Why are there over a dozen recent no code Excel spreadsheet startups?

Question

I recently noticed this mostly from reading TechCrunch and talking to a friend. Once I noticed 2 or 3 and actively started searching them out, I noticed a lot more.To give you an idea, here are all I've found. I'm sure there are other ones out there. I've also seen many on IndieHackers, but these are all the ones that have raised VC capital:Rows.comClay.comSpreadsheet.comGetGrist.comNobodb.comRetool.comEquals.appCoefficient.ioActionDesk.ioParabola.ioRowy.ioThey all seem to have been formed in the past 3 years, have raised funding in the $10 million range and all seem to do the same exact same things in slightly different ways. Basically import in data from various Databases and other sources like Twitter and Instagram and do excel operations on the data as well as some other additional functionalities they've added and generate charts. I'm not even sure if this is solving a real problem. Does anyone here have experience with this space or know more details about it or have used any of these SaaS products?

LunarAurora · Accepted Answer

"No-code Data Processing/Analytics" (as I would call these) is a very generic category and some of these products are quite different in their approach. I mean, (almost) everything in computers is Data right? And there is nothing Excel-Specific about grids (and even formulas) : These are very primary paradigms, so is it any surprise they all use them ?
The existence of so many apps with such basic computer functions does not surprise me because you can implement it (at the detail level) in so many different ways (let the market decide the winner)
The sudden proliferation is another matter. I think it is just part of the recent (and more general) wave to build "higher level" (=no-code) platforms. Here, its is more "Data processing" oriented ones, that is all.

everythingabili · Answer

I'd say one reason. It's an absolute nightmare for the regular end user to handle relational data in a spreadsheet. I've tried a lot of those below (you missed of AppSheet from Google which kinda falls into this bracket too).
I regularly work with intelligent people (who aren't techies) who by themselves figure out their project needs to be relational all by themselves (knowing nothing about SQL).
I think, and I guess these companies do, that there must be a market for those millions of people who want to manage a few thousand rows of project data but are never going to learn SQL + web development to put a UI on it, but are struggling to keep their data managed "logically" and easily.

jeffybefffy519 · Answer

Because a lot of business operations run on Excel. Therefore large total addressable market.

pyb · Answer

For some reason, every startup that gets a modicum of traction immediately attracts copycats. Most of these don't get very far.

Qtips87 · Answer

If someone can break down the languages used by these companies that would be great.

gardenfelder · Answer

There are even some open source projects in this space. Why not?