Exclusive: CData to embed its connectivity technology across Palantir analytics and AI platforms

CData Software Inc. today announced an expanded partnership with Palantir Technologies Inc. that integrates CData’s connectivity technology deeply into Palantir’s analytics platforms.

The agreement expands a longstanding collaboration between the two companies and makes CData’s suite of more than 300 connectors to back-end data sources available directly to Palantir users.

The deal lets Palantir customers connect to data sources ranging from traditional databases to enterprise applications and development platforms without the need to learn individual application program interfaces or formats. CData’s technology provides a standardized SQL interface and consistent metadata layer across all connections.

Palantir is licensing the technology across its Foundry, Gotham and Artificial Intelligence Platforms. Foundry is a data integration and analytics platform for commercial and industrial use. Gotham is primarily used by government and defense agencies. AIP is used to build and manage AI applications.

“They’ve taken our code and embedded it natively into their platform,” said CData founder and Chief Executive Amit Sharma. “Users won’t see our name; it just looks like part of Palantir.”

Integrate any data

CData says its approach is based on two architectural pillars: open standards and uniform behavior. Each of its connectors operates like a virtual database, translating SQL into native API calls under the hood. This abstraction not only simplifies development but also improves reliability and performance across platforms, Sharma said.

“What’s unique is that all our connectors behave exactly the same way,” he explained. “We’ve brought the consistency of database access to the messy world of APIs. It means you can query a [customer relationship management] system and an [enterprise resource planning ]system with the same logic, and our technology handles the translation.”

Sharma said CData’s embedded platform is quickly becoming a preferred choice for white-labeled connectivity for enterprise applications. The company claims more than 110 embedded partnerships globally, including Salesforce Inc. and Google LLC. Sharma said Palantir is one of CData’s top 10 customers.

“This isn’t just about cost savings,” he said. “It’s about enabling our partners to move faster and build more. Most companies just don’t have the data visibility or the resources to maintain these integrations themselves.”

AI too

The partnership will also extend Palantir’s AI ambitions. Using CData’s technology in its AIP allows AI models to query structured and unstructured data sources in real time using SQL. “We’re powering the data layer of their agent infrastructure,” Sharma said. “AI needs access to trusted, secure data, and that’s what we provide.”

CData’s unified metadata layer is useful in security and discoverability because it dynamically generates a consistent data model across all back-end sources and regulates access based on user credentials. “You only see the data you have access to,” Sharma said. “That’s critical for compliance and for enabling secure AI operations.”

CData has raised $510 million since its 2016 founding, including a $350 million funding round last year led by Warburg Pincus LLC and Accel Partners LP. Sharma said the company doesn’t need the money because it has been profitable for years but was looking to establish a relationship with two top venture capital firms. He said revenues have grown 30% to 40% annually for several years.

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