IBM has entered into a €2.13bn agreement to acquire the StreamSets and webMethods enterprise technology platforms from Software AG. The purchase will boost IBM’s AI and hybrid cloud offerings, adding data ingestion capabilities with StreamSets and providing additional integration and API management tools through webMethods. The acquisition follows a two-decade relationship between IBM and the enterprise integration firm Software AG, which is majority-owned by Silver Lake.
- StreamSets is a cloud-native DataOps and data ingestion platform that facilitates the design of smart data pipelines and the ingestion of real-time and batch data.
- WebMethods is an integration and API management platform that offers B2B integration, managed file transfer and provides a modern API gateway to manage, monitor, and monetise APIs.
- The acquisition will help organisations accelerate their digital transformations with improved application and data integration solutions which are critical for effective AI deployment.
- Software AG has 5,000 employees and generates an annual revenue of over €950m.
Both StreamSets and webMethods are expected to drive synergy with IBM’s existing portfolio, including WatsonX, Red Hat, IT automation products, and IBM Consulting. StreamSets will augment WatsonX, IBM’s AI and data platform, while webMethods will offer additional integration and API management tools for IBM’s clients and partners for hybrid multi-cloud environments.
The acquisition demonstrates IBM’s focus on strategic mergers and acquisitions to strengthen its AI and hybrid cloud offerings. StreamSets and webMethods are leading technologies for application integration, API management and data integration. The global integration software market is predicted to exceed US$18bn by 2027 at a compound annual growth rate of 16.1%, according to IDC.
Sanjay Brahmawar, CEO of Software AG, sees IBM as the “ideal home” for webMethods and StreamSets. The deal will offer employees a chance to further develop while helping businesses globally maximise the benefit from their applications and data.