The Big Data visualisation and analytics firm Pentaho could file for an initial public offering (IPO) within the next two years, CBR has learned.

With machine data analytics firm Splunk having recently seen a bumper IPO valuing it at $2.3bn, it’s clear why other Big Data firms are keen to get onto the markets while they can take advantage of the huge interest in the area.

In an interview with CBR, Pentaho chairman and CEO Quentin Gallivan said the firm could have its IPO "in the next 18 to 24 months".

Pentaho took on a C round of funding in October last year, raising $23m from New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and others. Speaking at the time of that funding round, Gallivan said, "Pentaho Business Analytics, with its tightly-coupled data integration, business analytics and big data capabilities in one easy-to-use and cost-effective platform, has become the go-to solution for companies embarking on big data programmes. Pentaho has a proven big data strategy with over 300 percent increase in big data sales for the first nine months of 2012 over the same period in 2011."

"This series C investment allows Pentaho to keep pace with fast-moving technology innovations, recruit the necessary talent to execute on our big data strategy, and to expand our leadership in big data analytics," Gallivan added.

Look out for a Q&A with Gallivan on CBR soon.