Decube is a company that serves as the contemporary leader in Data Observability, Catalog, and Governance. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Decube CEO and founder Jatin Solanki to learn more about the company.
Jatin Solanki’s Background
What is Solanki’s background? Jatin Solanki is the founder and CEO of Decube, and brings more than 18 years of experience in the data domain to his role. He is an alumni of prestigious institutes in India – IIM-Calcutta and IIIT Bangalore where studied Finance, Statistics and Data Science.
Throughout his career, Solanki has been a trailblazer in the data space, serving as a Chief Data Officer and Department Head, where he spearheaded data-driven transformations leveraging cutting-edge technology. Solanki’s passion for data extends beyond his professional roles, also leading a community of over 15,000 data enthusiasts to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing in the field. Solanki’s experiences with both the power of good data management and the risks of poor data quality have driven his commitment to excellence in data infrastructure and quality assurance, and ultimately lead him to the founding of Decube.
Formation Of Decube
How did the idea for Decube come together? Solanki said:
“The idea for Decube originated from mine and my co-founder’s extensive experience in the data domain and our recognition of persistent challenges in data management across industries.”
“We recognized a gap in the market for a unified solution that could address multiple aspects of data management. They saw that many companies were struggling with siloed solutions, leading to inefficiencies and a lack of trust in data. We founded Decube in 2022 with the vision of being a unified platform from day one, addressing the need for data observability, discovery, and governance in a single solution. Our goal was to help companies establish trust in their data, improve data quality, and enable better data-driven decision making.”
“In essence, Decube seems to have emerged from the founders’ deep understanding of the data management landscape, their recognition of persistent challenges in the field, and their vision for a more integrated, trustworthy approach to data management.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Solanki reflected:
“One of my favorite memories working at Decube has to be the successful deployment of our platform for a large energy company. This project was particularly memorable because it encapsulated everything we stand for at Decube: innovation, collaboration, and trust.”
“The client wanted to become data-driven, democratize data products, and establish an enterprise data marketplace. We faced numerous challenges, from integrating complex data systems to ensuring seamless data governance. The entire team rallied together, showcasing remarkable dedication and expertise.”
“Seeing the client’s transformation, their excitement about leveraging data more effectively, and knowing that we played a crucial role in their journey was incredibly rewarding. It was a moment that underscored the impact Decube can have on organizations, helping them harness the true potential of their data while maintaining trust and integrity.”
“This experience reinforced my belief in our mission and reminded me why we strive every day to redefine data management frameworks. It’s not just about technology; it’s about building trust and enabling our clients to achieve their vision.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Solanki explained:
“Decube’s core offering is a unified Data Trust platform that integrates several key components of data management. At its heart, the platform focuses on three main pillars: data observability, data discovery, and data governance.”
“The data observability component forms a critical part of the platform and allows real-time monitoring of data pipelines and quality. This includes Kafka observability for streaming data, enabling users to detect and respond to anomalies or issues promptly. Complementing this is the platform’s data quality monitoring capability, which continuously assesses the reliability of data assets.”
“Data discovery and cataloging features work hand-in-hand to make data assets findable and understandable across the organization. Our platform also emphasizes data governance, helping organizations establish and enforce data policies, manage access, and ensure security compliance.”
“A unique aspect of Decube’s offering is their approach to data contracts, which is a framework for defining and managing agreements on data quality and usage between teams. This aligns with their overall mission of building trust in data across the organization.”
“The platform is designed with integration and scalability in mind. It offers connectors to various data sources and tools, and is compatible with multiple cloud platforms. Security is a priority, with compliance to standards like SOC-2 and ISO 27001.”
“All these features are accessible through a unified dashboard, designed to simplify data management and improve user adoption. The platform also includes collaboration tools to enhance communication between data and business teams.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Solanki and the team faced in building the company?
“One of our biggest challenges has been integrating diverse data sources to create clear data lineage. Our clients often have complex data systems, and ensuring these different sources connect seamlessly is crucial.”
“To tackle this, we developed proprietary parsers and advanced algorithms that help us understand and link data from various sources. This technology allows us to map data accurately, giving our clients a transparent view of their data flows. It’s not just about connecting data; it’s about building trust and ensuring quality.”
“This approach has simplified data management for our clients, helping them meet regulatory requirements and make better decisions. Overcoming this challenge has been key to our mission of making data reliable and trustworthy for everyone.”
Evolution Of Decube’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Solanki noted:
“Since launching, Decube’s technology has grown significantly. We started with a focus on data observability but quickly expanded to include data contracts, catalogs, and governance in a single platform.”
“One of our biggest advancements has been developing proprietary parsers and algorithms that create clear data lineage from diverse sources. This has been a game-changer for our clients, ensuring they have transparent and reliable data flows.”
