Definian
Definian is a Chicago-based, PE-backed enterprise data consultancy (formerly Premier International) serving Fortune 1000 clients with strategy, modernization, analytics, and AI deployment services, delivered via proprietary accelerators and a 20+ partner technology ecosystem.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Definian does
Definian, formerly Premier International, is a Chicago-based enterprise data solutions consultancy with 40 years of operating history and a track record of 1,000+ completed enterprise transformations. The firm operates as a private, PE-backed (Renovus Capital Partners) LLC serving Fortune 1000 and complex enterprise clients across healthcare, cloud, filtration, technology, and automotive verticals. Its service portfolio is organized into four core solutions: Data Strategy (advisory and future-state architecture design), Modernization (legacy system transformation through governance, migration, quality, engineering, and archiving), Insights (advanced analytics, modeling, and visualization), and AI & Automation (deployment of AI, machine learning, predictive analytics, and workflow automation). Two proprietary accelerators, Applaud and DAD Stack, are marketed as risk-reducing, execution-accelerating tools for complex data projects, though specific technical architectures are not publicly disclosed.
The company monetizes primarily through professional services engagements, including project-based consulting and retainer or managed services arrangements, priced via quote-based enterprise contracts. Definian goes to market through a direct enterprise field sales motion targeting large organizations via consultative sales cycles, supported by content marketing (blog, case studies) and LinkedIn engagement. The firm maintains a broad technology partner ecosystem spanning 20+ vendors (Workday, Oracle, Databricks, Snowflake, Microsoft, Collibra, Informatica, dbt Labs, Tableau, Power BI, Anomalo, and others), positioning it as a system-agnostic integrator across data platforms, governance, ETL/ELT, and analytics tooling. Notable engagement outcomes include a 100% Core HCM load success across 15 legacy systems for a $3.5B healthcare system and the rebuilding of 300+ integrations for a Fortune 500 cloud solutions provider.
Since 2023, Definian has executed a sponsor-backed roll-up strategy, completing three acquisitions: Information Asset, LLC (data governance, July 2023), Analytiks (January 2025), and Incite Analytics (automotive and mobility analytics, February 2026). Incite's founder joined Definian in a senior leadership role post-acquisition. Headcount is reported at 11-50, and the company is led by CEO Craig Wood. No revenue, funding rounds, or detailed ownership structure are publicly disclosed, and operating geography remains concentrated in the United States.
Definian firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Definian
- Legal name
- Definian Data, LLC
- Website
- https://premier-international.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Definian is a Chicago-based, PE-backed enterprise data consultancy (formerly Premier International) serving Fortune 1000 clients with strategy, modernization, analytics, and AI deployment services, delivered via proprietary accelerators and a 20+ partner technology ecosystem.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Definian is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Definian business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Professional Services: Definian generates revenue through consulting and professional services engagements, helping enterprises with data strategy, modernization, insights, and AI implementation. Revenue is derived from project-based work, retainer arrangements, and managed services engagements with enterprise clients.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Definian product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Definian delivers enterprise data solutions organized around four core service lines: Data Strategy (advisory and roadmap design), Modernization (legacy system transformation including governance, migration, quality, engineering, and archiving), Insights (advanced analytics, modeling, and visualization), and AI & Automation (deployment of AI, machine learning, predictive analytics, and workflow automation). Engagements are delivered using proprietary accelerators Applaud and DAD Stack that reduce risk and accelerate execution on complex data projects.
Product overview
Definian is a data solutions company (formerly Premier International) with 40 years of experience and 1,000+ enterprise transformations. The company offers a unified portfolio of professional services organized around four core solutions: Data Strategy (advisory and roadmaps), Modernization (system transformation via governance, migration, quality, engineering, and archiving), Insights (advanced analytics, modeling, and visualization), and AI & Automation (AI, machine learning, predictive analytics, and workflow deployment). These solutions are delivered using proprietary accelerators including Applaud and DAD Stack, which reduce risk and speed execution on complex projects. The company also maintains a partner ecosystem spanning data platforms (Snowflake, Databricks, Oracle), data governance tools (Collibra, Alation, BigID), ETL/integration tools (Airbyte, dbt Labs, Informatica), and analytics tools (Tableau, Power BI, Microsoft).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Applaud: Proprietary tool that reduces risk, speeds execution, and improves outcomes for complex data transformation projects.
