Platfora, Inc. is a

big data analytics Though used sometimes loosely partly because of a lack of formal definition, the interpretation that seems to best describe Big data is the one associated with large body of information that we could not comprehend when used only in smaller am ...

company based in San Mateo, California. The firm’s software works with the

open-source software Open-source software (OSS) is computer software that is released under a license in which the copyright holder grants users the rights to use, study, change, and distribute the software and its source code to anyone and for any purpose. Op ...

framework Apache Hadoop to assist with data analysis, data visualization, and sharing.

History

Platfora was founded in 2011 by Ben Werther. Werther studied

Computer Science Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to practical disciplines (includi ...

at Stanford University. Prior to founding Platfora, he worked at There Inc.,

Siebel Systems Siebel Systems, Inc. () was a software company principally engaged in the design, development, marketing, and support of customer relationship management (CRM) applications—notably Siebel CRM. The company was founded by Thomas Siebel and Pat ...

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washin ...

, and

Greenplum Greenplum is a big data technology based on MPP architecture and the Postgres open source database technology. The technology was created by a company of the same name headquartered in San Mateo, California around 2005. Greenplum was acquired ...

. In 2011, Werther met with former coworkers John Eshleman and SriSatish Ambati in a café in downtown San Mateo, California. At one of these meetings, while discussing the technical process of big data analysis, Werther realized that he could develop software that paired with Hadoop to greatly speed up data analysis and visualization. Werther sought financing to start Platfora; Eshleman was initially an adviser, and later joined Platfora as founding vice president of technology. Ambati formed his own company, Oxdata (renamed H2O.ai). In 2012, Platfora acquired startup Plot.io for its browser-based data visualization technology. Platfora received funding from

Andreessen Horowitz Andreessen Horowitz (also called a16z, legal name AH Capital Management, LLC) is a private American venture capital firm, founded in 2009 by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. The company is headquartered in Menlo Park, California. Andreessen H ...

Battery Ventures Battery Ventures is an American technology-focused investment firm. Founded in 1983, the firm makes venture-capital and private-equity investments in markets across the globe from offices in Boston, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Israel and Lon ...

Sutter Hill Ventures Sutter Hill Ventures is an American private equity firm focused on venture capital investments in technology-based start-up companies. Founded in 1964, Sutter Hill is one of the oldest venture capital firms still in operation. Based in Palo Alto ...

Tenaya Capital Tenaya Capital is a venture capital firm with offices in Portola Valley, California, and Wellesley, Massachusetts. Founded in 1995 as Lehman Brothers Venture Partners, Tenaya spun out to become an independent firm in 2009 following Lehman's bankr ...

, Citi Ventures,

Cisco Cisco Systems, Inc., commonly known as Cisco, is an American-based multinational digital communications technology conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California. Cisco develops, manufactures, and sells networking hardware, ...

, and

In-Q-Tel In-Q-Tel (IQT), formerly Peleus and In-Q-It, is an American not-for-profit venture capital firm based in Arlington, Virginia. It invests in high-tech companies to keep the Central Intelligence Agency, and other intelligence agencies, equipped with ...

, the venture fund of the

Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...

. Series C funding was $38 million. As of April 2014, total funding stood at $65 million. Platfora is one of several big data analytics companies that industry analysts expect to compete with established firms including

SAP Sap is a fluid transported in xylem cells (vessel elements or tracheids) or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant. These cells transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. Sap is distinct from latex, resin, or cell sap; it is a separ ...

, IBM, SAS, and Oracle, whose older methods of data analysis and visualization are currently more time-consuming. On August 6, 2015, Platfora announced Jason Zintak as chief executive and Ben Werther executive chairman. On December 8, 2015, Platfora announced $30 million of investment led by HSBC and Harmony Partners, alongside existing backers including Alleges Capital,

, Battery Ventures, Citi Ventures,

Cisco Systems Cisco Systems, Inc., commonly known as Cisco, is an American-based multinational digital communications technology conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California. Cisco develops, manufactures, and sells networking hardware, ...

and

. In July 2016 it was announced that Platfora was being acquired by Workday, Inc. Workday expected the transaction to close in the third fiscal quarter of 2016.

Product

Platfora’s software works with the open-source software framework Apache Hadoop; when a user queries a database, the product delivers answers in real time via a

graphical user interface The GUI ( "UI" by itself is still usually pronounced . or ), graphical user interface, is a form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and audio indicator such as primary notation, inst ...

Bloomberg Businessweek ''Bloomberg Businessweek'', previously known as ''BusinessWeek'', is an American weekly business magazine published fifty times a year. Since 2009, the magazine is owned by New York City-based Bloomberg L.P. The magazine debuted in New York City ...

called it “Big Data for Dummies.” A corporate or government data analyst can use the interface to filter results, or drag and drop fields to create graphs, overlays, and other visualizations of the data. The analyst can then share those data visualizations and answers with others.

Marketing

CRN Magazine ''CRN'' is an American computer magazine. It was first launched as ''Computer Retail Week'' on June 7, 1982, as a magazine targeted to computer resellers. It soon after was renamed ''Computer Reseller News''. History and profile Originally laun ...

named Platfora’s in 2013. Platfora’s software was used at a festival in Kansas City to analyze the city’s crime data. Marketing firm Gartner named Platfora in 2015. A magazine mentioned Platfora in 2014.

References

External links

* {{Official website, http://www.platfora.com
Patents by John Eshleman
Big data companies Software companies based in California Defunct software companies of the United States 2011 establishments in the United States 2011 establishments in California Software companies established in 2011 Companies established in 2011