MariaDB acquires GridGain Systems, the creator of open source Apache Ignite. The combination of MariaDB’s relational database with GridGain’s in-memory technology is expected to deliver sub-millisecond data performance for agentic AI applications.
GridGain Systems is the creator of open source Apache Ignite and focuses on in-memory computing. Apache Ignite is used for real-time applications. For example, it is placed on top of databases to accelerate read and write performance. With this technology, MariaDB will ultimately be able to further expand its agentic AI capabilities.
Oracle and hyperscalers as targets
MariaDB outlines that agentic AI systems place different demands on data infrastructure. They require real-time access to large data sets, without delay. Traditional disk-based architectures fall short in this regard. “The rise of agentic workloads has placed unprecedented demands on enterprise infrastructure, causing requirements to explode and requiring a level of scale and sub-millisecond latency that traditional systems simply weren’t built to handle,” says MariaDB CEO Rohit de Souza. The combination with GridGains in-memory data grid is intended to offer an open alternative to Oracle and the fragmented approach of hyperscalers.
In October 2025, MariaDB launched Enterprise Platform 2026, with built-in RAG pipelines and AI agents for developing agentic applications.
Following the acquisition, MariaDB serves a broad customer base in the financial sector, including American Express, Barclays, and Deutsche Bank. Technology companies such as HPE and Red Hat, telecom providers such as Nokia and Verizon, and logistics players such as UPS and American Airlines are also customers.
The combined platform is designed to handle transactional, analytics, and AI workloads in a single system. “Enterprises today cannot afford the latency introduced by siloed data architectures,” said Lalit Ahuja, CTO of GridGain. The transaction is still subject to customary closing conditions.