Manta
Manta is an automated data lineage platform that maps data flows across hybrid, cloud, and on-premises environments. Acquired by IBM in October 2023, it now operates as IBM Manta Data Lineage within the watsonx.data intelligence suite, serving data engineering, governance, and compliance teams in financial services, healthcare, and insurance.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Manta does
Manta Software Inc. is a data lineage platform company founded in 2015 and headquartered in New York. The company's core product, now marketed as IBM Manta Data Lineage, automates the scanning, mapping, and visualization of data flows across hybrid, cloud, and on-premises environments. The platform provides column-level lineage granularity across 50+ technologies, databases, programming languages, and modeling tools, and exposes the OpenManta API framework and native OpenLineage support for extending lineage capture into custom or third-party systems. A four-step methodology (Harvest, Contextualize, Tailor, Activate) underpins deployment workflows, and the platform is designed for AI governance by enabling traceability of how data is sourced, transformed, and consumed.
Manta was venture-backed, raising approximately $52 million across multiple rounds including a $35 million Series B led by Forestay Capital in May 2022. In October 2023, IBM acquired Manta to integrate its automated data lineage engine into IBM's watsonx.data intelligence suite, positioning the technology as the lineage backbone for IBM's broader data governance and AI trust offerings. The platform is distributed exclusively through IBM, with go-to-market via enterprise licensing, IBM Cloud self-service registration, and demos/trials coordinated by IBM's global field sales organization.
The product targets data engineering and DataOps teams, data governance functions, and regulated verticals including financial services, insurance, healthcare, life sciences, and pharmaceuticals. Use cases span regulatory compliance (GDPR, BASEL III, BSA/AML, FDA), impact analysis, incident resolution, cloud migration, and M&A data integration. Post-acquisition, pricing is quote-based enterprise licensing negotiated as part of broader watsonx agreements; specific tier pricing is not publicly disclosed. Manta has been recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for both Data and Analytics Governance Platforms and Metadata Management Solutions.
Manta firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Manta
- Legal name
- Manta Software Inc.
- Website
- https://manta.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Manta is an automated data lineage platform that maps data flows across hybrid, cloud, and on-premises environments. Acquired by IBM in October 2023, it now operates as IBM Manta Data Lineage within the watsonx.data intelligence suite, serving data engineering, governance, and compliance teams in financial services, healthcare, and insurance.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Manta industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Data Lineage Software
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Metadata, Catalog & Semantic Layer for Data Platforms (HDAEABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Data Sharing, Data Exchange & Data Marketplace Platforms (HDAEABAH)
Keywords
Where Manta is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Manta business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Platform Licensing (via IBM): Manta's data lineage platform is now offered as part of IBM's watsonx.data intelligence suite. Revenue is generated through IBM's enterprise licensing model, with the platform available via cloud subscription and enterprise agreements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise licensing via IBM watsonx.data intelligence |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Manta product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Manta provides an automated data lineage platform that scans, maps, and visualizes how data flows across hybrid, cloud, and on-premises environments at the column level. The platform connects to 50+ data sources and is built on the OpenManta framework with open APIs and OpenLineage support. Since its October 2023 acquisition by IBM, the offering is sold as IBM Manta Data Lineage within the watsonx.data intelligence suite.
Product overview
Manta is a data lineage platform that has been integrated as IBM Manta Data Lineage within IBM's watsonx.data intelligence suite following IBM's acquisition in October 2023. The platform provides automated data flow scanning and mapping with column-level lineage visualization across 50+ technologies and environments. It follows a four-step methodology: Harvest Lineage (gather metadata from critical systems), Contextualize Lineage with Semantics (enrich with indirect dependencies and external metadata), Tailor Lineage to Needs (filter and create domains), and Activate Lineage (explore and integrate via APIs). The platform targets enterprise data governance, compliance, DataOps, cloud migration, and M&A scenarios.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- IBM Manta Data Lineage Automated data lineage platform that scans, maps, and visualizes how data flows across hybrid, cloud, and on-premises environments at the column level. Built on the OpenManta framework with open APIs and OpenLineage support, and connects to 50+ data sources. Sold to enterprise data, governance, and analytics teams via IBM's watsonx.data intelligence portfolio.
