Black Duck Branches into Open-Source Consulting

Black Duck Software, which sells solutions to help enterprises manage the use of open-source software, has announced it has acquired The Olliance Group, an independent open-source business and strategy consulting firm.

Terms of the deal through which Black Duck acquired the privately held company were not disclosed.

The acquisition—Black Duck's fourth, and its third in a matter of months—expands the company's offerings to include open-source business and strategy consulting services to help enterprise IT clients capitalize on the benefits of open-source software. Black Duck acquisitions include Koders.com, a free open-source code search engine (2008);  Ohloh.net, a free public directory of open-source software and a vibrant Web community (from GeekNet in October, 2010); and SpikeSource, a provider of software tools and services to automate application component identification and assess security vulnerability (November, 2010).

Andrew Aitken, founder of the Olliance Group, and Greg Olsen, senior partner, will join Black Duck. Olliance Group will be managed as a wholly owned and independent business within Black Duck Software, Black Duck officials said. Aitken will serve as general manager of the Olliance Group business unit, and also will continue to independently organize and manage the Open Source Think Tank, an event at which thought leaders from around the world gather to discuss the future of commercial open source.

"Black Duck has seen rapid growth since its founding in 2002, with a significant surge in sales and revenue in the past 18 months,” said Tim Yeaton, CEO and president of Black Duck Software, in a statement. “This growth has fueled our new investments and acquisitions, which have been undertaken to increase the value of Black Duck's end-to-end offerings while supporting the adoption of free and open-source software (FOSS) among enterprise IT and community developers. Operating as an independent business unit, Olliance Group will have the autonomy needed to give customers the objective advice they require as they begin planning for successful FOSS use in their applications and products."

“We're very excited to be able to add our brand, intellectual property, methodology, processes and open-source strategy expertise to the leading enabler of open-source software,” Aitken said, also in a statement. “Black Duck's commitment to supporting our mission to provide independent advice while leveraging their resources is a win for Olliance, Black Duck and the industry.”

Olliance Group has conducted more than 450 strategy engagements with clients, including Fortune 500 enterprises, Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), startup firms, venture capital groups and government entities, Black Duck said.