Big data startup Lenses.io raises $7.5 million to enable people to create and curate data experiences in real-time via its DataOps platform

Everyday, we read about new IT buzzwords like DevOps and DataOps or data operations for short. DataOps is  is an exciting – and potentially transformative – new technology category. It’s the latest agile operations methodology that springs from the collective consciousness of IT and big data professionals. It has been described as an “Innovation Trigger” for Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Data Management. In short, DataOps is an emerging set of agile practices, processes, and technologies for building and enhancing data and analytics pipelines to better meet business needs.

Lenses.io is a London, England-based big data startup that delivers a DataOps platform for streaming data focusing on Apache Kafka (and embracing multiple data streaming technologies) and Kubernetes. Founded in 2016 by Antonios Chalkiopoulos and Christina Daskalaki, Lenses.io is the leader in DataOps software. Enterprises around the globe use Lenses.io to build flexible, scalable, high-speed data infrastructure using modern components such as Apache Kafka and cloud resident data. Lenses.io provides the monitoring, control, debugging, security and self-service required to activate data and leverage its value.

Today, Lenses.io announced it has raised $7.5M in Series A funding from international VC firm, 83North, joining the company’s previous investor, Marathon Venture Capital. Laurel Bowden, Partner at 83North led the funding round and joins Lenses’ board of directors. The company will use the funding to accelerate product development and scale operations in Europe and the US to meet growing international demand. Lenses launched its flagship DataOps product in early 2018 and has enjoyed rapid customer adoption, including multiple Fortune 500 companies such as Babylon Health, Daimler, Zopa, Playtika and SAS Software.

Real-time data analysis has emerged as a critical requirement in today’s always-on competitive environment. With a goal of gaining rapid insights and quicker response times, organisations are rebuilding their data platforms to accommodate streaming data and using cloud services for data storage and applications.

Businesses building modern data architectures face challenges in acquiring the skills to deploy and operate data-driven applications while applying the necessary governance and security. Lenses powers a new data consumption, processing and sharing model, enabling every data persona to contribute as organisations become data-driven via DataOps.

DataOps brings together data consumers in a unified experience, enabling rapid, code-free visibility into data, data systems and construction of production-ready data flows wrapped in compliance, governance and security.

“We built Lenses to enable people to create and curate data experiences in real-time. Our customers make DataOps an embedded business practice by applying it on emerging technologies such as Apache Kafka and Kubernetes,” said Antonios Chalkiopoulos, industry-known data expert, founder and CEO of Lenses.io. “We see our customers gaining exceptional value through the increased velocity in the delivery of data-rich applications whilst meeting data privacy and compliance requirements,” he added.

“Data is the fuel to run almost every organisation across the globe. We’re excited to be working with Lenses in this transformative and high-growth technology category,” said Laurel Bowden, Partner at 83North. “Lenses.io is the only company delivering innovative DataOps capabilities to organisations which both future-proofs and protects existing technology investments.”

83North is a global venture capital firm with over $800 million under management. The fund invests in exceptional European and Israeli entrepreneurs. 83North started at Greylock IL, and remains deeply rooted in the main US tech hubs, with over half its portfolio companies having operations in the US. The firm has backed more than 50 companies including Ebury, Hybris (acquired by SAP), iZettle, JustEat, ScaleIO (acquired by EMC), Payoneer, SocialPoint (acquired by Take2) Via and Zerto.