Microsoft acquires Metanautix, an analytics startup that helps big companies navigate their data

Microsoft has acquired a young Palo Alto startup called Metanautix, a firm specializing in helping large enterprises filter through their hordes of in-house data. Terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed

Cofounded in 2012 by Theo Vassilakis and Toli Lerios, who previously worked at Google and Facebook respectively, Metanautix launched in September 2014 shortly after raising $7 million and after two years in development. The company sells its technology to big firms wishing to pool its myriad of data sources from across departments and divisions, covering databases and business systems such as Salesforce, to serve up meaningful insights. It’s cheaper than having to shift all data into a central system.

Microsoft didn’t give too many clues as to how the technology will work with Microsoft, but it did reveal it would work within its SQL Server and Cortana Analytics Suite. It will also cease selling Metanautix products as a standalone service.

Vassilakis confirmed further plans on the roadmap.

“Metanautix started out with the vision to integrate the data supply chain by building the Quest data compute engine that enables scalable SQL access to any data,” said Vassilakis in a blog post. “Three years in, we can take this work to the next level by joining forces with Microsoft. We look forward to being part of Microsoft’s important efforts with Azure and SQL Server to give enterprise customers a unified view of all of their data across cloud and on-premises systems.”

As with many of Microsoft’s recent acquisitions, Metanautix fits into its bigger plan to build “the intelligent cloud,” one of three key investment areas chief executive Satya Nadella announced back in June. Microsoft has made almost 20 acquisitions this year, and “cloud” has featured prominently, including cloud security startup Adallom and cybersecurity firm Secure Islands.