Managed Services

ServiceNow Partner M&A: Cognizant Acquires Thirdera

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Credit: Cognizant

Cognizant has acquired Broomfield, Colorado-based Thirdera, an Elite ServiceNow Partner specializing in advisory, implementation and optimization solutions related to the ServiceNow platform, with a strong focus on emerging enterprise workflow products, according to a statement from the companies.

This is technology M&A deal number 328 that ChannelE2E and MSSP Alert have covered so far in 2023. See more than 2,000 technology M&A deals for 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020 listed here.

The addition of Thirdera is expected to further Cognizant and ServiceNow's strategic partnership to build a $1 billion combined business focused on AI-driven automation. The acquisition also adds Thirdera's ServiceNow consultants in North America, Spain, Colombia, the Netherlands, and Australia, among other locations, and Thirdera's leading position in ServiceNow training and certifications, including Certified Master Architects and Certified Technical Architects, which will create a combined Cognizant ServiceNow Business Group with more than 2,400 specialists and 14,000 certifications.

As part of the acquisition of Thirdera's ServiceNow training platform, Thirdera University will continue to play a role in credentialing resources to fulfill the growing demand in the ServiceNow ecosystem, the companies said.

Thirdera is the largest independent global pure-play ServiceNow consultancy and has been recognized as the 2023 Worldwide Creator Workflow Partner of the Year and 2023 ServiceNow Americas IT Workflow Partner of the Year, among other accolades, the companies said in the statement.

"ServiceNow is leading a market shift toward customer, employee, and creator products," said Ravi Kumar S, Cognizant's CEO. "I believe the combination of Cognizant's deep industry, AI, and platform expertise paired with Thirdera's leading-edge offerings in enterprise transformation will position Cognizant at the forefront of thought leadership and innovation in the ServiceNow ecosystem."

"This is a pivotal moment for redefining customer engagement and operational efficiency," said Jason Wojahn, CEO and Co-Founder of Thirdera. "We believe leveraging Cognizant's scale, resources, and cross-industry expertise will help us revolutionize how our clients work in order to unleash productivity and drive innovation. We aim to transform the fabric of our clients' work environments, creating substantial value and offering our employees significant opportunities for professional growth and learning."

"Cognizant's bold move is an example of how our partners are looking to capitalize on the enormous market opportunity with ServiceNow. Their plan to acquire Thirdera, the largest pure-play ServiceNow partner, will turbo-charge their ability to build GenAI industry-leading solutions on the ServiceNow platform," said Bill McDermott, chairman and CEO of ServiceNow. "This acquisition puts Cognizant well on their way to building a $1B+ joint business that can accelerate value for our customers."

Cognizant and ServiceNow expanded their strategic partnership since Cognizant's acquisition of ServiceNow consultancy Linium in 2021, including a June 2023 announcement regarding a strategic partnership to drive AI-driven automation and the path toward building a $1 billion combined business, as well as the launch of an AI-powered service assurance offering for the telecommunications industry.

The acquisition is expected to close in January 2024, subject to satisfaction of closing conditions. Financial details were not disclosed.

Sharon Florentine

Sharon manages day-to-day content on ChannelE2E and serves as senior managing editor for CyberRisk Alliance’s Channel Brands. She also covers enterprise-class technology companies, strategic alliances and channel partner strategies. Sharon is a veteran tech journalist and editor with more than 25 years experience in the industry, and has previously held key editorial, content and leadership positions at Techstrong Group, CIO.com, Ziff Davis Enterprise and CRN.