Storage Modernising legacy databases
Jacek Migdał, CEO and founder, discusses the evolution and challenges of Quesma, a database gateway startup company.
F
ounded in 2023, Quesma redefines database migration by addressing legacy systems’ inefficiencies, particularly in
the energy and finance industries. Its solution acts as a proxy, facilitating gradual migrations while improving data insights, offering businesses an alternative to proprietary systems. Partnering with companies like ClickHouse and Hydraulics, Quesma is positioning itself to disrupt the $10 billion database migration market. CEO and founder of Quesma, Jacek
Migdał, says: “Starting a company isn’t just about building a product, it’s about having a reason to exist,” he explained. “For us, that reason came from recognising how inefficient legacy systems are, especially in industries like energy and finance.” He stressed the need for real-time updates in energy markets. “Te biggest problem is that legacy systems aren’t built for today’s data processing speed. If you want a sustainable energy grid, you need accurate data at a much faster pace than these old systems allow.” Te risks of poor data migration are substantial. In 2018, TSB
Bank’s outage affected nearly two million customers and cost £200 million in remediation. Toyota experienced production shutdowns across fourteen plants in 2023 due to database failures, while Denver incurred a $4 million penalty aſter an Oracle audit in 2016. Tese cases highlight the critical need for reliable migration solutions. Beyond migration, outdated systems obstruct access to
vital insights, making operations inefficient and reactive. Quesma’s database gateway optimises queries, applies intelligent transformations, and facilitates gradual online migrations, helping businesses avoid vendor lock-in and costly overhauls. While service providers and proprietary vendor tools dominate
the database migration market, Quesma differentiates itself by prioritising independent, adaptable solutions. As businesses demand modernisation, Quesma aims to be the trusted partner for a seamless, risk-mitigated transition.
42 | May/June 2025 Several case studies highlight Quesma’s
impact. G&L Systemhaus improved streaming quality for high-profile events, a European telecom provider deployed Quesma’s technology within an air-gapped data centre, and a principal travel broker enhanced efficiency by integrating Quesma’s gateway with open-source ClickHouse. With funding secured and enterprise
customers onboard, Quesma continues refining its commercialisation strategy. “People are paying for our product now, but it’s still early,” Migdał admits. “We’re working on generalising our offerings so we can expand.” Legacy database technologies impose
inefficiencies and high costs, particularly in industries reliant on structured data. “Every transaction, online or offline, ends up in a database. But most of these systems are legacy, built decades ago, accumulating inefficiencies over time,” Migdał says. Pricing models of legacy vendors compound the issue. “Tese vendors keep charging more simply because they can, and it’s incredibly hard to migrate away from them.” Te energy sector faces additional obstacles as outdated billing infrastructures fail to keep pace with renewable energy fluctuations. “Instead of one record per month, you now need multiple records per hour. But these outdated billing systems can’t process fast enough, forcing us to waste renewable energy.” Database technology has remained essentially unchanged for 50
years, despite advancements elsewhere. “Nobody uses COBOL or mainframes anymore, yet databases are still built on these decades- old concepts,” Migdał explains. Unlike telecommunications, for example, which transitioned from landlines to mobile, databases lack a comparable disruptive shiſt. Smaller businesses also struggle with legacy data systems. “A
hedge fund might be able to afford millions hiring experts to extract insights. But leveraging that data is much harder for small or medium-sized businesses,” Migdał says. AI could be instrumental in this transformation, and one vital AI application is the energy sector. “Te biggest thing we need for
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