Nine-year old Canberra-based data analytics platform, Instaclustr is slated to be acquired by American software firm NetApp for an undisclosed amount. The two organisations have signed a ‘definitive agreement’, cementing the purchase.

With this acquisition, the US-based software platform aims to combine its cloud-based data intelligence platform with Instaclustr’s management solutions to enhance its technology and meet the growing digital demands of clients. 

“The acquisition of Instaclustr will combine NetApp’s established leadership in continuous storage and compute optimisation with Instaclustr’s fully-managed database and data pipeline services to give customers a Cloud Operations platform that provides the best and most optimised foundation for their applications in the public clouds and on premises,” said NetApp CEO George Kurian said.

This move builds on a series of strategic acquisitions made by NetApp recently, including Spot, CloudCheckr, Data Mechanics and Fylamynt. According to NetApp, these purchases have made the organisation a compelling platform for applications that use multiple clouds, lowering costs for clients and saving them time in the process.

“As companies race to modernise and digitally transform in the cloud, they must implement solutions that enable them to focus more on building and releasing cutting-edge applications at speed, spending less on infrastructure management and operations. Instaclustr does just that and will be a significant addition to our Spot by NetApp portfolio, solving common challenges of cloud complexity, cost overruns, single vendor lock-in, and customers’ lack of internal technical resources,” said Anthony Lye, EVP and GM, Public Cloud Services, NetApp.

“The acquisition marks a critical advancement in our strategy to run application driven platforms and infrastructures,” Lye added.

Founded in 2013, Instaclustr delivers a suite of open source database services to clients including IBM and ClearCapital. Initially bootstrapped by Co-founders Peter Lilley and Doug Stuart, the company has raised over $20 Mn in funding, including $2 Mn seed funding from ANU Connect Ventures and $21 Mn from Bailador Technology Investments 

The company has been expanding internationally over the years and has established its presence in the US and Europe. Instaclustr CEO Peter Lilley said he was excited to see his company work alongside NetApp.

“Instaclustr’s growth has been driven by the fact that companies want to leverage open-source databases, pipelines, and workflow applications without overwhelming themselves with the complexity and cost of managing and operating them.”

“Data management technology platforms are an increasingly essential priority for today’s modern enterprise as companies look for new ways to accelerate application development for competitive advantage. We are excited for organisations building applications for their multi-cloud and hybrid cloud reality to benefit directly from Instaclustr’s data PaaS solutions along with NetApp and Spot by NetApp’s infrastructure solutions, while minimising operations burdens,” Liley added.