Aperto

Was one of Germany's leading independent digital agencies before being absorbed into IBM iX as part of IBM's European digital consulting expansion.

Aperto was a leading German digital agency headquartered in Berlin, founded in 1995 and widely recognized for its expertise in digital strategy, user experience design, web development, and digital transformation consulting. Over two decades, the agency built a strong reputation serving major German and European enterprises across sectors including media, finance, retail, and public services, becoming one of the most prominent independent digital agencies in the German-speaking market. In April 2016, IBM acquired Aperto as part of its broader strategy to expand its digital agency capabilities under the IBM Interactive Experience (IBM iX) umbrella. The acquisition brought Aperto's creative and technical talent into IBM's global network, combining the agency's deep UX and digital strategy expertise with IBM's enterprise technology, data analytics, and cloud capabilities. This move was part of IBM's aggressive push to compete with consultancy-led agency networks such as Accenture Interactive and Deloitte Digital. In 2018, IBM formally rebranded Aperto alongside its other German digital agency acquisition, ecx.io, consolidating both under the IBM iX brand in Germany. The Aperto name was sunset as part of this integration, with the combined entity operating as IBM iX Germany GmbH. The legacy of Aperto lives on through the talent, methodologies, and client relationships absorbed into IBM iX's European operations, which continues to serve enterprise clients seeking end-to-end digital transformation services.