“We’ve also invested in AI and machine learning, enhancing our platform to offer deeper data insights and better quality monitoring. Plus, our commitment to security is unwavering, with real-time monitoring and regular penetration tests to keep data safe.”
“Our technology is constantly evolving to meet our clients’ needs, and we’re excited about continuing to innovate and build trust in data.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Solanki cited:
“We’ve hit some exciting milestones at Decube. Launching our unified data management platform was a big one, integrating observability, data contracts, and governance. Securing major clients like Ørsted and Superbank showed us we’re on the right track. Another highlight was developing our proprietary technology for data lineage, which has been a game-changer for our clients. Plus, our investments in AI and machine learning have taken our platform to the next level. Each of these milestones reflects our commitment to innovation and building trust in data.”
Customer Success Stories
After asking Solanki about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“One of our favorite success stories involves a large bank facing some serious data challenges. Their data was scattered across different systems, making it hard to manage and trust. Plus, meeting compliance requirements was a constant headache, consuming a lot of time and resources.”
“We stepped in with Decube’s unified data management platform. By integrating their various data sources, we provided them with a clear, transparent view of their data lineage. This not only broke down their data silos but also significantly improved their data quality.”
“Our platform made compliance much easier, too. With detailed data lineage and real-time monitoring, the bank could easily track their data and ensure they were meeting all regulatory standards. This transformed their compliance process from a stressful, time-consuming task into a much smoother operation.”
“The results were fantastic. The bank became more efficient and could make better, data-driven decisions. They also found compliance audits far less daunting, thanks to the transparency and control our platform offered.”
“Seeing the positive impact on the bank’s operations and the relief it brought to their team was incredibly rewarding. It reminded us why we’re so passionate about building trust in data and continuing to innovate for our clients.”
Funding/Revenue
When asking Solanki about the company’s funding and revenue details, he revealed:
“We have raised around $2 million dollar funding so far and aim to close this year around $1 million of revenue.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Solanki assessed:
“We’re looking at a $23 billion TAM, which we derived by analyzing the data infrastructure space and the growing investment in data governance, catalog, and observability. Organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of managing and trusting their data, and this willingness to invest in comprehensive data solutions creates a substantial market opportunity for us. Our aim is to capture a significant share of this market by providing a unified platform that addresses these critical needs.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Solanki affirmed:
“Decube differentiates itself from competitors through its comprehensive and unified approach to data management. Unlike many competitors that offer siloed point solutions, Decube provides a holistic Data Trust Platform that integrates key capabilities such as data observability, discovery, governance, cataloging, and quality management. This unified approach allows organizations to address multiple data challenges through a single, cohesive solution.”
“A core focus for Decube is building and maintaining trust in data, which sets it apart from tools that may prioritize specific data management functions without emphasizing the overarching goal of data trustworthiness. This focus is particularly relevant in the current business landscape, where data reliability is crucial for effective decision-making and AI/ML initiatives.”
“The platform’s flexibility is another key differentiator. Decube offers both SaaS and PaaS deployment options, allowing customers to choose the model that best fits their needs. Additionally, the company emphasizes rapid development of new connectors and features, showcasing a strong customer-centric approach that positions Decube as a partner rather than just a vendor.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future company goals? Solanki pointed out:
“Looking ahead, we have some exciting goals for Decube. One major focus is on increasing automation by leveraging AI. We’re developing more advanced AI-driven features to enhance data profiling, quality monitoring, and anomaly detection. This will help our clients manage their data more efficiently and with greater accuracy.”
“Another key goal is expanding our capabilities to cover vector databases. By incorporating vector databases, we aim to redefine the benchmark for data trust. This will enable more sophisticated data relationships and improve the way our clients store, search, and manage their data.”
“Additionally, we plan to broaden our reach across various industries and geographies, ensuring that more organizations can benefit from our comprehensive data management solutions. Our ultimate goal is to be the go-to platform for data trust and management, continuously innovating to meet the evolving needs of our clients.”
Additional Thoughts
Any other topics you would like to discuss? Solanki concluded:
“Definitely. I’d love to talk about the vital role of data engineering in the future of AI. As AI continues to grow in importance, we’re seeing that 80-90% of AI deployment and work will be handled by data engineers. They are the backbone, ensuring that the data feeding these AI systems is accurate, clean, and ready for use.”
“We’re also observing a trend where Chief Data Officers (CDOs) are evolving into Chief AI Officers (CAIOs). This shift highlights the increasing importance of AI and the need for robust data infrastructure to support it.”
“My humble request to all companies is to invest in their data engineering teams and capabilities. It’s crucial to plan for and leverage these roles to improve data infrastructure and ensure the success of AI initiatives. Data engineers are not just the unsung heroes; they are essential to unlocking the full potential of AI.”
“Let’s recognize their value and provide them with the tools and support they need to excel. The future of AI depends on it.”
