Databricks launches SAP Databricks

Databricks has introduced SAP Databricks, a product that integrates natively with the SAP Business Data Cloud. The move is part of a partnership between Databricks and SAP, aiming to unify business data with Databricks’ platform for data warehousing, data engineering and Ai, all governed by Unity Catalog.

The company has announced that US$250 million from its recent US$15 billion fundraising will be allocated to support customers and system integrator partners in deploying and migrating to SAP Databricks. The initiative is intended to help businesses maximise the value of their SAP data.

Unifying enterprise data

SAP applications underpin critical business functions, including planning, procurement and HR. Organisations seek to enhance the value of their SAP data by integrating it with data from other key systems. Many of these systems remain on-premises, making advanced analytics and Ai adoption more complex.

SAP Databricks is designed to consolidate these datasets, enabling their use in data warehousing and Ai applications. The company says this will remove the need for complicated data engineering and enhance productivity for teams working with enterprise data.

“Every organisation is searching for a faster, more reliable way to translate their data into strategic advantage,” said Ali Ghodsi, Co-founder and CEO of Databricks. “Together with SAP, we’re helping businesses seamlessly unify their data sources, streamline analytics and accelerate the development of domain-specific Ai applications.”

Muhammad Alam, Executive Board Member at SAP, said the partnership is designed to help enterprises make better use of their data. “Together, we’re fusing SAP’s expertise in mission-critical applications with Databricks’ data engineering and Ai capabilities to help our customers unlock the next era of digital innovation.”

Ai for business transformation

The integration allows customers to merge their SAP data with other enterprise data using Delta Sharing for bi-directional data exchange. Databricks says this unification will improve governance and security under Unity Catalog, ensuring that enterprises have a trusted data foundation.

Mosaic Ai, Databricks’ Ai suite, will be available for customers looking to develop domain-specific Ai trained on SAP data. The company expects this to facilitate the development of intelligent systems tailored to business needs.

Industry support

The announcement has drawn support from industry partners, who see it as a step towards improved Ai-driven business operations.

“Generative Ai is a catalyst for reinvention across the enterprise, but to build and scale Ai applications effectively, organisations need to have a complete understanding of their data,” said Karthik Narain, Group Chief Executive – Technology and CTO at Accenture. “We’re working closely with SAP and Databricks to help our clients maximise the convenience of integrated and open data, draw better insights faster, create new personalisations and launch Ai-based innovations.”

Niraj Parihar, CEO of Insights and Data Global Business Line at Capgemini, highlighted the importance of a strong data foundation. “SAP Databricks will enable clients to seamlessly merge ERP data with operational insights to maximise the value of Ai for organisations and drive critical business benefits.”

Jessica Kosmowski, Global Ecosystems and Alliances Leader at Deloitte Consulting LLP, said breaking down data silos is essential for Ai-driven investments. “The new SAP Databricks offering can address that need for our shared clients, combining the power of the SAP business suite and Databricks with rich SAP data to drive business transformation and data modernisation.”

EY-Databricks Alliance Leader Hugh Burgin emphasised the importance of connecting enterprise data for business growth. “We are excited to leverage the combined strengths of SAP and Databricks to transform data into trusted business insights.”

The new offering positions Databricks and SAP to support enterprises looking to integrate their SAP data with modern analytics and Ai tools. The companies say this will help customers streamline operations and improve data-driven decision-making.

Last Updated on February 14, 2025 by Nick Ross