Fivetran Acquires Census to Deliver Complete Data Movement Platform
Looking for how Fivetran’s acquisition of Census impacts data integration and enterprise analytics? Fivetran has officially acquired Census, transforming its service into a full end-to-end data movement platform. By adding reverse ETL capabilities through this strategic acquisition, Fivetran now offers businesses seamless cloud data integration — moving information into and out of operational systems effortlessly. This move addresses a major demand from customers seeking comprehensive enterprise data solutions without managing multiple fragmented tools.
Fivetran Expands into Reverse ETL with Census Acquisition
After nearly 13 years of helping enterprises move data from a wide variety of sources into cloud databases, Fivetran is taking a major leap forward. Announced on May 1, 2025, Fivetran confirmed it has acquired Census — a leading reverse ETL platform designed to push data out of cloud warehouses and into operational tools like CRM systems, marketing automation software, and more. Census, founded in 2018, had already secured over $80 million in venture funding from elite investors such as Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and Tiger Global.
Though the exact terms of the deal remain undisclosed, Census was last valued at $630 million during its 2022 funding round. Upon completion of the merger, the entire Census team will join Fivetran, and the Census brand will be gradually integrated into the Fivetran platform.
Why Fivetran Chose to Acquire Instead of Build
Fivetran CEO and co-founder George Fraser shared that customers had been requesting a reverse ETL solution for years. Although Fivetran initially considered building its own product, the team realized that acquiring Census — a company that had already mastered the reverse ETL challenge — would be a far more efficient path.
"Technically speaking, the underlying code for ETL and reverse ETL services is quite different," Fraser explained. "You have to solve a very different set of problems." Instead of allocating significant resources to reinvent the wheel, Fivetran opted to acquire a ready-to-scale solution that aligned closely with its technical philosophy and customer expectations.
Strategic Synergy Between Fivetran and Census
One major reason why Census was the perfect acquisition target lies in the shared customer base and product alignment. Many enterprises already using Fivetran were also loyal Census customers. Both platforms follow a philosophy of simplicity, scalability, and minimal maintenance — appealing to organizations that prefer agile data solutions over heavyweight legacy systems like Informatica.
Fraser highlighted that this synergy was crucial: "The two products make broadly similar philosophical choices, and they appeal to the same type of customer." This natural overlap ensures that users will experience a smoother transition and enhanced value as the two technologies converge.
Long-Standing Relationships Strengthen the Deal
Beyond technical alignment, the personal relationships between Fivetran and Census leadership helped make this deal possible. Fraser met Census founders Boris Jabes and Anton Vaynshtok during Y Combinator’s Winter 2013 batch, when they were working on Meldium — a password management startup later acquired by LogMeIn.
The teams stayed connected over the years, even discussing the concept of Census before its founding. "We talked about Census before it existed," Fraser said. "Taylor [Brown] and I even joked that it might end in an acquisition one day." Over a decade later, that prediction has come true, reinforcing the long-term strategic vision behind the move.
What This Means for the Future of Data Movement
For enterprises seeking robust, cloud-native data integration solutions, Fivetran’s acquisition of Census represents a major step forward. Companies will now be able to orchestrate both ETL (extract, transform, load) and reverse ETL processes through a single, unified platform — significantly simplifying cloud data management.
High-growth industries like SaaS, e-commerce, and finance — where real-time analytics, CRM data syncing, and marketing personalization are critical — stand to benefit immensely from this enhanced offering. With the competitive pressure rising around data movement platforms, Fivetran's expanded capabilities will likely help it capture greater enterprise market share, increase revenue growth, and improve retention rates.
Fivetran’s acquisition of Census isn’t just a big win for the company — it’s a huge advancement for the future of enterprise cloud data integration. By consolidating ETL and reverse ETL into one seamless solution, Fivetran is poised to deliver even more value to businesses focused on driving smarter decisions, better automation, and faster growth. Enterprises looking for reliable, scalable data movement platforms now have a compelling one-stop shop to meet all their needs.
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