Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

Intel Just Poured $740 Million Into Cloudera. But What Is It? Cloudera is getting a lot of investor love, with Intel taking an 18 percent stake in the company. Here's a bit more about what the company does.

By Benjamin Kabin

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Cloudera just raised a whole bunch of money -- $900 million, to be exact.

Intel alone invested $740 million for an 18 percent stake and says it's going to make the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company its main distributor of Hadoop software.

So, what is this company that's getting so much investor love? And what is Hadoop, for that matter?

Related: How 2014 Will Be The Year To Monetize Big Data

Cloudera gives clients a place to store process and analyze Big Data. The company helps its clients use Hadoop to derive value from large quantities of information that cannot easily be handled by traditional data processing systems.

Hadoop is an open-source software developed by Google to make sense of large quantities of different types of complex data. Cloudera and rivals such as Pivotal and HortonWorks use the software as part of their approach to helping clients manage Big Data.

Related: 5 Ways Data Can Help You Stay Ahead of the Game

Intel was promoting its own custom version of Hadoop but will no longer do so as a result of the deal.

Cloudera, now valued at $4.1 billion, is expected to go public later this year.

Related: IBM to Open Up Jeopardy Winner Watson's 'Brain' for Everyone

Benjamin Kabin

Journalist

Benjamin Kabin is a Brooklyn-based technology journalist who specializes in security, startups, venture capital and social media.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

TikTok Reportedly Laid Off a 'Large Percentage' of Employees as the App's Fate in the U.S. Remains Unclear

Laid-off TikTok employees were notified Wednesday night through Thursday morning.

Personal Finance

This Investment Bundle Includes a Trading Course and Stock Screener Tool for $150

Approach the stock market with an increased understanding.

Business News

Four Seasons Orlando Responds to Viral TikTok: 'There's Something Here For All Ages'

The video has amassed over 45.4 million views on TikTok.

Growing a Business

5 Strategies to Know As You Scale Your Business

Scaling a service-based company requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond simply increasing revenue. It requires careful planning, strategic decision-making and a deep understanding of market dynamics.

Growing a Business

The Right Way to Ask Someone for a Million Dollars, According to a Fundraiser Who Does It For a Living

No matter what you're raising money for, Wanda Urbanskia says, the same basic rules apply.