The founders of the original MySQL, the open-source database, are getting back together in a merger between Monty Program and SkySQL.

The newly merged company will have the two main co-creators of the original MySQL, Monty Widenius head of Monty Program AB, and David Axmark of SkySQL.

The new company will operate under the SkySQL name, and will pool both Monty Program and SkySQL’s expertise in MariaDB support and development. SkySQL says the move will enable it to devote more resources to making MariaDB more able to interoperate with both NoSQL and SQL database systems.

SkySQL CEO Patrik Sallner will be CEO of the merged company, and Monty Widenius will be CTO. The company plans to develop new options to let users of MySQL and MariaDB “manage their data effectively in the enterprise and cloud.”

SkySQL was created by around two dozen former MySQL executives and investors after Oracle bought MySQL from Sun. Widenius started Monty Program AB and created the MariaDB database from some of MySQL’s open source code.

The merger will provide a stronger rival to MySQL, so reassuring users who are worried about Oracle’s future plans for the database. The acquisition of MySQL by Oracle was greeted with suspicion and suggestions that Oracle would weaken MySQL in favour of Oracle’s own database, and Widenius at one point suggested Oracle should sell off MySQL.

Oracle countered by publicly pledging to maintain MySQL as an open platform, and has released some significant updates to MySQL. The moves still haven’t silenced critics, who say Oracle is slowly closing off MySQL, pointing out the company raised entry-level support pricing.

Simon Phipps, CEO of the MariaDB Foundation said:

"It is a pleasure to have a company representing the reunited core team of our code base joining the Foundation"

The merger is expected to be completed in around four months.