Sema
What it is
Sema is a semantic layer for enterprise AI that connects databases and answers business questions in plain English with governance. It represents tables, joins, metrics, and business terms in a typed graph, and verified inferred joins can be reused in later answers. Sema can ask clarifying questions, show the SQL it ran and graph nodes it traversed, and select a chart. Users can save reports for scheduled email delivery and set metric alerts for thresholds or deviations. Available connectors include PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, and SQLAlchemy URIs; ClickHouse and Amazon Redshift are in beta, while SQL Server, Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks, and dbt metadata are on the roadmap. It can run in a customer VPC or its own environment; self-hosted Kubernetes deployment uses Helm and customer-provided Postgres and object storage. Security controls include encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access, restricted-column masking, workspace isolation, and an append-only log. Sandbox is free; Pro is $49 a month per user with a three-seat minimum. Sema was founded in 2025.
For and against
For
- Shows the SQL and graph nodes used in answers.
- Verified inferred joins can be reused in later answers.
- Supports scheduled email reports and metric alerts.
- Offers customer-VPC and self-hosted deployment options.
- Includes encryption, role-based access, and workspace isolation.
Against
- Sandbox permits only one connector and one user.
- Sandbox has a limit of 100 chat queries monthly.
- Sandbox excludes scheduled delivery and alerts.
- Several connectors remain in beta or on the roadmap.
The verdict
Sema combines governed business-language querying with a semantic graph, report scheduling, and deployment options. The free Sandbox has strict limits, while Pro requires at least three seats.
Who it suits
Sema describes itself as built for enterprise and regulated teams, including organizations with warehouses containing thousands of tables. Its deployment choices may suit teams that need a customer-VPC or self-hosted option.
Plans and prices
Sandbox
1 connector · 1 user · 100 chat queries/month · 5 saved reports
Read 15 Oct 2026 · semalayer.com
Pro
unlimited connectors and chat · unlimited reports, schedules, alerts and signals · RBAC · audit log
Read 15 Oct 2026 · semalayer.com
Business
Everything in Pro · SSO · advanced governance · Compliance Agent V2
Read 15 Oct 2026 · semalayer.com
Enterprise
Everything in Business · SAML/SCIM · custom DPA · BYOK encryption
Read 15 Oct 2026 · semalayer.com
On the record
- Alerts
- Threshold and deviation rules can monitor metrics on a schedule and route breaches to owners with frozen evidence.semalayer.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- API
- The roadmap lists a developers API using workspace-scoped keys, and the product states that governed definitions resolve through an API.semalayer.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Audience
- Sema describes itself as built for enterprise and regulated teams, and its About page says it is designed for warehouses with thousands of tables.semalayer.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Audit logging
- Mutations, questions, plans and answers are recorded in an append-only log that can be filtered and exported to CSV.semalayer.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Auto-glossary
- The system drafts business definitions for tables and columns, adds synonyms, sensitivity and lifecycle metadata, and lets people confirm them.semalayer.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company
- Sema says it was founded in 2025 and is remote-first.semalayer.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Company founding
- Sema's about page states that it was founded in 2025 and is remote-first.semalayer.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company size and headquarters on LinkedIn
- LinkedIn lists Sema as privately held, headquartered in San Francisco, founded in 2017, with 11–50 employees.linkedin.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Compliance
- Sema’s trust page says SOC 2 Type II is in progress, GDPR-ready data processing terms are available, and HIPAA support with a BAA is available for eligible plans on request.semalayer.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Compliance status
- The company describes DPDP Act alignment, GDPR readiness and a SOC 2 program; its trust page says SOC 2 Type II is still in progress and HIPAA support is available on request.semalayer.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Connectors
- The connectors page lists PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, and any SQLAlchemy URI as available; ClickHouse and Amazon Redshift are in beta, while SQL Server, Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks, and dbt metadata are on the roadmap.semalayer.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Connectors available
- PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite and arbitrary SQLAlchemy URIs are listed as available connectors.semalayer.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Connector status limits
- ClickHouse and Amazon Redshift are beta; SQL Server, Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks and dbt metadata are listed for the roadmap.semalayer.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Conversational query
- Users ask natural-language questions; Sema can clarify, generate read-only SQL, show the SQL and graph path, and select a chart automatically.semalayer.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- Sema says it can run in the customer’s VPC or its own environment; its self-hosted Kubernetes deployment uses a Helm chart and customer-provided Postgres and object storage.semalayer.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- The documentation includes a quickstart, sector quickstarts, connector guidance, feature guides, administration, security overview and troubleshooting.semalayer.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Evidence packs
- Each answer can include question, SQL, lineage and access context signed with Ed25519, with expiring read-only audit links.semalayer.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Funding
- Crunchbase shows one private funding round backed by Nimble Ventures, with the amount undisclosed.crunchbase.com · read 15 Oct 2026
