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Accenture Acquires German Smart Technology Company Zielpuls

Accenture is acquiring Zielpuls, a German technology consultancy that focuses on designing smart products and services for various industries. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition bolsters Accenture’s ability to design smart products and services for automotive companies, medical technology, industrial equipment, and high-tech industries, the global IT consulting company said.

Zielpuls’ portfolio includes things like an automated car parking system and development of the architecture for driver assistance systems. The company also defined the entire IT architecture to operate high-speed trains for a leading transportation company, Accenture stated.

Founded in 2008, Zielpuls brings a team of 190 professionals with it. The firm is headquartered in Munich and has offices in Wolfsburg and Hannover, Germany, Shanghai and Beijing, China.

Accenture Acquires Zielpuls: Executive Perspectives

Describing the deal, Axel Schmidt, managing director and global lead of Accenture’s automotive industry practice, commented:

“The team of engineers and technologists of Zielpuls will strengthen our ability to develop connected, intelligent architectures for automotive clients, both in Germany and globally. Like designaffairs, Zielpuls has established business in Germany and China, which is strategic for us.”

Frank Riemensperger, senior country managing director for Accenture in Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Russia (ASGR), also commented on the deal:

“Zielpuls excels at designing architectures and operating systems for smart, connected products and services. It will add to the deep expertise we have been building in this area and complement previous acquisitions, including award-winning strategic design consultancy designaffairs.”

Andrew Smith, managing director and Accenture Industry X.0 lead in ASGR, added:

“Zielpuls has started to branch out into other areas, such as medical technology, where software and data-driven services will transform the core products. Its engineering know-how and ability to orchestrate operating systems for smart products will help us build an organization that can co-create and reimagine smart connected products and services with clients from ideation through production.”

Zielpuls co-CEOs Markus Frey and Dr. Marc Poppner will join Accenture as managing directors, the company said. In that capacity, they will continue to lead the Zielpuls team alongside their existing management team in order to support the firm’s transition to Accenture Industry X.0.

Accenture’s Buying Spree

This deal is just the latest in a string of M&A moves from Accenture. The company unveiled two similar deals at the beginning of this month, when it bought the France-based Google Cloud Platform services provider Cirruseo, and Spanish brand communications agency Shackleton.

This all fits with Accenture’s plan to spend about $1.5 billion on acquisitions this year, with a heavy focus on digital, cloud, and cybersecurity opportunities.

It’s a strategy that thus far has treated Accenture well. The company’s results for its Q2 of fiscal 2019 impressed investors with revenue growth of 5 percent to $10.5 billion and a net income of $1.14 billion.

Other recent digital- and agency-focused acquisitions include:

  • Droga5, a New York-based creative agency and advertising firm.
  • Storm Digital, a digital marketing agency in the Netherlands
  • Kolle Rebbe, a digital media agency.

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