RevoData in Het Financieele Dagblad

How do you quickly extract value from AI technologies when your data is scattered across different systems, tools, and cloud platforms? Without a coherent data architecture, initiatives often get stuck in the experimental phase. An integrated platform where data, analytics, and AI converge within a single ecosystem is a crucial prerequisite for this.

This allows applications to be developed consistently and achieve impact on a larger scale. Ralph Kootker, founder and CEO of RevoData, says that exactly this balance is central to current AI development. The Amsterdam-based data and AI consultancy helps organizations set up their data architecture so that AI applications remain scalable and manageable. “The core question is not only what you can do with AI, but especially how you maintain control over your data and processes. That is essential to realize value for your company.”

Greater Depth

RevoData was founded in 2022 and is part of the Atomic Group, which also includes cloud providers Uniserver and CloudNation. The company specializes fully in the data platform Databricks. According to Kootker, this focus was a conscious choice. “We work with one technology vendor because it allows you to build true depth and expertise,” he says. “Databricks is based on open-source components and standards. That makes it easier to remain strategically independent, even if you run on the public cloud.”

This open architecture is becoming increasingly important as organizations look more critically at their dependence on American tech companies. Kootker states that the importance of data sovereignty is especially relevant for public institutions and sectors where privacy is central. “Our economy runs largely on American technology. Many organizations realize they have their backs against the wall if something changes geopolitically.”

Scale and Computing Power

At the same time, the public cloud remains essential for innovation for the time being. “The scale and computing power of it are still unparalleled,” he says. “But you must ensure that your architecture remains portable, so that you can move workloads to a private cloud if necessary.” RevoData works on this with Dutch infrastructure partners, such as sister company Uniserver. By running Databricks’ open-source components in private cloud environments, a hybrid model is created that, according to Kootker, offers the best of both worlds: strategically independent, but tactically flexible.

Speed

In addition to data sovereignty, he sees another challenge: the speed at which AI tools can generate software. “We are soon going to have engineers who produce enormous amounts of code with the help of AI, without checking it properly. If companies do not set up clear processes and quality safeguards, things will go wrong eventually.”

Therefore, the emphasis at RevoData is not just on technology, but primarily on processes and architecture. Consultants help organizations actually bring AI models to production and manage them safely. “Everyone can build an AI model nowadays,” says Kootker. “But making it truly operational and maintaining it is a completely different discipline. That is only possible if your architecture, data, and governance are set up correctly from the start.”

Diverse Team

The composition of their team also plays a role in this. The company consciously works with experienced specialists from different countries and backgrounds. “Diversity and seniority make the difference. Different perspectives almost always lead to better solutions.”