2nd Watch Expands Data Analytics Services Portfolio With Aptitive Acquisition
The strategic cloud service provider is expanding its big data insights practice through the acquisition of Aptitive, a provider of data management and data analytics consulting services and leading Snowflake partner.
Cloud services provider 2nd Watch has acquired data consulting services firm Aptitive in a move to boost its data engineering, data science and data analytics service offerings.
The acquisition also expands 2nd Watch’s presence in the fast-growing Snowflake services universe and in several data-intensive vertical industries including retail and healthcare, 2nd Watch CEO Doug Schneider said in an interview with CRN.
“This allows us to accelerate the growth of our cloud-native, data-centric capabilities and solutions,” Schneider said. “There is a growing demand among mid-size and large companies that are trying to get a better handle on using their data for strategic purposes.”
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Seattle-based 2nd Watch, No. 151 on the CRN Solution Provider 500 and No. 83 on the CRN 2021 Fast Growth 150, is a rising provider of managed cloud applications and services running on all the major public cloud platforms. The company’s expansive services portfolio includes cloud migration, cloud operations and optimization, cloud advisory, application modernization and DevOps, and security and compliance.
The strategic service provider launched its own data analytics practice in 2020. Schneider said the acquisition of Aptitive, with its data engineering, data science and data analytics expertise and consulting services, will allow 2nd Watch to quickly ramp up that data consulting practice to meet growing demand.
Chicago-based Aptitive, founded in 2013, is closely allied with data cloud services giant Snowflake and has achieved Snowflake Elite Services Partner status. Aptive has more than 50 employees – all of whom are joining 2nd Watch and its 250 employees. Aptitive’s operations will be combined with 2nd Watch’s existing data services to create a data insights practice group, Schneider said.
“We are thrilled to gain the support and breadth of services that 2nd Watch brings to our Aptitive employees and clients,” said Paul Corning, Aptitive CEO, in a statement. “Like Aptitive, 2nd Watch combines deep technical skills, top consulting talent and strong culture to deliver outstanding results for its clients. Together we can offer more services, more exceptional performance and a deeper bench across more technologies and skillsets.”
Terms of the acquisition, which has been completed and is being announced today, were not disclosed.
The Aptitive acquisition is the first for 2nd Watch. Last year Schneider told CRN that the company, which has been growing organically, was on the hunt for acquisitions.
In addition to expanding 2nd Watch’s big data capabilities, the acquisition provides 2nd Watch with a bigger footprint in several vertical industries – especially retail, healthcare and insurance – where Aptitive has a significant presence, according to Schneider. The CEO also noted that like 2nd Watch, Aptitive provides its services across the three major public cloud services providers (Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform).
Schneider also emphasized the cultural fit between 2nd Watch and Aptitive, saying he and other 2nd Watch executives spent ‘a lot of time” with Corning and other Aptitive founders. And he noted that Aptitive and its services will benefit from 2nd Watch’s more extensive sales and marketing resources.
“We will do more acquisitions in the future, but we will be very, very selective about how we do that,” he said.