IBM Acquires Hakkoda Inc., Expanding Data Expertise to Fuel Clients' AI Transformations

Rhea-AI Summary

IBM (NYSE: IBM) has acquired Hakkoda Inc., a global data and AI consultancy, to strengthen its data transformation services portfolio. The acquisition, completed on April 2, 2025, enhances IBM's capabilities in data platform expertise and AI-powered business operations.

Hakkoda, an Elite Snowflake partner with hundreds of SnowPro certifications, brings expertise in migrating, modernizing, and monetizing data estates. The company was named the 2024 Snowflake Healthcare & Life Sciences Services Partner of the Year and 2023 Snowflake Americas System Integrator Innovation Partner.

The global enterprise intelligence services market is projected to grow from $169 billion to $243 billion by 2028, with a 13% CAGR. Hakkoda's integration adds hundreds of experts across the US, Latin America, India, Europe, and the UK to IBM Consulting. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Positive

• Expands IBM's data transformation capabilities and AI expertise
• Adds hundreds of certified experts across global markets
• Brings award-winning Snowflake partnership and certifications
• Enhances IBM's presence in high-growth enterprise intelligence services market ($169B)
• Adds generative AI-powered assets for faster data modernization

Negative

• Financial terms not disclosed, impact on IBM's finances unknown

Insights

Technology Strategy Expert

IBM's acquisition of Hakkoda represents a strategic enhancement of their data foundation capabilities at a crucial moment in enterprise AI adoption. The data readiness gap remains one of the primary obstacles preventing organizations from successfully implementing AI initiatives, and Hakkoda's specialized expertise directly addresses this challenge.

The acquisition particularly strengthens IBM's partnership ecosystem, adding elite-level Snowflake capabilities with hundreds of SnowPro certifications and recognition as Snowflake's Healthcare & Life Sciences Services Partner of the Year. This multi-cloud approach gives IBM flexibility to meet clients where they are in their data journey, rather than forcing platform migrations.

Hakkoda's generative AI assets for accelerating data modernization align perfectly with IBM Consulting Advantage, their AI-powered delivery platform. This creates a compelling service model where IBM can now offer end-to-end solutions: from data estate modernization through AI implementation and ongoing optimization.

The timing is particularly strategic with IDC projecting enterprise intelligence services growing at 13% CAGR to reach $243 billion by 2028. IBM is positioning itself at the intersection of data and AI consulting, where specialized expertise commands premium rates and long-term client relationships. This acquisition particularly strengthens IBM's position in regulated industries like healthcare and financial services, where Hakkoda has developed industry-specific solutions and where data complexity often creates the greatest barriers to AI adoption.

Financial Analyst

This acquisition strengthens IBM's competitive position in the high-growth data consulting segment without significantly impacting its balance sheet. With enterprise intelligence services projected to grow from $169 billion to $243 billion by 2028, IBM is expanding in a market growing substantially faster than IT services overall.

While financial details weren't disclosed, Hakkoda's value to IBM extends beyond immediate revenue contribution. As an Elite Snowflake partner with specialized certifications, Hakkoda brings relationship capital that typically commands 20-30% higher billing rates compared to generalist services. These specialized practices typically deliver stronger margins than traditional IT consulting.

The acquisition addresses a critical capability gap in IBM's portfolio. Data modernization and AI readiness projects frequently serve as the gateway to larger digital transformation initiatives. By strengthening its front-end data capabilities, IBM positions itself to capture larger downstream implementation and managed services opportunities that typically follow data platform modernization.

Hakkoda's global footprint across the US, Latin America, India, Europe and the UK aligns with IBM's delivery model and suggests straightforward integration potential. The acquisition appears to be talent-focused rather than technology-focused, making integration risks manageable compared to platform acquisitions that require technical migration. This deal represents a targeted capability expansion in IBM's ongoing strategy to capture a larger share of AI transformation spending.

ARMONK, N.Y., April 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it has acquired Hakkoda Inc., a leading global data and AI consultancy. Hakkoda will expand IBM Consulting's data transformation services portfolio, adding specialized data platform expertise to help clients get their data ready to fuel AI-powered business operations.

Hakkoda has leading capabilities in migrating, modernizing, and monetizing data estates and is an award-winning Snowflake partner. This acquisition amplifies IBM's ability to meet the rapidly growing demand for data services and help clients build integrated enterprise data estates that are optimized for speed, cost and efficiency across multiple business use cases.

Hakkoda also brings a strong portfolio of generative AI powered assets that can speed up data modernization projects. Their industry solutions complement and build on their consultants' deep expertise in industries like financial services, public sector, and healthcare and life sciences. Hakkoda will further expand IBM's ability to bring both consulting expertise and AI to clients using its AI-powered delivery platform, IBM Consulting Advantage.

"IBM is at the leading edge of the consulting industry with how we're supercharging our consultants with AI," said Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President and Head of IBM Consulting. "With Hakkoda's data expertise, deep technology partnerships and asset-centric delivery model, IBM will be even better positioned to deliver value faster to clients as they transform with AI."

"From the beginning, Hakkoda has committed to being 'in the arena', not observing the greatest transformation in history but shaping it," said Erik Duffield, CEO and Co-founder of Hakkoda. "It is because of this that we are excited to join IBM at this critical moment when organizations are looking for a trusted partner to help them modernize their data for the AI era. IBM's heritage of innovation, their commitment to discovery and deep partnerships with clients on their most technical challenges is a perfect pairing to take Hakkoda's industry focused modern data consulting to the global marketplace."

Estimated global spending for enterprise intelligence services initiatives stands at $169 billion and, with a five-year CAGR of about 13 percent, is expected to grow to more than $243 billion by 2028, according to IDC¹. To extract value from their data, business leaders need a thoughtful data migration strategy and a modern, multi-use case data platform on the cloud.

As an Elite Snowflake partner, Hakkoda brings hundreds of SnowPro core and advanced certifications. They were named the 2024 Snowflake Healthcare & Life Sciences Services Partner of the Year and 2023 Snowflake Americas System Integrator Innovation Partner of the Year. Hakkoda is also an advanced-tier partner of AWS.

Hakkoda is headquartered in New York and brings hundreds of experts across the United States, Latin America, India, Europe, and the United Kingdom to IBM Consulting. For more information on Hakkoda, visit https://hakkoda.io/.

The acquisition closed on April 2, 2025, and financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

Media Contact
Michelle Mattelson
IBM External Relations
morrison@us.ibm.com

¹ IDC Worldwide Enterprise Intelligence Services Forecast, 2024–2028, doc # US51423624, July 2024

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SOURCE IBM

FAQ

What strategic benefits does the Hakkoda acquisition bring to IBM's AI capabilities?

The acquisition enhances IBM's data transformation services, adding specialized data platform expertise and generative AI-powered assets to accelerate data modernization projects.

How many certifications and experts does Hakkoda bring to IBM through this acquisition?

Hakkoda brings hundreds of SnowPro core and advanced certifications, along with hundreds of experts across multiple global regions.

What is the projected market size for enterprise intelligence services by 2028?

According to IDC, the market is expected to grow from $169 billion to $243 billion by 2028, with a 13% CAGR.

What notable awards has Hakkoda received as a Snowflake partner?

Hakkoda was named 2024 Snowflake Healthcare & Life Sciences Services Partner of the Year and 2023 Snowflake Americas System Integrator Innovation Partner of the Year.