Lead Edge Capital Invests in Advancing Analytics

Advancing Analytics, a leading European data and AI Databricks consultancy that helps organisations turn complex data and AI challenges into practical outcomes, today announced a strategic growth investment from Lead Edge Capital, a global growth equity firm. The investment will support Advancing Analytics' continued development of its proprietary frameworks and AI capabilities as demand for data insights and AI expertise continues to accelerate. The investment remains subject to receipt of applicable regulatory approvals.

Founded in 2018, Advancing Analytics partners with businesses to transform complex data silos into connected, AI-ready data platforms that accelerate actionable intelligence across the whole company. Advancing Analytics works across financial services, healthcare and life sciences, and retail, embedding highly technical teams alongside clients to build the data and AI capabilities that drive smarter business decisions and stronger business outcomes. Its clients include some of the world's largest financial organisations, insurers, retail and consumer goods companies.

"We've built Advancing Analytics by solving hard problems and investing in genuinely great people," said Terry McCann, CEO of Advancing Analytics. "Meeting the immense demand from clients requires a different level of scale, and a different kind of partner. Lead Edge stood out from the moment we met for their expansive investor network, their track record of backing category leaders, and understanding of where we want to take this business. We're thankful to the people and partners who helped get us to where we are today and excited for what comes next."

Advancing Analytics has developed a suite of proprietary tools that allow it to deliver faster, more consistent outcomes for clients, including accelerating data into production, enabling faster deployment through a growing library of repeatable AI frameworks. The company holds Gold Status on the Databricks Brickbuilder Partner Network, one of only 35 such designations globally and the only held by an independent European provider.

"Businesses have more data than ever, and most of it is still out of reach," said Brian Lobdell, Partner at Lead Edge Capital. "Advancing Analytics exists to change that, helping companies unlock the full potential of their data and make it something everyone in the business can actually use. Terry, Simon Whiteley CTO and the team have built a genuinely differentiated proposition as a global Databricks champion, offering unparalleled industry expertise helping to solve some of the hardest industry challenges through advanced analytics, data engineering and AI. Demand for specialist data and AI expertise is still in its early innings, and we believe Advancing Analytics has the technical depth, the client relationships, and the proprietary IP to become a defining firm in this space."

As businesses continue accelerating their investment in data and AI, Advancing Analytics and Lead Edge Capital will work closely together to help businesses build the data foundations they need to turn that investment into real, lasting advantage. As part of the transaction, Stephan Dietrich, an Operating Partner at Lead Edge, and Hari Badale will join the Board of Directors, alongside Brian Lobdell.

Canaccord Genuity acted as sole financial advisor to Advancing Analytics in the transaction with support from Osborne Clarke LLP.

Lead Edge Capital was supported by Guggenheim Securities and Goodwin Procter LLP.