LeewayHertz
San Francisco AI consulting and development firm, acquired by The Hackett Group in 2024.
Founded 2007 | San Francisco, California, United States | 200–300 employees
ai-consultinggenerative-aicustom-ml-modelsai-agents
What is LeewayHertz?
LeewayHertz was founded in 2007 by Akash Takyar and Viresh Bhathia and is headquartered in San Francisco, combining strategic AI advisory with engineering delivery and proprietary AI platforms. On September 23, 2024, LeewayHertz was acquired by The Hackett Group, a publicly traded management consulting firm, giving it access to Hackett's enterprise client relationships. Reported employee counts range from roughly 194 to 300, and as with any recently acquired firm, prospective clients should verify current team continuity.
LeewayHertz was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States. The firm employs 200–300 people and works primarily with clients in FinTech, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail & E-commerce sectors. Its primary differentiator is: AI consultancy now operating as a Hackett Group company, combining startup-era agility with public-company backing.
LeewayHertz tech stack and services
PythonLangChainHugging FaceAWSAzure OpenAI Service
| Service area |
|---|
| AI Consulting |
| Generative AI |
| Custom ML Models |
| AI Agents |
LeewayHertz use cases
Short answer: LeewayHertz is best suited for enterprises wanting AI consulting, publicly-traded parent (Hackett Group).
| Use case |
|---|
| Enterprise wants AI consulting from a firm now backed by a publicly traded management consultancy. |
| Company needs generative AI or AI agent development with proprietary platform accelerators. |
| Client is comfortable with post-acquisition integration risk in exchange for Hackett Group's enterprise relationships. |
LeewayHertz pricing
Short answer: LeewayHertz uses a project-based, retainer pricing approach. Minimum engagement starts at Not published.
| Engagement model | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Project-based | Variable; depends on team size | Large programmes or team augmentation |
| Retainer | Monthly rate; not public | Ongoing AI engineering |
| Dedicated team | Variable; depends on team size | Large programmes or team augmentation |
LeewayHertz does not publish a public rate card. Contact them directly via their website to get project-specific pricing.
LeewayHertz pros and cons
| Advantages | Things to consider |
|---|---|
| +17 years of AI/software delivery history since 2007, well-established before its 2024 acquisition. | -September 2024 acquisition by The Hackett Group is recent enough that integration effects on pricing and delivery team stability are still unfolding. |
| +Now backed by The Hackett Group, a publicly traded management consulting firm, adding financial stability and enterprise client access. | -Employee-count sources disagree meaningfully (194 vs. 300), so confirm current AI-delivery headcount directly. |
| +Proprietary AI platform assets built pre-acquisition can shorten delivery timelines for common use cases. |
LeewayHertz vs alternatives
How LeewayHertz compares to the other top Machine Learning Development companies.
| Company | Best for | Key difference | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neurons Lab | Enterprises needing senior AI advisory, not a staffing... | Founder-led AI strategy-to-production consultancy with no junior-heavy delivery layer. | 4.9 | Full comparison |
| Provectus | Mid-market and enterprise companies, production-grade MLOps. | AI-first systems integrator built around running production ML/AI infrastructure long-term. | 4.8 | Full comparison |
| Tensorway | Fintech, healthcare, retail — boutique EU-based ML vendor. | AI boutique backed by 20+ years of software delivery experience via parent company. | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| InData Labs | FinTech, healthcare, SaaS — decade-old AI specialist. | Ten-plus years as a pure-play AI/data-science firm with no general software-development sideline. | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| DataRoot Labs | Startups, direct access to senior ML engineers. | Runs its own free ML/data-engineering school (DataRoot University, 6,000+ graduates) as a self-built talent pipeline. | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| XenonStack | Companies building agentic AI, real-time data platforms. | Multi-cloud certified (AWS, Azure, GCP) platform-engineering specialist for real-time and agentic AI. | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| Grid Dynamics | Fortune 1000 enterprises, public-company transparency, large-scale delivery. | Nasdaq-listed enterprise AI engineering firm with public financial reporting and Fortune 1000 client base. | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| MobiDev | US/EU companies, dedicated AI practice since 2018. | Clutch's #1-ranked Machine Learning development company (2021), with a dedicated AI practice since 2018. | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Addepto | Companies wanting a Forbes/Deloitte-recognized AI consultancy. | AI consulting boutique with third-party press recognition (Forbes, Deloitte, Financial Times), now part of KMS Technology. | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Softermii | Product teams building AI agents, generative AI features. | 4.9/5 Clutch rating (34 reviews) with a specific focus on AI agents and real-time communication platforms. | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Sigma Software Group | Automotive, aviation, AdTech — large vertical IT consultancy. | Deep, decade-plus domain expertise in AdTech, automotive, and aviation combined with enterprise-scale delivery capacity. | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Master of Code Global | Enterprise brands, chat/voice AI, two decades' focus. | 20-year specialization in enterprise chat and voice AI, with named enterprise clients like T-Mobile and Burberry. | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| Markovate | Companies wanting AI agents/chatbots, ex-AT&T/IBM leadership. | CEO brings direct enterprise AI leadership experience (AT&T, IBM) rather than a purely technical or agency background. | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| SoluLab | Companies wanting AI development, blockchain/Web3 fluency. | Combines AI-native development with blockchain/Web3 expertise under one delivery team. | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| Zfort Group | Companies wanting a 24+ year firm's dedicated ML... | One of the longest-operating firms in this list (founded 2000) with a 5-star Clutch rating and broad ML sub-specialty coverage. | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Yalantis | Compliance-sensitive industries, ML across all major clouds. | Compliance-first positioning combined with multi-cloud ML delivery (AWS, Azure, GCP) under one roof. | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Space-O Technologies | Companies embedding ML into mobile or web apps. | 15 years of mobile/software product delivery experience (since 2010) with ML added as a production-application capability. | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| EPAM Systems | Large enterprises, $100K+ budgets, publicly-traded global partner. | Public-company (NYSE: EPAM) scale and compliance rigor, with 30+ years of engineering history predating the AI wave. | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| SoftServe | Enterprises wanting an established US/Ukraine dual-HQ firm. | 31 years of engineering history (since 1993) with dual US and Ukraine headquarters and 12,000+ employees. | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| DataArt | Regulated-industry enterprises, AI with built-in governance. | Artisyn, a proprietary AI-enabled operating model embedding governance and AI agents across the delivery lifecycle. | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Cleveroad | Healthcare, logistics, fintech — Estonia-based full-stack firm. | Named to the 2025 Clutch 1000, placing it in the global top 30 highest-rated B2B service providers on the platform. | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Existek | Mid-market companies, Clutch-recognized offshore AI add-on. | 4.9 Clutch rating with dual Ukraine/Romania Clutch top-developer recognition and a $25,000+ accessible entry point. | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Konstant Infosolutions | Companies adding AI/ML to mobile or web products. | 175+ Clutch reviews — one of the highest review volumes in this list — from a 23-year mobile/web development track record. | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Debut Infotech | Companies wanting ML development, blockchain engineering depth. | Blockchain-native since 2015, combining that engineering discipline with newer machine learning and AI automation services. | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| ValueCoders | Budget-conscious companies, 20-year Indian outsourcer, ML/AutoML. | 5.0 Clutch rating combined with a specific AutoML development service line, uncommon among generalist outsourcing firms. | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| OpenXcell | Companies wanting AI strategy plus custom LLM development. | 500–1,000 person scale combined with a specific custom-LLM development offering, not just general AI consulting. | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Simform | Companies wanting AI/ML bundled with cloud and DevOps. | Ranked #2 worldwide among Clutch's