Accenture is expanding its AI division with the acquisition of Albert, a Japanese data science startup, following the completion of a tender bid. The deal, which was finalized on November 14, would allow Accenture to expand its data and AI capabilities by bringing 250 data scientists from Albert on board.
Accenture claims that the amount of common shares and stock acquisition rights tendered to Accenture by ALBERT considerably exceeds the amount necessary for ALBERT to merge with Accenture, which is equal to two-thirds of ALBERT stock. ALBERT will become a part of Accenture when the deal is completed. Following the acquisition of all outstanding shares and stock acquisition rights by Accenture, ALBERT will be delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
ALBERT primarily serves large Japanese organizations with its AI and big data analytics services, AI-based algorithm creation, AI implementation consulting, and data science training assistance. The company was founded in 2005, and in 2015 it was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Its 250-person data science team will join Accenture’s Applied Intelligence practice, which provides AI and data-driven transformation solutions and services.
Accenture believes that ALBERT will improve its ability to help its clients manage the complete reinvention of their businesses, which most successful organizations will go through in the upcoming decade.
Albert is the most recent in a line of data, and AI-related Accenture acquisitions since 2019, including Analytics8 in Australia, Sentelis in France, Bridgei2i and Byte Prophecy in India, Pragsis Bidoop in Spain, Mudano in the UK, and Clarity Insights, End-to-End Analytics, and Core Compete in the United States.
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Accenture’s acquisition is the latest endeavor in the company’s efforts to improve its services in Japan, which leverage data to replicate the entire enterprise digitally and to help Japanese companies grow and become more competitive through deep data analytics and AI capabilities. Accenture recently introduced a number of data-driven management solutions in Japan, including those that anticipate different business scenarios, suggest measures to enhance the forecasts, and support customers’ ESG (environment, society, and corporate governance) practices.
Companies nowadays require a 360-degree view of their business in order to make better and faster decisions, according to Atsushi Egawa, who oversees Accenture’s business in Japan. This means considering factors other than the numbers, such as environmental efforts, customer experiences, the growth of employees, and retraining.
Atsushi said, “Gaining this holistic perspective and being able to simulate every aspect of the business requires deep data science expertise and AI capabilities. Accenture and Albert team will bring these to clients to help them succeed in their total enterprise reinvention.”
