Microsoft Acquires Big Data Analytics Startup Metanautix

Christmas has just come early for a company called Metanautix, as Microsoft has decided to acquire the business analytics firm to bulk up Redmond’s data management efforts.

The acquisition, according to Microsoft, will help it to solve the challenge of being able to collate all of its data together for analysis to churn out the ever-present business buzzwords of insight, opportunity, and growth – all through “intelligent automation”.

Data-driven

“Companies continue to generate enormous volumes of information and aspire to be more data-driven in their strategies and operations,” wrote Microsoft data group vice president Joseph Sirosh.

“But many struggle to bring together their various sources and siloes of data, and only analyse and use a fraction of all the available information. Metanautix’ technology breaks these boundaries to connect the “data supply chain,” no matter what the type, size or location of an organisation’s data.”

It seems this won’t be a quiet acquisition for Microsoft either, the company has big plans. In early 2016, Microsoft said it will integrate Metanautix technology into its SQL Server and the Cortana Analytics Suite.

As someone who has led complex, large scale data warehousing projects myself, I am extremely excited about the technology and talent we are bringing to Microsoft with this acquisition,” wrote Sirosh.

“It is another important part of our ongoing efforts to build the intelligent cloud.”

In August 2014, Metanautix was the recipient of $7 million of Series A funding, led by Sequoia Capital. It also won an undisclosed amount of cash in July this year in a venture round from Workday Ventures.

“It’s been a thrilling ride,” said Metanautix CEO Theo Vassilakis. “I’d like to take a moment to thank our amazing team who has made all of this possible, including our customers and partners who helped us shape the product, our investors who got it all started and who stood by us, and the many other folks who contributed along the way.”

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