Arsalan Tavakoli-shiraji on IPO
From Databricks co-founder Arsalan Tavakoli speaks to the BBC · · Vandhna Bhan
“Look, for us, the question is not you know, basically if we'll go public, it's when. That said, we're not really in a rush in any way. You know, frankly, when you look at companies that go public, it's more of have people heard of us, that isn't our issue. Can you get access to capital? It's also not our issue. And one of the last ones is can you make sure you provide liquidity for your employees, which we've fortunately been able to do. For us, you know, most of our focus has always been how do we do right by customers?”
On , Arsalan Tavakoli-shiraji, Cofounder at Databricks, spoke about IPO during Databricks co-founder Arsalan Tavakoli speaks to the BBC on Vandhna Bhan.
About Arsalan Tavakoli-shiraji
In a December 2025 BBC interview, Databricks co-founder Arsalan Tavakoli stated that the company's IPO is a matter of "when, not if," but said the company is "not really in a rush." He noted that Databricks does not face challenges with public awareness, access to capital, or employee liquidity, and that the company's focus remains on serving customers. Tavakoli described AI as "both transformative and overhyped," saying he agrees with both characterizations. He warned that the market is beginning to overheat, with some believing "the answer to everything is AI." Despite broader tech layoffs, Tavakoli said Databricks continues to hire at a "healthy clip," citing strong customer demand and the belief that AI will increase productivity. He characterized Anthropic and OpenAI as partners rather than competitors, arguing that enterprises need the right model for each use case rather than the most powerful one.