CData Software Is the Only Challenger in Gartner's 2026 Magic Quadrant for Data Integration Tools

CData Software said on November 4, 2026 that it was positioned as a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Data Integration Tools, and that it is the only vendor in that quadrant. The Chapel Hill, North Carolina company announced the placement in a PR Newswire release.

CData's Challenger Placement and AI Gateway

CData Software provides managed Model Context Protocol connectivity, standard data drivers and embedded data integration for more than 350 enterprise systems, serving enterprise AI teams, data engineers, ISVs and BI users across more than 10,000 organizations, according to company records. Its platform is built as a unified data layer that lets people, applications and AI agents reach enterprise data across cloud and on-premises systems.

CData said the platform addresses three requirements for enterprise data access: connectivity to data across hundreds of cloud and on-premises systems for integration, replication and live access; context through documented business definitions and organizational knowledge; and control through governance and permissions. The company's Connect AI Gateway extends that foundation to AI models, tools and actions, applying governed access and supporting model routing.

"We believe this placement reflects where we've put our effort: one data layer that works for people, applications and now AI agents, and now through our Connect AI Gateway," said Amit Sharma, Co-founder and CEO of CData Software.

Gartner's report is dated November 2, 2026 and is credited to Thornton Craig, Robert Thanaraj, Sharat Menon, Jenna Goodrich and Nina Showell. Gartner states that it does not endorse any vendor, product or service in its research publications.

CData's Funding and Customer Base

According to akta.pro company records, CData has raised $510 million in total funding across three rounds, the most recent a $350 million private equity round in June 2024 led by Warburg Pincus. The same records list a $140 million Series B in December 2021 led by Updata Partners and a $20 million Series A in March 2020. CData's customers include Databricks, Microsoft, Google and Palantir, and the company was founded in 2016.

CData's Earlier 2026 Moves

CData launched Connect AI Gateway in September 2026, a single control point for AI agents and individuals to access enterprise systems with governed tools, company context and record-level permissions, PR Newswire reported. In July 2026, CRN reported that CData launched developer-focused offerings including a free Connect AI Developer Edition, a Connect AI Python SDK and a CData CLI. In May 2026, CData appointed Raviv Levi as Chief Product and Technology Officer alongside Amit Naik as VP of AI Architecture and Craig Sanchez as SVP of Embedded Sales, according to company records.

What Comes Next for CData

CData said it continues to invest across connectivity, context and control, including change data capture for SAP HANA, DB2 for i and SAP Gateway, built-in Git integration, and a Context Engine that builds a governed graph of system context and business definitions. The company also said it is expanding connectors and integrations for leading AI platforms and provides benchmark data for enterprise AI through CData Labs.