Quantifiable outcome
- Significantly reduces time spent on impact analysis through automated lineage collection
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Manta
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Manta technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability5 records
Feature5 records
Manta partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- IBMflagshipIBM acquired Manta Software in October 2023 to strengthen its data lineage and AI trust capabilities. Manta's automated data lineage platform was integrated into IBM's watsonx and data governance suites, becoming a core component of IBM's watsonx.data intelligence offering.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Manta competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Collibra: Collibra is a leading data intelligence platform offering data catalog, governance, and lineage capabilities. It directly competes with Manta in enterprise metadata management and lineage, serving regulated industries with similar use cases (compliance, governance, DataOps).
- Alation: Alation provides a data catalog with data lineage, governance, and analytics features. It is a direct competitor in the metadata management and data lineage space, targeting similar enterprise data engineering and governance personas.
- Atlan: Atlan is a modern data catalog and governance platform with column-level lineage, OpenLineage support, and active metadata. It directly competes with Manta in the enterprise metadata and lineage layer for hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
- data.world: data.world operates a data catalog platform with built-in data lineage and governance features. It directly competes with Manta in providing enterprise metadata management and lineage, especially for cloud and hybrid environments.
Broad incumbents
- Informatica: Informatica is a large, established data integration and governance platform with embedded lineage capabilities. It overlaps with Manta in metadata management and data lineage but operates as a much broader suite covering integration, quality, and master data management.
- Talend: Talend (now part of Qlik) offers data integration, quality, and governance with lineage features. It is a broad incumbent whose lineage capabilities overlap with Manta as part of a wider data management portfolio.
- Microsoft Purview: Microsoft Purview is a broad data governance and catalog platform with integrated lineage. It competes with Manta inside Microsoft-centric enterprise estates as a broad incumbent offering lineage as part of a wider governance suite.
- Databricks Unity Catalog: Databricks Unity Catalog provides data lineage and governance natively within the Databricks lakehouse platform. It is a broad incumbent whose built-in lineage competes with Manta for Databricks-centric workloads and increasingly across multi-cloud data estates.
Emerging players
- Monte Carlo: Monte Carlo is a data observability platform that has expanded into data lineage to support root-cause analysis and impact analysis. It overlaps with Manta in the data quality and lineage intersection for DataOps teams.
- Octopai: Octopai is a data lineage and catalog automation platform focused on automated metadata discovery across BI and ETL environments. It directly competes with Manta in column-level automated lineage for DataOps and governance teams.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Manta social profiles
Digital presenceManta compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Manta financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Manta leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Manta funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Manta M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Manta
What does Manta do?
Manta provides an automated data lineage platform that scans, maps, and visualizes how data flows across hybrid, cloud, and on-premises environments at the column level. The platform connects to 50+ data sources and is built on the OpenManta framework with open APIs and OpenLineage support. Since its October 2023 acquisition by IBM, the offering is sold as IBM Manta Data Lineage within the watsonx.data intelligence suite.
Is Manta a public or private company?
Manta is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Manta founded?
Manta was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Manta based?
Manta is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Manta make money?
One revenue line is on record: platform Licensing (via IBM).
Who are Manta's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Collibra, Alation, Atlan and data.world. Broad incumbents are Informatica, Talend, Microsoft Purview and Databricks Unity Catalog. Emerging players are Monte Carlo and Octopai.
Does Manta have an API?
Yes. IBM Manta Data Lineage provides APIs through the OpenManta framework. The platform supports OpenLineage-compatible lineage visualization and includes Custom Lineage APIs that allow users to define and connect data flows from any OpenLineage-compatible source. The OpenManta framework with APIs enables enhancement of metadata even for custom-built systems not supported by existing scanners. Developer documentation is at www.ibm.com/docs/software-hub/5.2.x?topic=services-manta-data-lineage.
What industry is Manta in?
Manta's product category is Data Lineage Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEABAJ, Metadata, Catalog & Semantic Layer for Data Platforms, with a secondary code of HDAEABAH, Data Sharing, Data Exchange & Data Marketplace Platforms. Its NAICS code is 51821 and its SIC code is 7370.