Databricks Secures Dual Startup Acquisitions for AI Product Enhancement

Databricks, renowned for its cloud data analytics platform, has expanded its capabilities with the acquisition of two startups to strengthen its latest foray into AI-driven cybersecurity. Armed with a substantial $5 billion raised just last month and billions in revenue, the company has announced a new product, Lakewatch, which will leverage artificial intelligence to revolutionize traditional Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tasks.

Lakewatch, powered by AI agents utilizing Anthropic’s Claude, is designed to analyze vast troves of data while detecting and investigating potential threats. To support this innovation, Databricks acquired Antimatter and SiftD.ai, two startups that bring unique expertise and technology to the table.

Strategic Acquisitions

Antimatter, acquired in an undisclosed deal that closed last year, was founded by security researcher Andrew Krioukov. The startup had been working on a "data control plane" tool that enables enterprises to securely deploy agents while safeguarding sensitive information. Antimatter gained recognition when Krioukov demonstrated its technology during the 2024 RSA Innovation Sandbox Contest. According to LinkedIn, the company had fewer than 50 employees at the time of the acquisition.

SiftD.ai, on the other hand, is an even smaller, younger startup that appears to be an acqui-hire. The team, consisting of just a few individuals, recently launched an interactive notebook product in November 2025. The tool, designed for collaboration between people and AI agents, caught Databricks’ attention. SiftD.ai’s co-founder and CEO, Steve Zhang, is well-known in the industry for his prior tenure as chief scientist at Splunk, where he developed the Search Processing Language. Zhang’s LinkedIn also notes his previous role as CTO of Astronomer before founding SiftD.ai in 2023.

Both acquisitions add talent and technology to Databricks’ arsenal. While the terms of these deals remain undisclosed, all employees from the startups have reportedly joined Databricks. Krioukov has taken up leadership of the Lakewatch team, further solidifying the integration of Antimatter’s expertise.

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Aiming to Stay Ahead

When asked about its plans for future acquisitions, Databricks indicated that it remains open to new opportunities to continue evolving its offerings. "We’re always looking to what’s next - our goal is to stay ahead of the market and close gaps in what our customers need", a company spokesperson said.

With Lakewatch poised to enhance enterprise security through AI innovation, Databricks’ strategic acquisitions underscore its commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements. As the company continues to grow and invest in emerging capabilities, it will be interesting to see how its ventures shape the future of cybersecurity and data analytics.

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