Akeura's Vendor Assessment: From Three Teams to One Decision in Two Weeks

Choosing the right software is challenging. Getting three different companies to agree on it in just two weeks? That's another story.

During its NetSuite implementation, Akeura, a global clinical research organization, needed to select a project management solution. With three companies coming together, different priorities and a tight deadline, reaching a shared decision was far from simple.

Discover how Novutech's independent Vendor Assessment helped Akeura align its teams, evaluate the options and make a confident technology decision without delaying its wider transformation.

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The challenge: Three companies, one decision

Akeura is a global clinical research organization specializing in clinical research and real-world evidence programs. Following the combination of Peachtree, Julius and P95, the organization brought together more than 500 employees across 25 countries.

As part of this transformation, Akeura was implementing NetSuite and needed to select a project management solution to support its operations alongside the ERP.

The challenge wasn't simply finding the right software. It was finding it quickly, while bringing together stakeholders from three different organizations, each with their own experiences and preferences.

With so many opinions involved, reaching a consensus internally had become difficult. And every potential delay risked affecting the wider implementation timeline.

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Why Akeura chose an independent Vendor Assessment

Akeura needed more than software demonstrations. The team wanted independent, vendor-agnostic advice based on real experience and a clear understanding of what different solutions could, and couldn't, deliver.

As Miranda, Global Head of Accounting, Tax and Treasury at Akeura, explains:

If you go to vendors and ask them for a presentation, of course everything is possible.

What stood out about Novutech's approach was its transparency. Rather than promising a perfect solution, the team openly discussed the strengths, limitations and trade-offs of each option. To learn more about how this independent approach worked in practice, explore Vendor-Agnostic Technology Assessment: Akeura's Story.

You were very open and honest about: please be aware that there is no system that could be a 100% fit. And that was really an eye-opener. - Miranda, Akeura

This independent approach is part of Novutech's Digital & Value Office, which helps companies align business needs, processes and technology to make informed decisions.

For an organization bringing three companies together, having an independent partner also helped create a neutral environment where different perspectives could be considered and teams could work towards a shared decision.

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From different opinions to one decision in two weeks

Through a structured Vendor Assessment process, Novutech helped Akeura bring clarity, speed and alignment to its software selection.

The approach combined stakeholder interviews, requirements gathering, vendor evaluations and cost comparisons into one clear decision-making framework.

Instead of lengthy internal discussions, everyone worked towards the same goal, with shared information and a structured timeline.

John, Project Manager at Akeura, particularly appreciated how the process kept everything organized, from requirements and costs to vendor reviews and next steps.

But the biggest achievement wasn't just the speed.

People from three companies made the decision together in a two-week flow, and everybody at the end was convinced that we made the right choice. - John, Akeura

Beyond selecting a solution, the process helped build confidence and shared ownership of the decision across the three organizations.

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The real value: Confidence, alignment and avoiding delays

For Akeura, the benefits of the Vendor Assessment went beyond selecting a project management tool.

The process created shared ownership of the decision, helping people from three different organizations work together towards a common objective.

This experience also highlights the importance of bringing people, processes and technology together, a key aspect of Akeura's experience with Novutech's Digital & Value Office.

It also helped protect the broader transformation timeline. As John pointed out, the real financial question wasn't simply the cost of the assessment, but the potential cost of delaying the implementation: additional legacy software license fees, more manual work in Excel and prolonged operational complexity.

By combining independent expertise with a structured decision-making process, Akeura was able to move forward quickly, with greater confidence, stronger team alignment and a clearer understanding of its technology investment.

As Miranda puts it:

If you need to come to a conclusion within a limited timeframe that is supported by everyone, this is definitely the thing to do.

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Watch Akeura's customer story

Hear directly from Miranda and John about their experience working with Novutech, the challenges they faced and how an independent Vendor Assessment helped them make a confident decision together.

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Need to make the right technology decision?

Choosing business software shouldn't mean months of uncertainty, endless vendor presentations or difficult internal discussions.

At Novutech, we help growing international companies assess their technology needs, compare solutions objectively and make informed decisions that support their wider transformation strategy.

Whether you're navigating a merger, implementing an ERP or rethinking your technology stack, our team can help you move forward with clarity and confidence.

Book a discovery call to discuss your next technology decision.