Look Ma, No Data Warehouse!

Modern data lakes promise affordability and scalability, but using them can be a headache. Cloud data warehouses make querying easy, but they come with a hefty price tag and extra complexity. What if you could get the same ease of use without the cost and lock-in? In this session, we’ll show you how to leverage open-source software to build a fully functional, queryable analytics powerhouse using DuckDB, Fivetran, and Polaris Catalog. We’ll walk through how to: 1. Load data that is automatically converted to Iceberg open table format 2. Run SQL queries using DuckDB’s new Iceberg extension 3. Run transformations directly on data stored in your data lake with a new dbt adapter 4. Get started easily with a practical, hands-on demo No vendor lock-in, no unnecessary complexity—just an open-source-powered approach to enabling advanced analytics and AI. If your data warehouse is holding you back or eating away at your budget, this session is for you!