UPDATE: July 8, 2019: MapR's self-imposed deadline for possible layoffs at its Santa Clara headquarters — July 3 — has passed without news of a lifeline acquisition for the data analytics company.
“MapR is making meaningful progress towards a strategic transaction," said David Greenberg, Vice President, Legal at MapR, in an email to CIO Dive on Friday. "Due to the sensitivity of the discussions, we cannot provide more details at this time."
Dive Brief:
- Embattled Santa Monica, California data analytics firm MapR filed a WARN extension with California labor authorities, in the hopes of securing a transaction that could allow it to keep its doors open, the company said Friday.
- The provider of a Hadoop-compatible platform for data analytics said last month it expected to layoff 122 staffers due to "extremely poor" Q1 results for the 2020 fiscal year, last-minute client pull-backs and an inability to secure financing.
- Now, a potential buyer plans to move in on the company, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. MapR said it expects to continue operations through July 3.
Dive Insight:
News of a possible flash sale at MapR adds to the plumes of smoke coming off the Hadoop-based data analytics market.
In 2017, Forrester predicted providers of the technology would struggle to keep up with market pressures and evolving technology.
Then last week, Cloudera — a front-runner in the field following its merger with Hortonworks — saw its stock price plummet after the release of dreary earnings projections and the departure of its CEO, Tom Reilly.
Analysts say companies like MapR and Cloudera failed to respond quickly enough to heightened interest in hyperscale cloud providers like Amazon or Google.
As the new WARN notice date looms, a MapR spokeperson said in an email to CIO Dive it continues to work on a transaction that can allow it to keep its doors open past July 3.
"These discussions are progressing," a spokesperson said. "MapR expects to have more news shortly on the results of outreach new opportunities. We are continuing to engage customers in new opportunities and supporting existing customers and partners globally, and expect to have more news on these developments shortly."
