
Appears in
- #1 in Top 10 On-Device AI Tools · AI Tools
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