Starburst Strikes Strategic Investment Partnership with Citi to Enhance AI Data Solutions

Starburst's Strategic Investment from Citi

Boston, May 19, 2025 – Starburst, a leading data platform tailored for applications and artificial intelligence, has recently disclosed a significant strategic investment from Citi. This move is set to amplify Starburst's efforts in providing enterprises with enhanced tools for accessing and managing data across various environments, such as cloud, on-premises, and hybrid setups.

Starburst's platform is designed to unify access to distributed data without necessitating complex migrations or data duplication, addressing a core challenge faced by many organizations today. The emphasis here lies within Starburst's vision to create a robust analytic and AI framework built atop an open and flexible data lakehouse foundation.

This investment showcases Starburst's accelerating momentum, particularly among global enterprises that are keen to develop secure and scalable data applications. As AI becomes increasingly pivotal in institutional transformations, Starburst’s technology is already leveraged by 10 of the top 15 banks worldwide.

Citi's investment flows through its Markets Innovation Investments division. Lee Smallwood, the Global Head of Markets Innovation and Investments at Citi, expressed the company’s excitement about this collaboration. He stated, "Our strategic investment reflects Citi’s commitment to advancing a modern, AI-ready data infrastructure. We prioritize governance, performance, and flexibility to empower critical financial services in a global and regulated environment." This statement underlines the banking giant's belief in Starburst's potential to reshape enterprise data management and analytics.

Justin Borgman, CEO and Co-Founder of Starburst, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the mission of addressing data-related challenges faced by intricate global businesses. The partnership with Citi not only strengthens Starburst’s resolve but also empowers its mission to eliminate barriers that traditionally exist between data and insights. Especially within sectors where speed, reliability, and governance are essential, this collaboration aims to break down those barriers.

Starburst continues to broaden its influence in regulated industries where AI is not just a technology, but a cornerstone for growth and transformation. As organizations embark on their digital transformations, the necessity to leverage data effectively becomes paramount. Starburst’s reputation speaks volumes, given that numerous enterprises spanning over 60 countries—including the likes of Comcast and Citigroup alongside four of the world’s top five banks—entrust the platform for maximizing their data assets’ value.

The technology stack of Starburst is anchored on open-source solutions like Trino and Apache Iceberg, which facilitates the unification of distributed data without hefty migration costs. This approach unleashes the expansive potential of data lakehouses—especially crucial for analytics and AI initiatives.

With its Lakeside AI architecture, companies gain federated access, defined collaboration parameters, and complete data lineage, creating a scalable path for compliant AI innovation. Starburst's model empowers data-driven organizations to unleash their full data potential while consistently adhering to performance standards and governance protocols.

The emergence of strategic partnerships with major players like AWS and Dell Technologies further cements Starburst's operational efficiency across all environments, making data interoperability more seamless and effective.

As Starburst evolves and adapts to the ever-changing data landscape, this partnership with Citi marks a pivotal moment in its journey. From transforming insights into actionable strategies to fostering innovation through AI, Starburst remains at the forefront, driving progress across all levels of enterprise operations.

To explore more about Starburst and its offerings, please visit starburst.ai.