Databricks buys Row Zero to add live spreadsheets to Genie

Databricks has acquired spreadsheet startup Row Zero, adding a live, governed spreadsheet interface to Databricks Genie.

Founded by former AWS and Tableau engineers, Row Zero focuses on linking spreadsheet work directly to live data sources rather than exported files. Databricks will integrate the technology into Genie, its AI assistant for business users, across web, desktop and mobile.

The move addresses a persistent problem in large organisations: data often leaves governed systems when employees export it into spreadsheets or CSV files and circulate copies among colleagues. That can make it harder to track how information is used, which version is current and whether access controls remain in place.

Databricks argues the issue becomes more acute as AI agents take on more analysis and operational work. If those systems operate on copied or poorly tracked datasets, businesses face added questions around lineage, permissions and audit trails.

Spreadsheet focus

Spreadsheets remain among the most widely used tools in finance, operations, sales and marketing, despite years of investment in analytics software. Their appeal lies in the familiarity of formulas, pivots and manual modelling, which many business teams still rely on for day-to-day decisions.

By bringing Row Zero into Genie, Databricks is aiming to keep that workflow inside its governed data environment. Users will be able to move between AI-driven prompts and direct spreadsheet modelling without creating disconnected copies of enterprise data.

The integration is built around Genie Ontology, Unity Catalog and Unity Gateway, which Databricks uses to manage business context, permissions and data access. In the spreadsheet environment, queries will honour user permissions, draw from live data and keep interactions auditable.

Row Zero will also continue to support data sources beyond Databricks and will be available to customers across major cloud platforms.

Agent oversight

Part of the acquisition centres on how AI agents interact with business information. Databricks says Row Zero allows teams and software agents to work through the same spreadsheet structure, making automated actions easier for staff to inspect and review.

That matters because many businesses are experimenting with AI systems that do more than answer questions. In some cases, those tools are being asked to model scenarios, prepare reports or take follow-up actions based on company data, making governance controls a larger operational concern.

Databricks has been positioning Genie as an AI coworker for non-technical teams. Genie can already answer business questions and generate materials such as sales pipeline documents, and the addition of Row Zero is intended to provide a more hands-on interface for analysis and scenario work.

Patrick Wendell, Co-founder and VP of Engineering at Databricks, described the spreadsheet layer as an important addition for business adoption.

"Genie is helping make every knowledge worker dramatically more productive and impactful. As more finance, operations, and go-to-market teams adopt Genie, incorporating a seamless spreadsheet experience is a must-have," said Wendell.

"We're super excited to bring the Row Zero team to Databricks, helping us continue to evolve Genie's capabilities to become the go-to AI coworker for every enterprise team," he added.

Founded by former AWS and Tableau engineers

Row Zero was created by engineers with backgrounds at AWS and Tableau, two companies closely associated with enterprise data infrastructure and analytics. Its product combines a conventional spreadsheet interface with direct connections to governed data sources, aiming to let users work with live information without leaving familiar spreadsheet patterns.

The software is designed to remain compatible with common spreadsheet conventions, including formulas, pivots and keyboard shortcuts. Databricks also says it can handle very large datasets, with a processing engine built for interactive work on billions of rows.

The acquisition gives Databricks another way to appeal to business users who may not want to work directly in data engineering or analytics tools. Rather than asking those users to adopt entirely new interfaces, the company is betting that spreadsheet-based workflows can sit alongside conversational AI and governed enterprise data.

Breck Fresen, Founder and CEO of Row Zero, said the company had built its product around that gap.

"We built Row Zero because we love spreadsheets but recognised they needed to seamlessly connect to enterprise-scale data with governance and security at the core. Joining Databricks accelerates our vision of giving business users the spreadsheet they deserve: secure, connected, scalable, and deeply integrated with AI agents," said Fresen.