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BusinessQuiet 3d · day 3

Databricks acquires spreadsheet startup Row Zero to expand AI coworker Genie

The data-and-AI company folds a cloud spreadsheet tool into Genie as it continues a 2026 acquisition spree, with CEO Ali Ghodsi promising more deals to come.

newest coverage 2d agosummary written 2d ago18 pieces2 likes & upvotes Hacker NewsNewswiresMastodonX

What to know

  • Databricks acquired early-stage spreadsheet startup Row Zero to add a governed spreadsheet interface to its AI coworker Genie.
  • Row Zero, founded by former AWS and Tableau engineers, had raised $10M in a seed round led by IA Ventures in May 2025 at an estimated $40M valuation.
  • Deal terms were not disclosed; it is Databricks' latest in a 2026 acquisition run that also included Quotient AI, SiftD.ai, Panther, and Electric.
  • CEO Ali Ghodsi says Databricks intends to keep making similar acquisitions going forward.

“Spreadsheets are one such interface that every business analyst loves. So it makes a lot of sense to intermarry Business Intelligence (BI), Agents, and Spreadsheets!”

Ali Ghodsi, Databricks CEO · TechCrunch (via X post) ↗ · Sep 23

Ali GhodsiAli Ghodsi Databricks CEOPatrick Wendell Databricks Co-founder and VP of EngineeringBreck Fresen Row Zero Founder and CEORow Zero Acquired spreadsheet startup

Databricks acquires spreadsheet startup Row Zero to expand AI coworker Genie
techcrunch.com

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

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Sep 25yesterdaytodaynow · 4:55 PM ET
  1. background

    Wider tech press picks up the acquisition — Outlets including Axios, The Information, SiliconANGLE, PYMNTS, GeekWire, and Unite.AI covered the acquisition, several framing Row Zero as a Microsoft Excel competitor now folded into Databricks' AI platform.

  2. background

    Ghodsi explains the deal's origin on X — Databricks CEO Ali Ghodsi posted on X describing how the finance team's use of Row Zero alongside Genie led to the acquisition, calling the combination of BI, agents, and spreadsheets powerful.

  3. 2

    TechCrunch details origin of deal and Databricks' buying spree

    TechCrunch reported the deal grew out of Databricks' own finance team using Row Zero alongside Genie, and noted the acquisition follows Quotient AI, SiftD.ai, Panther, and Electric earlier in 2026; Ghodsi said Databricks plans to keep acquiring startups.

    “We intend to do many more acquisitions like this in the future.”
    — Ali Ghodsi

    • At the beginning of this year, big portions of @databricks started running on Genie. When finance started doing all their work with Genie, we noticed that they were combining Genie with a Live Cloud Spreadsheet called Row Zero. This combination is really powerful. We met the Row Zero team and were...

      @alighodsiX2d agoview on X ↗
    1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch
    • The_IT_Nerd@noc.social

      Databricks Acquires Row Zero Databricks today announced it has acquired Row Zero, the spreadsheet built for humans and agents to work together with data.... https:// itnerd.blog/2026/09/24/databri cks-acquires-row-zero/

      The_IT_Nerd@noc.socialMastodon2d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  4. 1

    Databricks announces it has acquired Row Zero

    Databricks said it acquired Row Zero, a spreadsheet tool built for humans and agents to work together with data, to expand its AI coworker Genie with a governed spreadsheet interface powered by Genie Ontology, Unity Catalog, and Unity Gateway.

    “Genie is helping make every knowledge worker dramatically more productive and impactful. As more finance, operations, and go-to-market teams adopt Genie, incorporating a seamless spreadsheet experience is a must-have.”
    — Patrick Wendell, Co-founder and VP of Engineering at Databricks
    1. 11 outlets Databricks grabs AI-ready spreadsheet startup Row Zero

      first by The Stack, 2d ago · also Techstrong IT, Silicon Republic, Superpower Daily, GeekWire, TechCrunch, PYMNTS +4

      11 more headlines
    2. 1 outlet Databricks expands data platform with acquisition of Row Zero

      first by The American Bazaar, 2d ago

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