SAP Announces Plans to Buy KXEN

Enterprise software giant SAP has announced its intention to buy predictive analytics specialist KXEN, as it looks to build up and automate its own big data analysis offering. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

KXEN's flagship product InfiniteInsight is used to build predictive models, and a DIY version - called InfiniteInsightExpress - helps marketers build their own predictive models 'in minutes'. Earlier this year, the company added geo-location support to InfiniteInsight, to enable clients to send consumers personalized recommendations for nearby outlets such as stores or restaurants.

SAP plans to merge KXEN's tools into its cloud and on-premise products, including the SAP HANA in-memory processing technology; and says the merger will enable automation of key modeling and analytical tasks.

KXEN CEO John Ball (pictured) said in a statement that customers are increasingly asking the firm to focus on predictive applications for use by the business, both in the cloud and on premise. 'The real-time, big-data capabilities of SAP HANA make it the ideal platform to deliver on this,' he added.

The acquisition is expected to close in the final quarter of this year.

Web sites: www.sap.com and www.kxen.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.