Tech giant IBM announced Monday that it will acquire data-streaming powerhouse Confluent in an $11 billion transaction, a move poised to reshape the real-time data landscape much like a seismic jolt reverberating across Silicon Valley.
A Mega-Deal Anchored in AI and Real-Time Data
Under the agreement, IBM will purchase all outstanding Confluent common shares at $31 each, according to the companies’ joint statement. IBM is being guided in the transaction by Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP, while Confluent is represented by Cooley LLP.
Confluent, headquartered in Mountain View, California, operates a widely used open-source enterprise data-streaming platform designed to connect, process and govern reusable data and events in real time. Its technology supports more than 6,500 customers and partners, integrating with industry leaders including Microsoft and Anthropic.
IBM, long known for its enterprise solutions in hybrid cloud, artificial intelligence and consulting, said the acquisition cements its strategy to help companies harness data more intelligently, streamline operations and lower costs.
