# Databricks Raises $5B at $190B — Selling the Data Plane Agents Run On

Times of AI Desk · 2026-08-13 · Work

[https://timesof.ai/2026/08/databricks-5b-190b-valuation](https://timesof.ai/2026/08/databricks-5b-190b-valuation)

> Databricks closed a $5 billion strategic round at a $190 billion valuation — led by Coatue, with Blackstone, MGX, T. Rowe Price, and new investor Sixth Street — after Q2 growth above 80% year-over-year pushed its revenue run-rate past $7 billion. Proceeds target Lakebase, Genie, and Unity AI Gateway.

This is **enterprise-AI infrastructure finance**, not a lab model drop. Databricks is selling the **data plane** that frontier-model agents actually run on, while OpenAI/Anthropic sell the models — six months after a **$5 billion / $134 billion** round.

**Databricks** announced a closed **$5 billion** strategic funding round at a **$190 billion** valuation and said Q2 growth of **>80% year-over-year** took its revenue run-rate past **$7 billion**. **Coatue** led; **Blackstone**, **MGX**, **T. Rowe Price**, and new investor **Sixth Street Growth** joined, plus a long existing-investor list. Proceeds target **Lakebase** (serverless Postgres for agents, now **>$100 million** run-rate), **Genie** (AI coworker on enterprise data), and **Unity AI Gateway** (multi-model routing and cost control). The company also cited **positive adjusted free cash flow** over the last 12 months, **>1,000** customers at **>$1 million** run-rate, and **>100** at **>$10 million**.

## What the primary says

| Item | Databricks newsroom, Aug 13 |
|------|-----------------------------|
| **Equity** | **$5 billion** closed |
| **Valuation** | **$190 billion** (July 16 term sheet had been **$188 billion**) |
| **Lead** | **Coatue** (investor since 2019) |
| **New named** | **Sixth Street Growth**; also BOND, Clearlake, Point72, Premji, TPG |
| **ARR** | **>$7 billion**; Lakehouse **>$1.5 billion** (>100% YoY); Lakebase **>$100 million** |
| **Customers** | **>20,000** orgs; **70% of Fortune 500** |
| **Use of proceeds** | Lakebase, Genie, Unity AI Gateway |

TechCrunch same day: CEO **Ali Ghodsi** said Databricks had wanted about **$1 billion**; investors pushed toward **$15 billion**; they **settled on $5 billion**. CNBC framed it as sitting out the IPO window longer.

## Limits

- Another $5B raise in six months may delay or substitute for an S-1 — not decided here.
- Whether Unity AI Gateway becomes the default multi-lab router is open.
- Adjusted FCF is company-reported.

## Sources

- [Databricks: Grows >80% YoY, Surpasses $7B Revenue Run-Rate (August 13, 2026)](https://www.databricks.com/company/newsroom/press-releases/databricks-grows-80-yoy-surpasses-7b-revenue-run-rate-scales)
- [Reuters: Databricks raises $5 billion at $190 billion valuation (August 13, 2026)](https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/databricks-raises-5-billion-financing-190-billion-valuation-2026-08-13/)
- [TechCrunch: Databricks wanted $1B, investors wanted $15B, settled on $5B (August 13, 2026)](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/13/databricks-wanted-to-raise-1b-investors-wanted-15b-it-settled-on-5b-at-a-190b-valuation/)