PARIS — Databricks, the Data and AI company, has reinforced its commitment to France with the opening of a new office in La Fondation, central Paris, and a series of strategic initiatives. Experiencing over 70% annualized growth in its French operations, Databricks is set to further empower organizations through its Data Intelligence Platform, partnerships with local universities, and its flagship Data + AI World Tour, which concluded at the París La Défense Arena on 20th November.

Empowering French Enterprises with Data Intelligence

Databricks continues to drive adoption of its Data Intelligence Platform among leading organizations such as EcoVadis, ENGIE, L’Oréal, Michelin, Schneider Electric, SNCF TER, TotalEnergies, and Worldline. Built on a lakehouse foundation, the platform combines customer data with advanced AI models while prioritizing open governance and complete control over data.

Frédéric Trinel, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of EcoVadis, noted, “With Databricks, we’ve unified diverse data sources, enhanced processing efficiency, and empowered data projects with robust governance controls.” Similarly, Stephan Pirson, Chief Data Officer for Merchant Services at Worldline, highlighted how the platform has revolutionized fraud detection, financial reporting, and transaction visualization for their ecosystem.

Investing in Future Talent

As part of its expansion, Databricks has partnered with over 40 leading French universities, including Centrale-Supelec, Dauphine, Ecole Polytechnique, and Mines Paris. Through its University Alliance Program, Databricks is equipping students with skills in data science, AI, and big data programming to meet the growing demand for AI talent in France.

Guillaume Brandenburg, Regional Vice President for France, emphasized the importance of these initiatives, saying, “We aim not only to advance cutting-edge AI projects but also to nurture local talent as demand for data expertise soars.”

Deepening Cloud and Open-Source Collaborations

Databricks has expanded its footprint with strategic collaborations, including a partnership with Mistral AI, whose open generative AI models are now integrated within the Databricks platform. The company has also enhanced its regional cloud capabilities, launching tools such as Serverless SQL and Delta Live Tables in Azure France Central and extending services in AWS France (Paris) Region, enabling compliance with local data regulations.

Data + AI World Tour Success

The Paris edition of Databricks’ Data + AI World Tour brought together industry leaders to share insights and innovations. Speakers from organizations such as Clarins, Danone, and Ubisoft showcased the transformative power of data and AI in diverse sectors, highlighting how they are leveraging Databricks for advanced analytics and decision-making.

Yannis Daubin, VP SEMEA at Databricks, remarked, “France is central to our growth in Southern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. From new investments to insightful events, we are well-positioned to help French enterprises harness the full potential of data and AI.”

Commitment to Innovation in France

With its new Paris office, strategic investments, and partnerships, Databricks continues to enable data-driven innovation in France, fostering growth and empowering enterprises to unlock the full potential of their data.