IBM will acquire Vivisimo, a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based data search solutions company, said David Corrigan, director of strategy for IBM’s InfoSphere Portfolio. He expects the deal to close within a month to six weeks.
Once the acquisition is finalized, Vivisimo will be placed into the Information Management division of IBM, Corrigan added.
Corrigan said one of the core motivators for the acquisition is what IBM’s clients have been saying about big data. “The underlying requirement we hear from clients is: How do I cost effectively take advantage of big data? How do I get up and running?” he said. “”Vivisimo gives a new way for IBM clients to analyze data at rest without moving it.”
Vivisimo’s software will help IBM automate data into analytics applications, IBM said in a statement. Part of the intent of the acquisition is for IBM’s clients to be able to perform more data-intensive marketing campaigns and conduct easier search and analysis of large amounts of data. “We think it gives us some unique capabilities within our big data space,” Corrigan said.
“From IBM’s point of view, it gives us a new technology,” Corrigan said of IBM’s intent to acquire. “Like a lot of smaller companies that we acquire, this gives Vivisimo a global sales force. It allows them to be a part of an already impressive growth pattern” in big data.
IBM has been enhancing its capabilities around analyzing large datasets. Earlier this month, IBM introduced software that is designed to allow companies to organize, consolidate and search data more efficiently.
Corrigan said IBM intends to keep all of Vivisimo’s employees. However, until the acquisition is officially approved, IBM isn’t discussing any specific personnel decisions, he said.
Corrigan declined to discuss Vivisimo’s revenues. According to a statement by IBM, Vivisimo has more than 140 customers in many verticals, including government, consumer goods and electronics.
IBM declined to disclose the financial details of the acquisition.
