IBM has once again made headlines, this time with its latest move to strengthen its position in AI and data consulting. On Monday, the tech giant announced that it has acquired Hakkoda, a rapidly growing data and AI consultancy based in New York. While the deal amount hasn’t been shared, the impact of this acquisition is expected to be huge.

This decision fits perfectly with IBM’s ongoing strategy to expand its AI and automation services. Hakkoda is known for helping businesses migrate their data to the cloud and build powerful data platforms, especially using the Snowflake data cloud. Now, with Hakkoda’s expertise added to the mix IBM plans to accelerate how it delivers AI-driven solutions to clients across various industries.

What Hakkoda Brings to IBM

Hakkoda, founded in 2021 by former Deloitte executive Erik Duffield specializes in helping businesses migrate and modernize their data using cloud platforms, particularly the Snowflake data cloud. With a focus on industries like finance, public sector, healthcare and life sciences, the company offers tools and services that make legacy data systems ready for the AI era.

“With Hakkoda’s data expertise, deep technology partnerships, and asset-centric delivery model,” said Mohamad Ali, SVP and Head of IBM Consulting, “IBM will be even better-positioned to deliver value faster to clients as they transform with AI.”

Before this acquisition, Hakkoda raised $5.6 million in venture funding from firms like Tercera, Lead Edge Capital, and Casimir Holdings. The company grew rapidly, building a team of hundreds of consultants across the U.S., Latin America, India, Europe, and the UK. Now, the full Hakkoda team will integrate with IBM Consulting, bringing even more expertise to IBM’s AI-driven transformation services.

Recent Acquisitions That Show IBM’s AI Strategy

The Hakkoda deal follows IBM’s recent acquisitions, showing a clear pattern of accelerated investment in AI and automation. This move is part of a much larger plan. In recent months, IBM has actively expanded its AI portfolio:

  • In February 2025, IBM acquired DataStax, a platform for building AI-powered applications.
  • It also finalized the purchase of HashiCorp, a company known for infrastructure and security automation.
  • These back-to-back acquisitions demonstrate IBM’s commitment to building an unmatched AI and cloud services ecosystem. And the numbers back it up.
  • In Q4 2024, IBM recorded its highest revenue growth in five years, leading to a 10% surge in its stock.
  • AI-related bookings and sales crossed $5 billion inception-to-date, reflecting strong market demand for its AI and consulting offerings.

A Strategic Win for IBM

Erik Duffield said

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.

With this acquisition, IBM is not only adding another powerhouse to its team but also positioning itself to lead the next generation of AI-powered business transformation across global markets.