Hex is making rapid strides in its journey as a startup, experiencing significant growth in its data science collaboration platform. This remarkable progress has captured the attention of renowned fundraising firm Andreessen Horowitz, as well as key industry players Snowflake and Databricks.
According to CEO and co-founder Barry McCardel, what sets Hex apart from many other products in this domain is its inclusive approach. Instead of exclusively targeting highly trained data scientists, Hex aims to cater to a much broader audience of analytically proficient business users who may not possess a comprehensive data science skill set.
“Our focus is on a vast population of individuals who possess analytical fluency,” McCardel explained. “Whether they come from a background in Excel, have proficiency in SQL, or write Python code, all these individuals can leverage Hex’s capabilities. They can collaborate, analyze data, and effortlessly share insights.”
Barry McCardel envisions Hex as the gateway to the modern technology stack, encompassing a wide array of tools, notably including Snowflake and Databricks as invested partners. He emphasized the importance of making data valuable and accessible for analysis. Hex serves as the key to unlocking these capabilities, allowing users to leverage data effectively.
As part of the funding deal, Sarah Wang, a general partner at a16z, will join the Hex board. Wang believes that Hex is revolutionizing data collaboration by enabling data scientists to seamlessly connect, analyze, and share data through interactive and collaborative applications. These advancements facilitate faster and more informed decision-making for both technical and non-technical teams.
Since our previous conversation in October during the $16 million Series A funding round, Hex has witnessed remarkable growth. The number of customers and revenue has quadrupled in just five months, surpassing the initial expectation of dozens of customers. Furthermore, Hex’s team size has almost doubled, expanding from 18 to 35 employees since October, with plans to double again in the coming year. McCardel reiterated the company’s commitment to building a diverse team, a focus that remains steadfast as Hex continues to expand.