Top B2B Service Providers of 2023 — one of the strongest third-party rankings in this list. | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| ScienceSoft | Enterprises wanting AI/MLOps from a 35-year-old consultancy. | 35+ years of continuous operating history (since 1989), among the longest-established vendors in this list. | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Belitsoft | Companies integrating AI into SaaS, two decades' depth. | 20+ years of dedicated SaaS product development experience, applied specifically to AI model integration for B2B SaaS. | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| N-iX | Enterprises wanting ML bundled with cloud and analytics. | Seven consecutive years of Clutch top global IT services company recognition, combined with dedicated ML and MLOps consulting content. | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| ELEKS | Enterprises wanting AI/ML from a long-running CEE firm. | 33+ years of operating history (since 1991) with 1,000+ delivered data-driven projects and Global Outsourcing 100 recognition. | 3.7 | Full comparison |
| Intellias | Automotive, mobility, IoT — deep embedded-systems heritage. | Strong automotive/mobility and IoT sector heritage, giving it differentiated depth in embedded and connected-device ML use cases. | 3.7 | Full comparison |
| Andersen | Enterprises wanting AI consulting within a broad engineering... | 3,600+ in-house experts across 20 office locations, giving it exceptional breadth across programming languages and delivery models. | 3.7 | Full comparison |
| Innowise | Companies wanting a dedicated 300-person AI/data hub. | A specifically named 300+ person Data and AI hub within a much larger 3,500+ engineer group, giving both focus and scale. | 3.7 | Full comparison |
| Accenture | Largest global enterprises, AI transformation plus management consulting. | Everest Group's highest-rated Leader in both Data & Analytics and AI/Generative AI PEAK Matrix Assessments (2024), at unmatched global scale. | 3.7 | Full comparison |
LeewayHertz FAQ
What is LeewayHertz?
LeewayHertz was founded in 2007 by Akash Takyar and Viresh Bhathia and is headquartered in San Francisco, combining strategic AI advisory with engineering delivery and proprietary AI platforms. On September 23, 2024, LeewayHertz was acquired by The Hackett Group, a publicly traded management consulting firm, giving it access to Hackett's enterprise client relationships. Reported employee counts range from roughly 194 to 300, and as with any recently acquired firm, prospective clients should verify current team continuity.
How much does LeewayHertz charge?
LeewayHertz uses project-based, retainer pricing. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. A discovery call is required to get project-specific quotes.
What tech stack does LeewayHertz use?
LeewayHertz works with Python, LangChain, Hugging Face, AWS, Azure OpenAI Service. Primary industries served include FinTech, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail & E-commerce.
Is LeewayHertz right for enterprise?
Enterprises wanting AI consulting, publicly-traded parent (Hackett Group). 200–300 team size. Key consideration: September 2024 acquisition by The Hackett Group is recent enough that integration effects on pricing and delivery team stability are still unfolding.
What are the best LeewayHertz alternatives?
The best alternatives to LeewayHertz depend on your use case. Top options are:
- Neurons Lab: founder-led ai strategy-to-production consultancy with no junior-heavy delivery layer.
- Provectus: ai-first systems integrator built around running production ml/ai infrastructure long-term.
- Tensorway: ai boutique backed by 20+ years of software delivery experience via parent company.
Compare LeewayHertz with other Machine Learning Development companies
LeewayHertz vs Neurons Lab LeewayHertz vs Provectus LeewayHertz vs Tensorway LeewayHertz vs InData Labs LeewayHertz vs DataRoot Labs LeewayHertz vs XenonStack LeewayHertz vs Grid Dynamics LeewayHertz vs MobiDev LeewayHertz vs Addepto LeewayHertz vs Softermii LeewayHertz vs Sigma Software Group LeewayHertz vs Master of Code Global LeewayHertz vs Markovate LeewayHertz vs SoluLab LeewayHertz vs Zfort Group LeewayHertz vs Yalantis LeewayHertz vs Space-O Technologies LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems LeewayHertz vs SoftServe LeewayHertz vs DataArt LeewayHertz vs Cleveroad LeewayHertz vs Existek LeewayHertz vs Konstant Infosolutions LeewayHertz vs Debut Infotech LeewayHertz vs ValueCoders LeewayHertz vs OpenXcell LeewayHertz vs Simform LeewayHertz vs ScienceSoft LeewayHertz vs Belitsoft LeewayHertz vs N-iX LeewayHertz vs ELEKS LeewayHertz vs Intellias LeewayHertz vs Andersen LeewayHertz vs Innowise LeewayHertz vs Accenture