Anthropic to back a European AI consultancy with Hg, due by end-2026
What happened
Anthropic and London-based private equity firm Hg plan to launch an independent consultancy by the end of 2026 that would embed AI engineers and consultants inside European businesses, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Offices are planned in London and Berlin, and the main targets are business-software companies and other white-collar industries. Anthropic and Hg declined to comment to the FT, and neither has confirmed the deal publicly.
What we know
- The Financial Times reported that Anthropic and Hg agreed to set up a consultancy by the end of 2026 to place AI consultants and engineers in European companies. The reporting rests on people familiar with the matter, and the companies declined to comment.
- Per The Next Web's account of the FT report, Anthropic would fund its share from its own balance sheet, while Hg would invest through funds it manages, including the London-listed HgCapital Trust.
- Per The Next Web, the venture would be Anthropic's first investment in a standalone consultancy in Europe, though Anthropic has worked with Hg portfolio businesses since 2024.
- Per The Next Web, Hg already employs about 150 AI specialists across its portfolio, and one source told the FT the new firm would operate alongside that team rather than replace it.
- Per The Next Web, the plan follows a US precedent: Ode, a services company backed by Blackstone and Hellman & Friedman with $1.5 billion in planned investment. OpenAI launched a comparable OpenAI Deployment Company in May with TPG, Advent, Bain Capital and Brookfield.
What we don't know yet
- How much Anthropic and Hg will each invest, and what ownership split they will hold. The sources give no figures for this venture.
- Whether the launch date holds. The end-of-2026 timing comes from anonymous sources, and neither company has confirmed it.
- Whether the venture will take work from established consultancies such as Accenture and the Big Four, or mainly serve Hg's own portfolio companies.
- The venture's name, leadership and headcount, none of which the available reporting discloses.
Why it matters
AI model developers are moving into hands-on implementation work that Accenture, Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC currently earn revenue from. For Anthropic, which the FT says is spending heavily on data centres ahead of a planned listing, services is another revenue route.
Claims
- UnconfirmedThe Financial Times reported that Anthropic and Hg plan to launch a European AI consultancy by the end of 2026.
- UnconfirmedThe consultancy is planned to have offices in London and Berlin.
- ConfirmedAnthropic and Hg declined to comment to the Financial Times on the plan.
- UnconfirmedAnthropic would fund its stake in the venture from its own balance sheet.
- UnconfirmedHg employs about 150 AI specialists across its portfolio.
- UnconfirmedAnthropic earlier established Ode, a services company backed by Blackstone and Hellman & Friedman with $1.5 billion in planned investment.
- UnconfirmedOpenAI launched the OpenAI Deployment Company in May with TPG, Advent, Bain Capital and Brookfield.
Related coverage
Why you can trust this story
54%Source map · 3 outlets / 3 articles
- Financial Times
- Article 1ft.comreport
- The Next Web
- Article 1thenextweb.comreport
- Techmeme
- Article 1ft.comreport
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Verification ledger · 7
- Claim: The Financial Times reported that Anthropic and Hg plan to launch a European AI consultancy by the end of 2026.Status: UnconfirmedVerification trailUnverifiedChecked by verification engine
No atom-level source-text verification is available.
- Claim: The consultancy is planned to have offices in London and Berlin.Status: UnconfirmedVerification trailUnverifiedChecked by verification engine
No atom-level source-text verification is available.
- Claim: Anthropic and Hg declined to comment to the Financial Times on the plan.Status: ConfirmedVerification trailVerifiedChecked by verification engine
At least one extracted atom matched cited source full text.
- Claim: Anthropic would fund its stake in the venture from its own balance sheet.Status: UnconfirmedVerification trailUnverifiedChecked by verification engine
No atom-level source-text verification is available.
- Claim: Hg employs about 150 AI specialists across its portfolio.Status: UnconfirmedVerification trailUnverifiedChecked by verification engine
No atom-level source-text verification is available.
- Claim: Anthropic earlier established Ode, a services company backed by Blackstone and Hellman & Friedman with $1.5 billion in planned investment.Status: UnconfirmedVerification trailUnverifiedChecked by verification engine
No atom-level source-text verification is available.
- Claim: OpenAI launched the OpenAI Deployment Company in May with TPG, Advent, Bain Capital and Brookfield.Status: UnconfirmedVerification trailUnverifiedChecked by verification engine
No atom-level source-text verification is available.
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