Databricks acquires startups for AI security product
▼ Summary
– Databricks has launched a new AI-powered security product called Lakewatch, which performs SIEM tasks using Anthropic’s Claude.
– The company acquired two startups to build Lakewatch: Antimatter, which focused on secure data control, and the very young SiftD.ai.
– The acquisition of SiftD.ai appears to be primarily an acqui-hire, bringing on its co-founder who previously created Splunk’s Search Processing Language.
– Databricks confirmed it is continuously looking for more startup acquisitions to stay ahead of market needs.
– The terms of both acquisitions were not disclosed, and Antimatter had previously raised an estimated $12 million in venture funding.
Capitalizing on its recent $5 billion funding round and substantial revenue, Databricks is actively expanding its portfolio through strategic acquisitions. The company has launched a new AI security product named Lakewatch, which integrates its powerful data storage capabilities with advanced security monitoring. This platform performs essential Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) functions, such as threat detection and investigation, but does so by leveraging AI agents powered by Anthropic’s Claude model.
To build this product, Databricks quietly acquired two startups. The first, Antimatter, was purchased in a previously undisclosed deal finalized last year. The second, SiftD.ai, was acquired just this Monday following rapid negotiations over recent weeks. Financial terms for both transactions were not released.
Antimatter, founded by security researcher Andrew Krioukov, had reportedly raised $12 million in a 2022 funding round led by New Enterprise Associates. The startup was developing a data control plane designed to let enterprises deploy AI agents securely while safeguarding sensitive information. Krioukov even showcased the technology at the 2024 RSA Innovation Sandbox Contest. He has been at Databricks for several months and is now leading the Lakewatch team.
The other acquisition, SiftD.ai, was an extremely young company. It launched its core product only in November, which was an interactive notebook environment meant to facilitate collaboration between people and AI agents. The startup appears to have been a very small operation, likely constituting an acqui-hire. Databricks was familiar with SiftD.ai’s co-founder and CEO, Steve Zhang, from his long tenure as chief scientist at Splunk, where he created the Search Processing Language.
Both companies were quite small, with SiftD.ai having only a handful of staff and Antimatter employing fewer than fifty people. Databricks confirmed that employees from both startups have joined the company, though it did not specify exact numbers. The Antimatter deal likely brought valuable intellectual property to Databricks, while the SiftD.ai acquisition primarily added engineering talent.
When asked if more startup purchases are planned, a Databricks spokesperson indicated the company maintains an ongoing search for innovative additions. The goal is to anticipate market needs and address customer requirements proactively, ensuring Databricks remains at the forefront of the data and AI landscape.
(Source: TechCrunch)
