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Alation Acquires Numbers Station to Boost AI Agent Development

Alation acquires AI startup Numbers Station to boost enterprise data workflows with trusted, compliant AI agents for analytics and automation.

Written By

Allison Francis

May 28, 2025

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Alation is acquiring Numbers Station, a startup that builds AI agents for data workflows, to give its data intelligence platform rocket boosters. The deal is meant to help companies build and roll out AI-driven analytics tools that can work automatically, while still following proper business rules and keeping everything in context.

Numbers Station is a Series A startup that has raised over $17 million with the help of investors like Norwest Venture Partners, Madrona, and Factory. The acquisition terms weren’t disclosed, but the idea is to help data and engineering teams quickly build advanced AI analytics tools that can work on their own while still following company policies.

Solving the data access challenge

Since ChatGPT launched back in 2022, developers have been trying to apply AI to address data challenges. It hasn’t historically gone great, as it’s difficult to give AI systems the right data access they need. When they do get access, they often can’t make sense of it properly.

AI agents have trouble understanding corporate data like financial transactions and customer records because the data definitions are incomplete, governance policies are unclear, and there’s missing context about where the data comes from and how good it actually is. This usually results in AI agents spitting out wrong answers or straight up breaking privacy and compliance rules.

Alation’s acquisition of Numbers Station is meant to fix these problems by bringing in AI agent technology that can actually work well with structured data on their platform.

“Numbers Station has proven the impact AI agents can have in the enterprise when companies are able to trust this new way of working and brings an exceptional team that shares our obsession with empowering data users,” said Satyen Sangani, co-founder and CEO of Alation. “Together, we’re laying the foundation for the next decade of enterprise data intelligence — one where humans and agents collaborate seamlessly to turn data into action.”

Numbers Station CEO Chris Aberger adds that Numbers Station has always wanted to make it possible for anyone to build data applications.

“By joining forces with Alation, we’re pairing our AI-native foundation with the most trusted enterprise data intelligence platform,” says Aberger. “This unlocks a future where agents don’t just find data — they do more with it.”

What this means for the channel

Companies across the board are getting serious about making AI actually work with their real business data. For channel partners and solution providers, this means there’s going to be huge demand for helping enterprises figure out how to properly integrate AI agents that can handle their data workflows without breaking compliance rules or producing garbage results.

Are you looking to learn more about AI managed services? Read our guide to discover how MSPs can facilitate AI adoption for enhanced business operations and growth.

Allison Francis

Allison is a contributing writer for Channel Insider, specializing in news for IT service providers. She has crafted diverse marketing, public relations, and online content for top B2B and B2C organizations through various roles. Allison has extensive experience with small to midsized B2B and channel companies, focusing on brand-building, content and education strategy, and community engagement. With over a decade in the industry, she brings deep insights and expertise to her work. In her personal life, Allison enjoys hiking, photography, and traveling to the far-flung places of the world.

Alation Acquires Numbers Station to Boost AI Agent Development

Solving the data access challenge

What this means for the channel

Allison Francis

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