South African Data and AI consultancy AdvanceGuidance bought by Artefact
Global data-focused consulting firm Artefact has acquired AdvanceGuidance, a South African consultancy specializing in data science, artificial intelligence, and data engineering.
The deal sees Artefact expand its footprint in Africa, which launched in 2020 and currently has over 100 staff working on projects in multiple countries, including Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Egypt, and Madagascar. With the addition of AdvanceGuidance, Artefact adds around 70 staff to its ranks.
Founded in mid-2020 by Deon van Heerden (a former Accenture executive), AdvanceGuidance provides solutions across various industries, including retail (Foschini Group and Clicks), energy (Shell), telecommunications, and financial services (Capitec and Standard Bank). The firm positions itself as a full-service AI and data player, offering services such as data science, data analytics, data engineering, consulting, artificial intelligence, project management, and cloud.
Commenting on the deal, Vincent Luciani, CEO and co-founder of Artefact, said: “The acquisition of AdvanceGuidance strengthens Artefact’s international position and reinforces our commitment to partnering with regional firms looking to join a global leader in data and AI consulting. By welcoming their multidisciplinary team data scientists, engineers, and consultants, we continue to accelerate Artefact’s expansion and further solidify our presence in Africa.”
The deal is Artefact’s third acquisition in the past three quarters, following the additions of Swiss-based AI consultancy Effixis in August 2024 and Chile-based data and AI consultancy Brain Food Consulting in December 2024.
Mederic Chomel, Managing Partner for Africa (based in Cape Town), added: “Our shared ambition with AdvanceGuidance is to build the leading data and AI consulting firm in Africa. By integrating AdvanceGuidance’s talented team with our existing expertise, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the continent’s dynamic economic environment, where AI technologies are rapidly evolving and businesses need expert guidance for adoption and data transformation.”
By the end of 2025, Artefact aims to have grown its team in the African continent to more than 200. Globally, the Paris-headquartered company has 1,700 employees operating in 23 countries across Europe, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa.
