June 2026 file. Databricks Comms / CC BY-SA 4.0.
Databricks plans to invest about $3 billion across Europe and the Middle East over the next three years, expanding research and customer teams as businesses move artificial-intelligence projects into wider use.
The San Francisco-based data and AI company announced the plan Wednesday, calling it its largest regional investment outside North America. The plan will expand research and development and add more specialists to work with customers and partners.
Databricks now has more than 2,000 employees across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and expects that team to grow by about 50% over three years, according to its investment announcement. More engineers, AI specialists and customer teams will work alongside businesses adopting its software.
The company builds core parts of its platform at engineering hubs in Amsterdam, Berlin, Belgrade and Aarhus. All four expanded over the past year. It also opened offices in Amsterdam, Milan, Zurich and Frankfurt during that period.
The expansion is aimed at a practical challenge for businesses: turning small AI trials into tools that employees can use across an organization. Databricks says customers need systems that understand their own data, control access to sensitive information, allow a choice of AI models and keep costs in check as usage grows.
Its products include Lakebase, a database for AI applications; Genie, which lets people ask questions about business data in ordinary language; and Unity Gateway, which helps companies manage access, model selection and costs. Regional customers named in the announcement include adidas, Danone, Heineken, Mercedes-Benz and Nationwide.
Alongside hiring, Databricks plans to train about 500,000 students and professionals across Europe, the Middle East and Africa in data and AI skills by 2030. It says students, job seekers and working professionals can start with its free software edition.
The company also highlighted investments over the past six months in French software startup Tsuga and UK firm Advancing Analytics through Databricks Ventures, and in UK AI startup Applied Computing through its AI Accelerator Program. Those investments are part of its support for the region’s startup community, alongside the broader expansion of its own teams.
JBizNews Desk | London
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