Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has completed its acquisition of Coastal, a Salesforce, data, and AI consultancy based in Palm Coast, Florida.
The deal, valued at $700 million, brings Coastal’s 600 professionals and more than 3,000 certifications into TCS’s global operations. Coastal will retain its brand and leadership under TCS, which said the acquisition strengthens its Salesforce and AI capabilities.
The companies presented the transaction as a strategic step to expand enterprise transformation services, while preserving Coastal’s culture and client relationships.
What the Acquisition Means for Coastal and TCS
The acquisition strengthens the competitive position of both Coastal and TCS in the Salesforce and AI consulting market.
Coastal gains the global scale and AI capabilities of TCS. This enables the company to expand its Salesforce and data-led transformation offerings across enterprise clients. It will continue operating under its own brand, which should help preserve the culture and approach it has developed since 2012. CEO Eric Berridge, who previously served as Salesforce COO, will continue to lead operations, smoothing the transition.
Berridge said, “Our team’s Salesforce and multi-cloud expertise, combined with TCS’ global reach, advanced AI capabilities and enterprise scale solutions, will allow us to support customers across a broader spectrum of transformation needs.”
He added, “This partnership gives us a stronger platform to grow, inspire and attract the industry’s best Salesforce and AI professionals.”
TCS, in turn, enhances its North American Salesforce practice and solidifies its position among the top global Salesforce advisory and consulting firms.
The acquisition adds specialized multi-cloud and AI expertise, complements TCS’s earlier acquisition of ListEngage, and broadens access to midmarket customers. The integration increases advisory depth and delivery reach, supporting TCS’s strategic goal of providing enterprise clients faster, broader, and more AI-enabled transformation services.
Vikram Karakoti, global head of enterprise solutions at Tata Consultancy Services, said, “Coastal Cloud’s multi-cloud capabilities strongly complement TCS’ existing Salesforce strength, and together with ListEngage’s expertise, we are poised to build a world-class Salesforce practice to deliver full-stack, custom solutions globally.”
Market Implications and Competitive Context
The acquisition reflects a broader trend of consolidation in Salesforce and AI-led consulting. Large global integrators are acquiring specialized firms to expand expertise quickly and enter new markets.
TCS is moving beyond scale-driven growth, targeting differentiation through depth in multi-cloud and AI expertise. Coastal’s integration illustrates how specialized consultancies can serve as strategic accelerators, providing both technical skill and market credibility.
Private equity involvement shaped Coastal’s trajectory prior to the acquisition. Sverica Capital’s five-year ownership focused on operational transformation, talent expansion, and portfolio diversification, driving growth while maintaining profitability. These changes positioned Coastal as a highly capable Salesforce and AI consultancy, making it an attractive strategic acquisition for TCS.
The deal also illustrates competitive pressure on pure-play Salesforce consultancies, as TCS now combines Coastal’s deep multi-cloud and AI expertise with global capacity.
Competitors that lack comparable scale or specialized talent may struggle to match the range and speed of services TCS can offer. Clients benefit from broader advisory and implementation options. Smaller consultancies face higher barriers to winning large, complex enterprise projects. The acquisition fits within TCS’s ongoing M&A strategy, signaling future growth aligned with AI, cloud, and digital transformation priorities.
What This Means for ERP Insiders
Coastal can now deliver Salesforce and AI services globally. The acquisition gives Coastal access to TCS’s worldwide delivery network and enterprise-scale resources, enabling the consultancy to serve clients beyond North America.
TCS strengthens its Salesforce position against competitors. TCS gains deep multi-cloud and Salesforce-specific skills by acquiring Coastal, positioning itself as a fully integrated, Salesforce-native service provider capable of delivering transformations across AI, cloud, and enterprise systems.
Midmarket clients gain enterprise-grade Salesforce delivery at scale. The combined Coastal-TCS capability allows smaller and midmarket companies to access global consulting resources, advanced AI solutions, and multi-cloud expertise previously available only to large enterprise clients, leveling the playing field.
