PwC's Strategy& buys AI consultancy Datasparq to speed up deal-making
What's the deal? Strategy&Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, PwCDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s global strategy consulting arm, has agreed to acquire DatasparqDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a London-based AI and data consultancy with around 20 employees. The move strengthens Strategy&'s ability to help private equity and corporate clients unlock value through data and AI.
Who's who? Strategy& has been part of PwC since 2013 and runs more than 4,500 consultants across over 75 offices. Datasparq, a 2026 Great Place to Work in the UK, advises on AI strategy, data platforms, and intelligent solutions, with clients including GSK, GXODealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and easyJetDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What's the endgame? Datasparq's engineers, data scientists, and specialists will join Strategy&, folding data engineering, applied AI, and agentic technologies into its value creation wing. The combined team will design and deploy AI solutions across the transaction lifecycle, from pre-deal diligence to post-deal transformation.
Why now? Clients are pushing to turn data and AI into measurable outcomes, said Nicola Preedy, head of deals at PwC UK. "This is particularly important in private equity, where speed, execution and the ability to realise investment potential remain key differentiators," she added.
PwC already supports over 90% of the world's largest PE investors and advises on more than half of PE deals globally through buy-side, sell-side, and portfolio company work.
What they said: "We've spent years building real depth in applied AI, product design and engineering," said John Wyllie, founder and chief executive officer of Datasparq. He added that the deal lets the firm "apply what we've built at a scale we could not have reached on our own."
The signal: The acquisition reflects how large consultancies are buying specialist AI shops to embed technical depth into deal advisory. As private equity clients demand faster value creation, applied AI is becoming a competitive edge across the transaction lifecycle.
Read more: consultancy.uk
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
