Version 1 agrees to acquire CreateFuture in AI push
Thu, 30th Apr 2026 (Today)
Version 1 has agreed to acquire CreateFuture, forming a technology services group with 4,250 employees and annual revenue of more than €500 million.
The transaction will bring CreateFuture's 550 staff into Version 1 and expand its presence in sectors including iGaming, financial services and utilities. Financial terms were not disclosed, and the acquisition remains subject to regulatory clearances.
The enlarged business aims to meet demand for artificial intelligence projects in regulated industries, where organisations face stricter compliance requirements and more complex delivery conditions than in less regulated markets. The combination also broadens its reach across public and private sector work.
Founded in Scotland, CreateFuture has built its business around software engineering and digital consulting for large organisations, focusing on industries where precision and regulatory oversight are central to technology projects. Ireland-founded Version 1 already employs more than 3,700 people globally and generates annual revenue of more than €400 million.
The acquisition adds to consolidation in the technology services market, as consultancies seek deeper specialist sector expertise and respond to growing client interest in AI projects moving beyond trial programmes into operational use. Regulated industries have become a particular focus because deployment often requires closer scrutiny of governance, resilience and compliance.
Under the agreed structure, the CreateFuture leadership team will remain in place and continue to lead existing teams and client engagements. The arrangement indicates that Version 1 wants to preserve customer relationships and sector knowledge while integrating the business into a larger organisation.
Roop Singh, Chief Executive of Version 1, said the deal was intended to extend the company's reach and specialist knowledge rather than remove overlap. "This acquisition is a strong strategic fit for Version 1, strengthening our capabilities and expanding the markets we serve," Singh said.
"CreateFuture is an exceptional business, with high-calibre talent, deep client relationships and sector expertise that directly complements our own. They have built something genuinely impressive for clients, leveraging AI-driven capabilities with a flexible and agile approach, and have delivered sustained growth ahead of the market.
"This is a growth acquisition and reflects exactly where we are as a business: confident in our people, clear on our strategy and ready for what comes next," he added.
The deal gives Version 1 a stronger position in iGaming, a market where digital platforms operate under heavy regulatory scrutiny and suppliers often need expertise in areas such as identity, payments, fraud controls and service resilience. It also increases the group's exposure to financial services and utilities, where AI adoption is gathering pace but implementation can be slowed by legacy systems and oversight requirements.
CreateFuture's founder said the company would retain its operating identity and leadership while gaining access to greater scale. "We started CreateFuture 16 years ago with a simple belief that the best work happens when great people are trusted to do great work for clients who care about the outcome. That belief has not changed, and this partnership accelerates our ambition for CreateFuture with a highly culturally aligned partner in Version 1. It enables us to better serve our clients with enhanced capability and scale whilst unlocking significant opportunities for our team members. I am genuinely excited about what this means for our people, for our clients, and for the next chapter of the business we have built together," Andrews said.
For Version 1, the transaction increases the scale of a business that has been building its position in AI and digital transformation services. For CreateFuture, it offers access to a larger platform at a time when clients are looking for suppliers that can combine sector expertise with delivery resources across larger programmes.
The combined company will have employees across multiple locations and a client base spanning public and private sector organisations. Its greater scale places it among the larger technology services firms operating in Europe's market for AI-related transformation work in regulated environments.
Completion remains subject to customary regulatory clearances.