SAP SE is getting into people analytics after acquiring intellectual property and key talent from a company called SwoopTalent Corp. for an undisclosed sum.

SwoopTalent has created platform that automatically connects talent systems and data for analytics, machine learning and migrations. SAP said that following today’s acquisition it’s planning to embed SwoopTalent’s technology with its SuccessFactors Human Experience Management Suite to give users more visibility into human resource initiatives, including various projects, internal jobs, mentorships, courses and fellowships.

SwoopTalent’s platform is really a people analytics or talent analytics system that’s used by company managers and executives to make more informed decisions about their workforce. It’s a fairly new domain at most HR departments, but SAP cites a recent study from McKinsey that found 70% of company executives view people analytics as a high priority.

Founded in 2012, California-based SwoopTalent’s platform is powered by natural language processing and machine learning that works to combine, analyze and train data from human resource systems and workflows. It can provide a continuously updated view of an organization’s entire workforce, listing their skills, capabilities, experience, interests, learning preferences and more. That enables managers to match their employees to internal initiatives, learning courses and other projects.

Amy Wilson, SAP’s senior vice president of product and design, said SwoopTalent’s algorithms create a profile of each employee within a company, taking data from various sources while keeping in mind local data regulations and employees’ consent on what information they’re happy to share.

SAP will also use the software to tie job advertisements to specific talent markets, Wilson said. As an employee progresses over months and years, “surfaced opportunities will become more individualized,” she said.

“A data-rich opportunity marketplace will empower people to grow their careers and give organizations the agility required to transform their business,” she added. “Truly intelligent enterprises are powered by people, enabled by technology, and backed by a strong data foundation.”

SwoopTalent co-founder and Chief Executive Stacy Chapman said many workplaces are redefining themselves around agility, purpose and culture.

“With human experience management, SAP has the right vision and strategy to deliver technology that enables individuals to upskill and create a career that aligns to their interests and skills,” she said. “SAP and SwoopTalent are a great cultural fit and share the same values. We are excited to continue advancing human experience management together.”

Chapman, fellow co-founder Satish Sallakonda and SwoopTalent’s engineering team will all join SAP as part of the acquisition.

Holger Mueller, an analyst with Constellation Research Inc., told SiliconANGLE that enterprises are keen to know more about their people, so they can better service them and put them to use.

“By acquiring the IP and the founders and engineering team of SwoopTalent, SAP SuccessFactors is improving its people analytics capabilities immensely, and that’s important for its overall human experience management ambitions,” Mueller said. “Now all eyes are on what the new capabilities will bring to SAP’s SuccessFactors customers.”

The acquisition is the second of the year for SAP, following its $1.2 billion deal for German business process intelligence firm Siganvio GmbH in January.

Photo: SAP SE