Linux Foundation Welcomes SQLMesh Project

Open source data transformation engine to grow under vendor-neutral governance and support the next generation of data infrastructure

Summary

• The Linux Foundation announced the contribution of SQLMesh, an open source SQL-based data transformation framework, from Fivetran.
• SQLMesh enables data teams to build, test, version, and deploy reliable SQL transformation pipelines across modern analytics environments and cloud data platforms.
• The Linux Foundation and initial project members – including, Benzinga, CloudKitchens, Harness, Infinite Lambda, Jump AI, and Minerva – will support the community-driven development and long-term growth of SQLMesh under neutral governance.

AMSTERDAM – KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe – 25 March, 2026 – The Linux Foundation, the nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through open source, today announced the contribution of SQLMesh, an open source data transformation framework, to the Foundation by Fivetran.

As organizations process growing volumes of data across distributed systems and multiple warehouses, traditional transformation tools can struggle to support large-scale development workflows. SQLMesh helps data teams define, test, version, and deploy SQL-based data transformations with built-in reliability and automation, making complex transformation pipelines easier to manage and maintain across modern analytics environments.

“Data infrastructure underpins how modern systems are built and operated,” said Jim Zemlin, CEO at the Linux Foundation. “SQLMesh brings proven software engineering practices to the data layer, helping teams build more reliable and scalable pipelines. The Linux Foundation provides the neutral, trusted home to grow this critical part of the stack in the open, with the community driving what comes next.”

With initial support from Benzinga, CloudKitchens, Harness, Infinite Lambda, Jump AI, and Minerva, the project will advance a community-governed approach to developing and maintaining SQLMesh as part of the modern data stack.

“Modern data architectures benefit from open, community-driven foundations,” said Anjan Kundavaram, chief product officer at Fivetran. “As organizations scale analytics and AI initiatives, they need the ability to adopt best-fit technologies, manage complexity and evolve their data stacks over time. Contributing SQLMesh to the Linux Foundation supports a more collaborative path forward for the transformation layer within a broader open data infrastructure ecosystem.”

Under Linux Foundation governance, SQLMesh will remain vendor neutral, fostering transparent, community-driven growth, ensuring accessibility, and supporting sustainability.

Developers and organizations interested in contributing can access the project repository, docu-

mentation, and community resources online.

To follow the project’s development, explore the code, or contribute to the community, visit: https://github.com/SQLMesh/sqlmesh.

Supporting Quotes

“In financial media, accuracy and timeliness of data are everything. SQLMesh is a critical tool in our Data Platform that provides transformations, audits, and ultimately trust in our data for the organization. We’re excited to contribute to an open source project that allows the broader data community to collaborate on improving transformation tooling."

– Reid Hooper, Director of Data Science, Benzinga

“Operating a global network of kitchens generates a tremendous amount of operational data that needs to be transformed and trusted in real time. Frameworks like SQLMesh help bring structure, testing, and reliability to complex transformation pipelines. We’re excited to support the project as it grows within an open community where more organizations can contribute to improving how data infrastructure is built.”

– Alexander Filipchik, Head of Software, Data, ML Infrastructure, CloudKitchens

“The brilliance of SQLMesh lies in how its virtual data environments are anchored to a rigorous state management engine, ensuring that what we verify in isolation maps cleanly to production through a near-instant pointer swap. That level of engineering discipline transforms complex data transformations from high-risk migrations into predictable, software-driven promotions with a built-in safety net for recovery. We’re excited to support SQLMesh as an open project and contribute to the community working to advance reliable, production-grade data transformation.”

– Alexander Butler, Staff Data Engineer, Harness

“Open Data Infrastructure represents an important shift in how organizations think about control, portability, and long-term flexibility in their data ecosystems. As data platforms evolve and AI workloads scale, openness can’t be assumed – it must be intentionally built into the foundation. By supporting SQLMesh within the Linux Foundation, we’re contributing to an ODI approach grounded in open standards, transparent governance, and architectural choice. That’s critical to helping organizations innovate without being constrained by proprietary limitations.”

– Nas Radev, CEO, Infinite Lambda

“What I like about SQLMesh is how practical it feels. It keeps workflows simple while adding the structure data teams actually need. It is open source, flexible, and helps lean teams move fast without creating chaos.”

– Yuki Kakegawa, Staff Data Engineer, Jump AI

“AI and advanced analytics depend on reliable and well-governed data pipelines. SQLMesh brings a thoughtful approach to building and managing transformation workflows with confidence. We’re excited to see the project develop through open collaboration and contributions from teams across the industry.”

– Alex Wilde, Head of Engineering, Minerva

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