Persistent Systems announced the intent to acquire Arrka, a Pune-based company renowned for its decade-long data privacy expertise, its pioneering Data Privacy Management platform and growing expertise in AI governance. This strategic acquisition significantly enhances Persistent’s AI-led, platform-driven services and strengthens its ability to provide comprehensive offerings in digital governance, including data privacy, AI governance, and cybersecurity, among others. With Arrka’s expertise, Persistent will help clients accelerate their transformation journeys while ensuring ethical, responsible, and compliant AI.
With the widespread adoption of AI, implementing and managing digital governance in general and data privacy and responsible AI are taking center stage for enterprises across industries. Persistent is addressing the opportunities in AI through strategic investments in innovative platforms like SASVA, an in-house cutting-edge platform using generative and deterministic AI, as well as through tuck-in acquisitions such as that of Starfish Associates, to strengthen its position in AI-powered Contact Center and Unified Communications.
The integration of Arrka is a critical component in scaling Persistent’s AI practice and addressing the rising demand for digital governance. It is a key to the Company’s strategy to deliver responsible, ethical, and comprehensive platform-driven digital solutions. Arrka’s Data Privacy Management platform enables organisations to manage their data privacy risks and comply with multi-jurisdictional legal and regulatory requirements in an integrated manner. Persistent will integrate and significantly broaden Arrka’s offerings to establish deep capabilities across the digital governance and trust domain, including:
AI governance and ethics: Equipping organisations to implement and manage AI risks, ensuring trust and governance across their AI initiatives.
Data privacy: Scaling Arrka’s Data Privacy expertise to help businesses enhance and mature their ability to comply with multiple privacy laws and regulations in a holistic manner.
Privacy in AI product engineering: Offering privacy-by-design capabilities that help embed ethical and trustworthy practices into AI development, thus ensuring transparent and explainable systems.
Consent and rights management: Developing tailored solutions for managing user consent, handling data subject rights requests, and ensuring transparency in data processing across multiple platforms and jurisdictions.
AI Systems Auditing and Compliance Management: Offering continuous compliance and auditing solutions to ensure comprehensive monitoring of AI systems.
Sandeep Kalra, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Persistent, “Arrka’s acquisition perfectly aligns with our vision to deliver AI-driven services that fuel innovation and ensure data privacy, ethics, and compliance at every stage. By integrating Arrka’s expertise with our AI-led, platform-driven services strategy, we are empowering businesses to innovate responsibly while managing risk and compliance more effectively. Their mature frameworks and Data Privacy Management platform provide a scalable foundation to ensure this new capability is platform-driven and embeds governance from the outset, which is now critical for successful AI implementations. We’re delighted to welcome Shivangi and her talented team as we strengthen our digital governance and data privacy offerings and shape the future of responsible AI together.”
Shivangi Nadkarni, Co-Founder, Arrka, “The acquisition by Persistent catapults Arrka onto the global stage. With the strength and resources of Persistent, we now have the opportunity to go from what has been a specialist, boutique business working with select long-term clients in India, to expanding our footprint into global markets and deepening our expertise rapidly in multiple areas of digital governance. Moreover, this has come at an opportune time, just when this domain is experiencing significant growth globally with the rise of AI. The Arrka team is excited by the opportunities ahead.”
Chirag Mehta, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Constellation Research, “As customers accelerate their adoption of AI, the urgency to address data privacy and compliance challenges has never been greater. Persistent’s acquisition of Arrka strengthens its AI-led, platform-first approach, empowering customers to confidently pursue their business goals while tackling these critical security concerns head-on.”
