BrazilBearingPoint acquires Steerio to boost collaboration offerings
In its fourth acquisition in the past three years, BearingPoint has acquired Steerio, a French start-up that helps companies improve how their teams collaborate.
The European-origin business and technology consulting firm will leverage Steerio’s capabilities to advance two core facets of its business, said Kiumars Hamidian, BearingPoint’s Global Managing Partner. First, it will enhance how BearingPoint teams up with its clients, both in a physical as well as a remote and digital setting.
The SaaS-driven engagement platform of Steerio helps leaders and team members with improving their ‘teamwork experience’, including facilitating (regular) pulse surveys, supporting teamwork actions plans and decision-making, and the dissemination of knowledge.
BearingPoint has been using Steerio’s tooling on client engagements for several months now, and the positive experience motivated the company to acquire the start-up, shielding the innovative technology from potential rivals.
Damien Palacci, a Partner at BearingPoint said: “Steerio structures and facilitates the dialogue across the entire team. Its smart analytics create an augmented project experience for all: from consultants to client sponsors.” Another consultant that enjoyed Steerio’s benefits first-hand, Hermann Mulatu, a Manager in rank, said “Steerio is a strong value add: team meetings based on Steerio data allow us to demystify misunderstandings and improve communication.”
Palacci added that the tool also brings a beneficial impact to innovation, which aligns with one of BearingPoint’s core values – applying out-of-the-thinking to provide exceptional client value. “Steerio’s tool empowers employees and helps them take ownership and be entrepreneurs.”
Digital working
The use of digital tooling has come at the forefront of business in light of the current pandemic, and this formed a further driver behind BearingPoint’s acquisition. Palacci: “Working and collaboration in the 'new normal' is more important than ever, and Steerio’s smart analytics create an augmented project experience for all our team members, which we especially need in these times of remote working.”
Hamidian added, “The new normal demands that we create and bring to life new ways of working. Steerio will form a substantial pillar of the way we deliver consulting projects.”
Behind the scenes, the bolt-on is part of a broader strategic transition, explained Hamidian. “Our Strategy 2025 puts people in the centre of our business, and as part of this, we are investing in new and better ways of working. This includes innovative project and team management and collaboration solutions across business units, countries and teams for more innovation, agile-working, and remote and mobile working.”
People advisory
The second driver relates to BearingPoint’s own people & change management offerings, which support clients with embedding the human capital dimension of strategic change. According to Damien Guery, co-founder of Steerio, the software has demonstrated the ability to “boost team effectiveness by up to 50%” as showcased on the firm’s website, and this in turn improves the delivery of projects and change objectives.
Using soft-data to identify roadblocks among team members, Steerio allows change makers to develop interventions for better team effectiveness. It reduces project failure and delays and promotes transparency and trust. Maintaining the privacy of all participants, every stakeholder has access to anonymised and objective team results.
André Estignard, Head of BearingPoint’s People & Strategy practice, said: “Steerio joins BearingPoint’s portfolio of team and project management assets such as Active Manager and enhances our human capital offering.”
Last year, BearingPoint acquired UK-based public services consultancy Prederi, having previously absorbed among others Inpuls (Belgium) and LCP Consulting (UK).
