Cleveland AI startup Pandata has been acquired

Cleveland artificial intelligence startup Pandata has been acquired by Further, an Atlanta-based AI, data and analytics company, for undisclosed terms.

The acquisition of Pandata, which specializes in AI design and development for high-risk industries such as defense and energy, "solidifies Further's commitment to providing cutting-edge AI and machine learning solutions tailored for highly technical and data-dependent industries," Further said in a statement.

Pandata, founded in 2016 by Cal Al-Dhubaib, helps companies such as Parker Hannifin Corp. in Mayfield Heights and FirstEnergy Corp. in Akron solve complex business challenges with artificial intelligence solutions.

"I'm beyond thrilled to share that Pandata has been acquired by Further," CEO Al-Dhubaib wrote in a LinkedIn post.

"I met [Further President] Mike Gustafson last fall, and I was immediately impressed by his vision and values," Al-Dhubaib wrote. "Over the following months, we hustled to architect this deal that will allow us to scale our vision of creating value with Responsible AI," Al-Dhubaib said.

Both Al-Dhubaib and Gustafson are alumni of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, though their university careers in computer and data science are separated by about 15 years.

Before going to work for Further, formerly known as Search Discovery, in 2013, Gustafson did stints as a solutions and technology leader at Rosetta's Cleveland office and at Brulant Inc., the Cleveland web designer, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Al-Dhubaib will join Further as its head of AI, and the Pandata team — Nicolas Decavel-Bueff, Kristy Hollingshead, Robert Wood, Keith McCormick and Aisha Kay — will become part of the Further data science team, Further and Al-Dhubaib said.

The former Pandata team expects to move into Further's Cleveland office in the Flats, Al-Dhubaib said in an email.

"We're already half remote, and our plan is to try and anchor staff here but open to the best candidates from around the country," Al-Dhubaib said.

Further and Pandata expect to leverage their combined expertise to deliver "privacy-first" AI solutions, that is, software that addresses growing concerns around data security.

The acquisition also is expected to enable Further to extend its suite of AI solutions to meet clients’ critical business needs as well as improve efficiency and scalability.

"When I started Pandata eight years ago, I had no idea what I had signed up for," Al-Dhubaib said in his LinkedIn post. "Bootstrapping a business that has survived the pandemic and all the crazy financial ups and downs while navigating the emerging AI landscape is not for the faint of heart."

"I came to the States as an immigrant student on a scholarship, and none of this would have been possible without the tech and entrepreneurial communities I've been adopted into," said Al-Dhubaib, a globally recognized data scientist, entrepreneur and innovator in trusted artificial intelligence who has spoken at several AI events in Ohio over the last few years.