San Francisco-based data and AI tech giant Databricks has announced plans to invest more than $850m (£644m) in the UK to support its expansion in the country.
The investments, to be made over the next three years, will see Databricks quadruple its physical footprint in London with a new 137,000 sq ft headquarters.
It has also pledged to invest to attract top AI talent, train business leaders in data and AI and support the scaling and demand of its various AI and data-based products and services.
The new Databricks London HQ will accommodate its growing UK and Ireland workforce, currently made up of more than 500 people with plans to surpass 1,000 over the next few years.
The office will be in Fitzrovia, which contains a number of key UK AI players.
“The UK is a hub for AI innovation, and we are proud to make such a strong commitment to the market,” said Michael Green, UK and Ireland managing director for Databricks.
“When we opened our first dedicated UK office and EMEA hub in 2024, we had a clear aim: to be at the heart of the UK’s data and AI community, providing a space for our team and partners to come together to collaborate on the future of data and AI. This new office and investments accelerate that ambition even further.”
The new investment in the UK from the company follows its pledge to train 100,000 people across the UK and Ireland in data and AI skills by 2028, which it is doing in partnership with various universities.
“Our investments in the UK are a true vote of confidence in our team, partners and customers that are driving the future of agentic AI,” said Samuel Bonamigo, SVP and GM for the EMEA region at Databricks.
“Our new EMEA hub will enable us to drive growth in the EMEA region and help businesses, at whatever stage of their journey, scale faster by unlocking the full power of Lakebase and Genie.”