- DAD Stack
Products and services
- Data Strategy Consulting and advisory service that helps organizations chart a clear data-driven and AI strategy path, including defining strategies and designing future-state architectures to turn existing capabilities into competitive advantage.
- Modernization Transformation service that converts outdated systems into modern, scalable data foundations through governance, migration, quality, engineering, and archiving, delivering trusted, decision-ready data.
- Insights Advanced analytics offering that turns complexity into clarity through analytics, modeling, and visualization to unlock opportunities, empower smarter decisions, and reveal trends that drive efficiency, growth, and new revenue streams.
- AI & Automation AI deployment service that enables organizations to move from insight to action by deploying AI, machine learning, predictive analytics, and workflow automation for proactive strategies, smarter customer experiences, and streamlined operations.
- Applaud Proprietary tool that reduces risk, speeds execution, and improves outcomes on complex enterprise data transformation projects.
- DAD Stack Proprietary tool that reduces risk, speeds execution, and improves outcomes on complex enterprise data transformation projects.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% Core HCM load success for $3.5B healthcare system migration
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Definian
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Definian technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration19 records
AI capability5 records
Feature2 records
Definian partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Definian competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fractal Analytics: Fractal Analytics is an AI and analytics specialist serving large enterprises with data strategy, advanced analytics, and AI solutions, directly comparable to Definian's Insights and AI & Automation practices.
- Latentview Analytics: Latentview Analytics is a data and analytics consulting firm focused on data engineering, AI, and digital transformation for enterprise clients, comparable in size and offering mix to Definian.
- Slalom: Slalom is a mid-sized, US-centric business and technology consulting firm with a strong data, analytics, and AI modernization practice serving enterprise clients, closely mirroring Definian's positioning and target customer profile.
- Thoughtworks: Thoughtworks is a global technology consultancy that designs, builds, and modernizes data platforms and enterprise software for complex organizations, overlapping directly with Definian's Data Strategy, Modernization, and Insights offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Deloitte Consulting: Deloitte's Analytics & Cognitive practice delivers large-scale data modernization, governance, and AI programs to Fortune 1000 clients, representing a much larger incumbent alternative for the same enterprise buyers Definian targets.
- IBM Consulting: IBM Consulting combines hybrid cloud, data, and AI services with platform capabilities (watsonx, Db2) to deliver enterprise data transformations, frequently competing with mid-sized data consultancies like Definian on modernization deals.
- Accenture: Accenture is a global systems integrator with a large Data & AI practice serving Fortune 1000 clients on data modernization, cloud migration, and AI deployment, frequently competing with Definian for the same enterprise transformation deals.
- Cognizant: Cognizant's Enterprise Data and AI services group helps large enterprises modernize data platforms and deploy AI, serving the same Fortune 1000 buyer segment as Definian at meaningfully larger scale.
- Genpact: Genpact is a large global professional services and digital transformation firm with deep data, analytics, and AI capabilities serving Fortune 1000 enterprises, providing a much larger-scale alternative to Definian for data modernization engagements.
Emerging players
- Infogain: Infogain is a mid-sized digital engineering and data/AI consultancy with delivery capability across cloud, data, and AI for enterprise clients, comparable in scale and service mix to a growth-stage Definian.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Definian social profiles
Digital presenceDefinian financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Definian leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Definian subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Definian funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Definian M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Definian
What does Definian do?
Definian delivers enterprise data solutions organized around four core service lines: Data Strategy (advisory and roadmap design), Modernization (legacy system transformation including governance, migration, quality, engineering, and archiving), Insights (advanced analytics, modeling, and visualization), and AI & Automation (deployment of AI, machine learning, predictive analytics, and workflow automation). Engagements are delivered using proprietary accelerators Applaud and DAD Stack that reduce risk and accelerate execution on complex data projects.
Is Definian a public or private company?
Definian is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Definian founded?
Definian was founded in 1986. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Definian based?
Definian is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Definian make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Services.
Who are Definian's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fractal Analytics, Latentview Analytics, Slalom and Thoughtworks. Broad incumbents are Deloitte Consulting, IBM Consulting, Accenture, Cognizant and Genpact. Infogain is listed as an emerging player.
Does Definian have an API?
No public API is recorded for Definian.