IQI acquires Kumura and strengthens its position as an expert in AI-assisted project management and project operations development

IQI, a consulting firm specializing in transformation projects and IT system reforms, acquires Kumura, an expert company specializing in artificial intelligence-assisted project management and project development. After the acquisition, IQI will employ over 200 people, including subcontractors, and the company's turnover will increase to almost 30 million euros. The acquisition supports IQI's goal of achieving a turnover of 50 million euros in the coming years. The company's growth is supported by the Finnish private equity firm Voland Partners, which joined the company's growth story in 2024.

Kumura is a project management expert company that offers clients operational project management, project management coaching and development services using artificial intelligence. The company is known in particular for its strong expertise in the social and health sector. Kumura's turnover in 2019 was approximately 4 million euros. The company employs subcontractors, including more than 35 experienced experts, who work mainly in Jyväskylä, the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Tampere and Turku. The company's customers include Finland's largest public organizations and private companies, for whom the success of projects is critical.

IQI CEO Markus Andersson sees the acquisition as a strategically significant step for IQI:

"We are strengthening our team of experts in the area of ​​project management and expanding geographically to Jyväskylä. Kumura's expertise in artificial intelligence-assisted project management, change management and project development is unique. The company's strong social and health expertise serves our current customer base excellently..”

Change management is a critical competitive factor

According to Andersson, the acquisition highlights how big an impact change management has on business success.. 

”As operating environments change rapidly and ways of doing work evolve, the ability of organizations to lead change becomes a critical competitive factor. Simply projecting change is no longer enough; successful implementation requires systematic organizational change management, in which artificial intelligence plays an increasingly important role..” 

Kumura's Business Director Mika Punta states that projects are concrete tools for implementing changes required by a company's strategy. He emphasizes that project management and change management should be planned together so that technical implementation and the human change process run in parallel.

”Behind success are competent and committed people. We approach projects with a humane approach that emphasizes collaboration. Real change only happens when people's thinking and actions change..”

Artificial intelligence frees project managers to lead people
The acquisition strengthens IQI's ability to leverage AI in project management, where it offers enormous opportunities. AI eliminates routines and analyzes complex dependencies, freeing up project managers' time to manage people.

According to Andersson, AI is not a replacement for management work.

“Artificial intelligence rather gives the project manager better opportunities to focus. In significant changes, the role of leadership in enabling success is central..” 

Punta says artificial intelligence will remove boring routines from project management: 

"Instead of routines, we can focus on people's well-being and leadership. Technology provides us with real-time data, artificial intelligence supports decision-making, and automation frees up resources for strategic work.."

Read more: IQI website and the press release