Ali Ghodsi, Databricks CEO, to Speak at TC Sessions: SaaS

Databricks CEO Ali Ghodsi to Speak at TC Sessions: SaaS

Databricks has become a leading name in the fields of modern data warehousing and data lakes across numerous sectors. Given the company’s central role in helping businesses operationalize data, perform data engineering, and construct machine-learning models, its presence at TC Sessions: SaaS on October 27 is highly anticipated.

The Founding of Databricks

Ali Ghodsi co-founded Databricks in 2013 alongside several partners. The initial goal was to commercialize the Apache Spark analytics engine, a powerful tool for big data processing. Ghodsi, holding a Ph.D. from KTH/Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, was a key original developer of the Spark engine, with his research centered on distributed computing.

Prior to assuming the role of CEO in 2016, Ghodsi served as Databricks’ VP of Engineering and Product Management. His leadership has been instrumental in the company’s growth and success.

Growth and Valuation

Under Ghodsi’s direction, Databricks has achieved a substantial $28 billion valuation. To date, the company has secured a total of $1.9 billion in funding. The company’s strategic focus on open source technologies, data, and artificial intelligence is demonstrably yielding positive results.

Databricks has effectively navigated industry trends, maintaining a competitive edge, and benefiting from the increasing importance of machine learning. This proactive approach distinguishes it from some of its rivals.

Maintaining Independence and Strategic Partnerships

Despite ongoing acquisition interest from companies like Microsoft, Ghodsi and the board have prioritized maintaining Databricks’ independence. Instead, the company has forged strategic partnerships with major cloud providers.

A particularly significant partnership with Microsoft resulted in prominent placement of the Databricks service within the Azure cloud computing environment. More recently, the platform has been extended to Google Cloud, broadening its reach.

TC Sessions: SaaS Discussion

Ghodsi will be joining us at TC Sessions: SaaS to discuss the journey of building Databricks, the challenges of securing funding at high valuations, and his vision for the future of data management within the evolving AI landscape.

Event Details and Ticket Information

Early Bird ticket sales for $75 conclude on October 1. Secure your ticket now to gain valuable insights from CEOs who have successfully scaled B2B and B2C companies. Connect with founders utilizing low code/no code solutions, meet leading investors, and discover the next wave of SaaS startups integrating data with innovative technologies.