GridCraft

GridCraft, Inc. was a business intelligence and data analytics company founded in 2013 by Lisa Reeves, Sayan Chakraborty, and Terry Olkin in Boulder, Colorado. The firm specialized in developing cloud-based data analysis tools aimed at business users. In August 2014, GridCraft secured $2.2 million in a seed funding round involving investors such as Techstars, Galvanize, and Confluence Capital Partners.

The company's core offering was a platform that enabled business users to aggregate, analyze, and visualize data through a familiar spreadsheet-like interface. This interface was supported by a powerful cloud-scale database, designed to handle large volumes of structured and unstructured data. Key functionalities included the ability to create dynamic dashboards that updated automatically with fresh data, collaborative features for real-time data sharing, and a comprehensive set of data connectors to integrate third-party sources. The service was built to provide small and medium-sized businesses with enterprise-grade business intelligence and collaboration capabilities, which were traditionally accessible only to larger corporations with dedicated data analysts.

On April 25, 2015, GridCraft was acquired by Cisco Systems. The acquisition was part of Cisco's broader strategy to transition from a hardware-centric to a software-focused company, strengthening its portfolio in cloud services and data virtualization. The deal was an acqui-hire, and the GridCraft team was integrated into Cisco's operations.

Keywords: GridCraft, business intelligence, data analysis, cloud analytics, spreadsheet interface, data visualization, dashboarding, data collaboration, data connectors, Cisco acquisition, Lisa Reeves, Sayan Chakraborty, Terry Olkin, BI tools, cloud database