Fivetran Acquires Census to Create Comprehensive Data Movement Platform for Real-Time AI Decisions

Fivetran, a leading global data movement platform, has signed an agreement to acquire Census, a prominent provider of Reverse ETL, data activation, and operational analytics solutions. This move solidifies Fivetran's position as the only fully managed platform capable of moving governed, automated, and real-time data bidirectionally across an entire technology stack, from source systems to data platforms and back into business applications. The acquisition is expected to empower enterprises to make AI-driven decisions and improve operational efficiency at scale. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed, and the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. Background and Importance Fivetran’s Core Business: Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Oakland, California, Fivetran has established itself as a leader in data movement. The company offers high-performance data pipelines that enable enterprises to centralize data from various sources, including SaaS applications, databases, and files, into cloud destinations like data lakes. Its focus on automation, scalability, and security has made it a trusted choice for companies like OpenAI, LVMH, Pfizer, Verizon, and Spotify. Census’s Role: Census, founded in 2018 and based in San Francisco, specializes in Reverse ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) services. Reverse ETL involves moving data from centralized data warehouses back into operational tools, ensuring that data used for decision-making is up-to-date and accurate. Census's platform has been instrumental in helping companies activate data in real-time, improving their ability to personalize customer experiences and automate business processes. Impact of the Acquisition Enhanced Connectors and Data Movement: By integrating Census’s Reverse ETL capabilities, Fivetran now boasts over 900 connectors, covering a wide range of cloud applications, databases, and operational tools. This expansion allows users to move data in any direction, ensuring a seamless flow from source systems to cloud platforms and back into business applications. The enhanced platform will support real-time data updates, crucial for AI and advanced analytics workloads. Strategic Alignment: CEO of Fivetran, George Fraser, highlighted that the acquisition addresses a long-standing customer need for real-time data actionability. “For years, our most strategic customers told us they also want to action their data in real-time with Fivetran, not just centralize it in a warehouse,” said Fraser. “With Census, we’re delivering on that need.” Leadership Integration: Census’s co-founder and CEO, Boris Jabes, will join Fivetran to lead the company’s data activation strategy. Jabes emphasized the importance of data teams being the driving force behind business growth, not just the creators of dashboards. “Our Reverse ETL service has been pivotal in making that a reality for our customers. By joining Fivetran, we’re creating the most complete and trustworthy platform for actionable insights and AI-powered workflows,” he stated. Recent Milestones Revenue and Deployment Flexibility: Fivetran has been on a growth trajectory, having surpassed $300 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). In addition, the company launched Hybrid Deployment, allowing enterprises to run data pipelines in various environments, including private cloud and on-premises, on a unified platform. This flexibility is essential for businesses with diverse data infrastructure requirements. Managed Data Lake Service: The company recently expanded its Managed Data Lake Service, enabling direct data landing into leading cloud storage platforms such as Amazon S3, Azure Data Lake Storage, Microsoft OneLake and Fabric, and Google Cloud Storage. This service integrates with Google BigQuery and supports open table formats like Iceberg, enhancing Fivetran’s support for building AI-ready data lakes with large-scale, governed data pipelines. Leadership Expansion: Fivetran has also bolstered its leadership team with key appointments across marketing, finance, people, and regional operations. These moves are designed to support the company’s global expansion and ensure it remains at the forefront of data movement and activation solutions. Industry Insights and Evaluation Industry insiders view this acquisition as a significant step forward in the enterprise data ecosystem. Martin Casado, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, noted that Fivetran’s ability to move trusted, modeled data from warehouses into frontline tools is becoming increasingly critical for organizations looking to personalize customer experiences and enable real-time, AI-powered decisions. The acquisition not only enhances Fivetran’s product offerings but also aligns with the growing demand for actionable insights in the AI era. Fivetran’s continued evolution and strategic acquisitions, including the previous acquisitions of HVR and Teleport Data, demonstrate its commitment to addressing the complex data challenges faced by modern enterprises. The addition of Census further cements Fivetran’s role as a comprehensive data movement platform, poised to drive the future of data-driven business operations and AI integration. Company Profiles Fivetran: Fivetran is a global leader in data movement, trusted by numerous Fortune 500 companies. Its high-performance, fully managed data pipelines simplify the process of centralizing data from multiple sources into cloud destinations, enabling enterprises to leverage advanced analytics and AI while maintaining robust security and compliance. Census: Census is a pioneering provider of Reverse ETL solutions, founded to help data teams activate data in real-time within operational tools. With over 50 employees and hundreds of customers across various industries, Census’s platform is known for its ability to deliver trusted, well-modeled data to the applications that drive business decisions. In conclusion, the acquisition of Census by Fivetran represents a strategic and symbiotic union that promises to revolutionize how enterprises manage and leverage data. It underscores Fivetran’s vision of a seamless, automated, and governed data environment, essential for the AI-driven future of business.