Appliers.ai acquires Prevail to boost enterprise AI

Appliers.ai has acquired AI strategy and platform specialist Prevail, adding Prevail's team and clients to the Melbourne-based buyer.

Pete Gatt has joined Appliers.ai's founding team as Chief Technology Officer, while Ben Ashby has been appointed Chief Solutions Officer. Terms were not disclosed.

Prevail's entire team will move to Appliers.ai, extending its reach in enterprise AI and digital transformation. Together, the two businesses say they have worked with more than 600 companies.

The deal comes as AI companies globally use acquisitions to expand. Crunchbase counted 195 AI startup deals by venture-backed companies to the end of September, 14% higher than the total for all of 2025.

Australia has seen slower adoption than some overseas markets. Figures cited by Appliers.ai show 12% of Australian businesses use AI, leaving room for service providers targeting larger organisations seeking to change internal processes and software systems.

Gatt brings a long record in cloud, DevOps and enterprise technology. He founded Vibrato, an early Australian cloud and DevOps consultancy later acquired by Servian, now part of Cognizant. He has also worked on model-agnostic large language model architecture for large organisations.

Ashby has led product, technology and transformation teams across startups and large companies. His previous work included transformation programs for Telstra, Optus and Bunnings.

Appliers.ai said the acquisition builds on a shared approach centred on business strategy and technology delivery. Prevail has worked across sectors including financial services, construction, field services, legal services, HR, professional services, mergers and acquisitions, and real estate.

The buyer has also expanded through partnerships. It became EOS Worldwide's global AI Transformation Partner, giving it access to businesses using the EOS operating model.

Rob Pisano, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Appliers.ai, said the rationale for the deal was clear. "The first time I saw Pete in action, he was chairing an industry event and I walked away very impressed. This one felt written in the stars. Pete and Ben have done incredible work at Prevail, and bringing it into Appliers.ai means our clients not only get their platforms built faster, but with decades of enterprise experience behind every build," he said.

Pisano led the transaction and has known Gatt through enterprise technology circles for several years. He is a five-time founder and previously helped scale a startup acquired by Salesforce.

Leadership changes

The appointments place both former Prevail leaders in senior operating roles in the combined business, broadening Appliers.ai's leadership team as it seeks to serve larger clients.

David Comande, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Appliers.ai, said: "Working on this deal has been a pleasure. Our two teams lined up on values and direction from the first conversation. Joining forces brings decades of proven business transformation and technology delivery into Appliers.ai and strengthens our ability to support more organisations."

The acquisition does not include Emanda Ventures or the Emanda app, which were specifically excluded from the transaction.

Market backdrop

The deal reflects a broader shift in the AI services market, where companies are combining advisory work with software delivery to win larger transformation projects. For businesses buying those services, technical expertise alone is often no longer enough. Providers are increasingly expected to link AI systems to operating models, workflows and commercial outcomes.

Gatt described the fit with Appliers.ai: "Rob and I moved in the same corporate circles years ago, then kept running into each other at industry events. At some point you realise these are good people, and when we sat down to talk about joining forces, the fit was obvious. Ben and I grew Prevail quickly by bringing business strategy and transformation together with trusted, safe AI and technology systems. Joining Appliers.ai gives us the scale to bring that approach to more organisations. I'm pumped about what we build next," he said.

Ashby also pointed to a shared method between the two businesses. "Every good build starts with how a business really works, and Appliers.ai runs its whole methodology on that idea. Pete and I ran Prevail together. Now our clients get a bigger team behind them, and we get to build with people who think the same way," he said.