AWS buys DuckLabs, the people behind the popular in-process OLAP database
Amazon Web Services has acquired DuckLabs, the support and development company behind the popular open-source in-process database DuckDB. Written in C++ and embeddable directly within host applications, DuckDB has become a favourite among developers and analytics users since its 2022 launch, and the deal deepens AWS's relationship with a project it has increasingly relied on, including for S3 Tables support. Financial terms were not disclosed, and AWS has committed to keeping DuckDB and its related projects free and open source under their MIT licences.
DuckLabs was founded by DuckDB's original creators, Hannes Mühleisen and Mark Raasveldt, who previously developed the database as academics in Amsterdam; the team will continue to be based there after the merger. Governance of the project will remain with the independent nonprofit DuckDB Foundation, which Mühleisen said may gain an expanded role, including a possible Technical Advisory Board, to guard against conflicts of interest given DuckDB's integrations with other major tech firms such as Google. AWS distinguished engineer Andy Warfield said the company had worked closely with DuckLabs for about two years, notably around the DuckLake data lake project launched after DuckDB's 1.0 release in 2024.
- AWS acquires DuckLabs, the firm behind open-source database DuckDB
- DuckDB stays free, open source and MIT-licensed under its Foundation
- Deal formalises years of collaboration, including on AWS's S3 Tables
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DuckDB is an open-source database: software that stores and queries data. Unlike systems usually run as separate services, it can be built into another application and run inside it, which can make it useful for local analysis and analytics tools. It was launched in 2022 and is licensed for free use and modification.
DuckLabs, founded by DuckDB’s original creators Hannes Mühleisen and Mark Raasveldt, develops and supports the database. DuckDB itself is overseen by the independent DuckDB Foundation, while AWS is one of several large technology companies that work with the project. The relationship matters because DuckDB is used in data tools and AWS services, including support for S3 Tables, and its continued independence is relevant to users and other companies that rely on it.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The acquisition strengthens corporate stewardship of valuable open-source infrastructure. AWS is investing in a tool it already depended upon, with explicit commitments to maintain MIT licensing and independent governance through the DuckDB Foundation. The creators retain operational autonomy based in Amsterdam, and AWS's two-year collaborative track record suggests genuine partnership rather than extraction. Proposed structural safeguards, including a Technical Advisory Board with representatives from other platforms, demonstrate intent to prevent conflicts of interest.
The case against
The deal raises justified concerns about consolidation of critical infrastructure. Whilst formal commitments protect the code's openness, acquisition history shows large tech companies can shift project priorities and direction even under unchanged licences. The safeguards remain proposed rather than established, leaving structural protections uncertain. For companies building on DuckDB, AWS now controls an increasingly central tool, creating potential vendor lock-in risks and dependencies that may not align with the broader ecosystem's interests.