Deta raises $3.6M seed round to develop cloud-based operating system

Deta, an upstart Berlin-based technology company, is aiming to revolutionize personal computing with the launch of Deta Space — a platform its founder describes as the world’s first personal cloud computer. 

The startup has raised $3.6 million in seed funding led by Crane Venture Partners to support its vision of giving users more power and privacy through a unique cloud-based operating system.

In an interview with VentureBeat, Deta cofounder and CEO Mustafa Abdelhai explained his inspiration for Deta Space: “It really started with me personally being a user of software. I remember the days in the late 90s [and] early 2000s where you had your computer, and you would run all your own software. You’d get PowerPoint [and other enterprise software] and all of these different music players. Everything was on your computer.”

Abdelhai aims to return control and autonomy to users at a time when personal data has become a commodity. “Maybe something is missing here, maybe we’re thinking wrong,” he said, referencing the current state of cloud computing.

“The idea is that the computer’s operating system is in the cloud,” he explained, “and you can access it from anywhere from any device.”

Deta Space runs on the company’s new “Space OS,” allowing users to manage their own apps and data instead of relying on big platforms like AWS. “The way we think about it, instead of concerning ourselves with trying to be better than AWS, we’re saying it’s really a continuation of the personal computer in the cloud,” Abdelhai explained.

The Space OS enables seamless interoperability between apps, unlike traditional web software. It also ensures privacy by allowing apps to store data in secure personal environments controlled by the user.

More than 67,000 developers have already signed up to build apps on Deta Space. This enthusiastic response demonstrates strong demand for a platform focused on user control.

Deta’s approach could represent a significant shift in the enterprise data and AI landscape. The company’s commitment to user empowerment and control challenges the status quo of the tech industry, where large corporations often dictate the software’s direction. Deta’s focus on interoperability could also pave the way for a more collaborative, less siloed tech environment.

If successful, Deta’s vision could fundamentally shift how we interact with software, making it more personal, empowering, and user-friendly. “We do actually believe that we’re building a computer operating system that could replace your current operating system,” Abdelhai said.

Deta Space flips the script on conventional wisdom — putting users, not platforms, in the driver’s seat. Its human-centric approach could force tech giants to rethink their relationship with customers and data. Of course, significant technical and adoption hurdles remain. But backed by top venture firms including System.One, Tomahawk.VC, Tiny.VC, and founders and early employees from companies like NGINX and Notion, Deta has the funding and vision to launch a new computing paradigm.