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Lightdash , a business intelligence ( BI ) political platform and assailable source alternate toGoogle ’s Looker , is lift the lid on a novel product that allows companies to train “ AI analysts ” specific to individual squad ’ manipulation - case , enable anyone in a company to query aggregated business data .

To help , the 4 - twelvemonth - old startup also on Tuesday announce that it has elevate $ 11 million in a Series A bout of support led by Accel .

Lightdash is work up for an open source statement - line - based data transmutation prick calleddbt(data build tool ) , which leans on SQL to serve businesses transform raw datum into integrated , depth psychology - ready datasets . The companionship was acknowledge as Hubble when itgraduated from Y Combinator ’s ( YC ) S20 batch , with a focus on running tests on company ’ data storage warehouse to name issues with data point quality . As things transpired , these metrics were most utile broil into BI tools , which is why co - laminitis and CEOHamzah Chaudharypivoted the product and make to Lightdash in 2021 .

For linguistic context , “ business word ” describes the outgrowth of pooling and integrating disparate data set to unlock insights , identify trend , and predict next outcomes . The Lightdash political platform do as both a front and back destruction , so people inexperienced in SQL , such as selling or finance team , can enter the optic constituent through an interface . More technological users can dabble in the back - end to build customise workflows and set all the business concern system of logic needed for business reporting purposes .

And this affiliation in with Lightdash ’s latest launching , a feature that will allow anyone in a team to ask lifelike voice communication dubiousness of the company ’s own data point , and get “ curated brainstorm ” relevant to their department .

“ For example , the finance team will have an AI analyst that only has admittance to the data , metric unit , and content that is relevant to them , ” Chaudhary explain to TechCrunch over e-mail . “ They can interact with their AI psychoanalyst in raw linguistic process , drastically shorten their time to insights , whether as a chart , spreadsheet , or a dashboard . ”

One of the stumbling blocks forenterprises fully embracinggenerative AI is the setose issue of data security ; businesses are conservative about giving access to secret company data . However , Chaudhary says that the company ’s AI Analyst is power by thesame Lightdash API used in its standard intersection , meaning company already satisfied with Lightdash ’s security credentials are n’t exposing themselves to any supernumerary risk by using its AI .

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“ Data permit and governing are one of the key blocker to larger companies cast out these tools , and with Lightdash ’s AI analyst , you get those product features out of the corner , ” Chaudhary said . “ This is important to agnize ; it ’s not a brand young query engine for client data , it ’s actually a brand name new direction to interact with our survive enquiry engine . ”

Also , the AI psychoanalyst largely does n’t require approach to customers ’ actual data , Chaudhary added , as it bank on the metadata such as a metric ’s title and description for the absolute majority of its analysis . “ client have thoroughgoing control over what selective information they want to deal with the LLMs , ” he enounce .

Moreover , Chaudhary says that customers are able to select their preferred LLM provider , including the likes of OpenAI and Anthropic , while they can also use their own good example , which should appease any lingering business about opening access to tender company datum .

In the cloud

Since announcing its commercial launch and $ 8.4 million source fundingtwo age ago , Lightdash launch a host swarm overhaul for itscore open generator mathematical product , with extra features include security tooling . Chaudhary says that more than 5,000 team are now running the assailable rootage product themselves , though it ’s often a starting stop before promote to the full feature - arrange usable in the commercial-grade variant .

“ bombastic squad have had success using the OSS product to run validation - of - concepts without being lug by infosec and procurance reviews , ” Chaudhary allege . “ This permit party to furcate the buying process from trialling Lightdash , drastically reducing the barrier to trying the prick and building internal Lightdash champions before move to the cloud product . Lightdash OSS also provide hobbyists and smaller team an easy introduction to BI as it supply a complete circle of features for getting started . As team scale up , they choose the cloud political program for the managed deployment , extra feature and improved performance and protection . ”

Indeed , Chaudhary says that it has grown its gross seven - plication in the retiring year , with customers let in $ 60 billionenterprise software company Workday , as well asBeauty Pie , Hypebeast , andMorning Brew .

Today , Lightdash claims a global spreading of 13 employee separate between Europe and the U.S. , and with its fresh Johnny Cash injection , the company said that it ’s search to expand its team and production , including new feature along the line of what it ’s introducing now with its AI psychoanalyst .

Aside from lead backer Accel , Lightdash ’s Series A bout included participation from Operator Partners , Shopify Ventures , Y Combinator , and a handful of angel investor .