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IBM–Confluent Acquisition: What It Means for Real-Time Data and Qlik

IBM’s $11B acquisition of Confluent reshapes the real-time data and streaming market, giving IBM control of the Kafka-based streaming layer central to hybrid data and AI workloads. Although this enhances the built-in stack of IBM, it raises concerns about neutrality, roadmap, pricing, and lock-in.

In the case of Qlik, it emphasises the importance of a vendor-neutral, vendor-independent strategy that provides real-time streaming of data, log-based CDC, and regulated interoperability without the complexity of any streaming infrastructure.

What’s Inside:

  • Key implications of IBM acquiring Confluent
  • How the deal reshapes streaming, AI, and governance stacks
  • Risks around neutrality, cost, and roadmap uncertainty
  • Where Qlik fits as a simpler, independent real-time option
  • Guidance for navigating post-acquisition decisions

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