Natuvion Study 2026: one in four companies is transforming data due to mergers or acquisitions

The flexibility of an AI-powered transformation platform is crucial to the success of an M&A transformation.

WALLDORF, Germany, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- When companies sign an M&A deal, its value will only be determined during implementation. Nearly one in four companies is transforming its data due to mergers or acquisitions. At the same time, 71 percent decide they need to change their migration methodology in the course of the project. The 2026 Transformation Study, which surveyed over 1,100 executives and IT experts worldwide, shows that companies unable to flexibly separate or merge data and systems jeopardize the deal's value. In addition, there is a clear correlation between adjustments to methodology and time and budget overruns – and thus the overall success of the project. What matters is not the initial choice of methodology, but the transformation platform's ability to adapt it flexibly to changing requirements.

Three Key Criteria for IT Transformations in Mergers and Acquisitions
A modern, AI-powered transformation solution addresses precisely these challenges and enables transactions to be executed faster, more efficiently, and with minimal risk to business operations.
The key criteria for a transformation platform in the M&A context include:

• Data integrity and compliance: this ensures that only relevant data is migrated and that legal retention requirements are met. Personal data is automatically identified and masked to comply with global data protection standards.
• Flexible Approaches: depending on requirements, two strategies are available: "Copy & Delete" for retaining the majority of the data, or "Copy & Migrate" for the targeted migration of a small, business-critical data set. Both approaches enable a seamless cutover. This was demonstrated in a recent project where a global healthcare company migrated 6 TB of data across 150 systems and 450 company codes to a new, independent entity. The result was that the migration was completed 6 hours ahead of schedule, without any critical issues.
• Future-proofing: by cleansing legacy data and migrating to a lean, AI-enabled data foundation, a consolidated system landscape is created that serves as the ideal basis for future innovations.

Conclusion
The study demonstrates that adaptability is a decisive success factor for M&A transformation projects. With a modern, AI-powered transformation platform such as the Natuvion Data Conversion Suite, M&A migrations can be transformed into automated, efficient processes, and lay the foundation for a modern IT landscape and sustainable growth.

About the Study
As part of a structured survey, Natuvion and NTT Data Business Solutions asked 1,115 executives and IT experts from 15 countries about their experiences with their most recent transformation. The Transformation Study specifically targeted CEOs, CIOs, and IT and transformation leaders from medium-sized to large companies who had been actively involved in an IT transformation over the past two years. Participants were selected with the help of a market research firm and surveyed anonymously. A total of 210 participants were surveyed in the DACH (German-speaking) region and 155 in the US. Forty-two percent of the companies have between 1,000 and 4,999 employees, and 37 percent generate revenue of over one billion euros.

About Natuvion
Natuvion is a digital moving company that moves business-critical data and processes from one technology platform to another. Natuvion experts are called in when medium-sized and large enterprises want to modernize, optimize, separate, merge, or restructure their IT systems. With its exclusive expertise in technical transformation, Natuvion enables its customers to run their data and processes on the most modern and innovative technologies available. To support data transformations, Natuvion leverages its proprietary software solution, Natuvion DCS. Natuvion is a founding member of the SAP Selective Data Transition Community and has been part of NTT DATA Business Solutions AG, a leading global SAP consultancy, since 2022.