Databricks is making a significant investment in India's artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, pledging over $250 million to enhance its presence in the country. This initiative will include increasing its workforce by more than 50%, bringing its headcount to over 750 employees by the end of the fiscal year, reflecting the company's commitment to tapping into India's growing AI talent pool.

A major focus of this investment is research and development (R&D), with plans to hire over 100 R&D engineers at its newly established research center in Bengaluru. Databricks Senior Vice President of Engineering, Vinod Marur, highlighted Bengaluru’s exceptional technical talent as a key reason for selecting the city as the hub for these efforts. The multimillion-dollar investment will also support training initiatives, go-to-market strategies, and advancements in AI-driven technologies.

As part of its efforts to democratize data and AI, Databricks has launched the Data + AI Academy in India. This ambitious program aims to train 500,000 partners and customers over the next three years, equipping them with the skills needed to harness Databricks' platform for building innovative AI applications and analyzing complex data from various sources.

Founded in 2013, Databricks specializes in offering a unified platform that helps organizations ingest, analyze, and leverage data for developing AI solutions. The company’s strategic move to invest heavily in India showcases its belief in the country's potential to drive global innovation in AI and data analytics. With this expansion, Databricks solidifies its position as a leading player in the AI industry, while contributing to India's emergence as a global hub for advanced technology and data science talent.