Melbourne-based “AI transformation” provider Affinda Group has acquired artificial-intelligence training and enablement company Pathfindr in an all-scrip deal valued at $15 million.
The deal, part of a strategy by Affinda to help businesses streamline their processes and accelerate AI adoption, will bring together its own intelligent document processing expertise with Pathfindr's AI education and implementation capabilities.
Affinda Group also sees the acquisition of Pathfindr supporting its ambition to become an Australian AI company of “globally significant proportions”.
Pathfindr, founded in 2023 by Dawid Naude and based in Melbourne, helps organisations accelerate AI adoption through structured training programs and hands-on delivery support.
Naude, a former managing director of Accenture’s AI Technology practice in Australia, counts the Victorian Government and Honey Insurance among the company’s clients.
Affinda Group, which offers AI transformation and business process automation solutions through its Affinda business unit, says that Pathfindr will bolster the group’s capability to support organisation-wide AI transformation to drive operational efficiency and margin expansion for clients.
“The fastest way to create value from AI is clear: get your people using AI effectively and automate your core business processes,” says Timothy Toner, co-founder and CEO of Affinda Group.
“Customers consistently tell us they are overwhelmed by AI - where to start, how to scale and how to ensure it delivers lasting value. Technology is only half the battle. Adoption is where value is won or lost.”
Pathfindr will be among four wholly owned subsidiaries in the Affinda Group comprising the Affinda division, Pathfindr, Draftable and Vesparum Capital – all of which apply AI to solve complex business problems.
“We’ve worked with hundreds of founders, and Dawid stands out in terms of his passion for AI adoption and his ability to turn uncertainty into enterprise-wide change,” says Toner.
“Dawid and the Pathfindr team are the best we’ve seen at cutting through the noise and helping people use AI every day.”
Affinda Group currently supports more than 2,000 customers in more than 80 countries, with teams across Asia Pacific, North America and Europe.
“Being part of Affinda Group gives us the scale, technical firepower, and global reach to unlock real AI value for more organisations,” says Naude.
“Pathfindr exists to help organisations build and embed lasting AI capability in their people and in their work practices, not in three years, but now.
“Rolling 100 per cent of our equity into Affinda Group reflects our conviction in what we can achieve together.”
The acquisition comes on the heels of Affinda recently launching its new document processing platform, developed under the leadership of head of AI, Andrew Bird.
The platform allows organisations to quickly configure and deploy AI agents to automate document-centric processes in 56 languages and integrates with more than 400 enterprise systems.
“The market doesn’t need more product features; it needs outcomes,” says Ben Toner, Affinda Group’s co-founder and chief scientist.
“At Affinda, we're willing to pair products with services so that the underlying business problem gets solved. Joining forces with Pathfindr leans into that: they train the people we automate the work.
“I'm looking forward to working with Dawid as he combines a deep understanding of how to drive change in large organisations with a genuine and infectious enthusiasm for AI adoption.”
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