LeewayHertz vs Markovate: full comparison for 2026
Last updated: July 2026
Quick verdict
LeewayHertz (4.2/5) edges ahead of Markovate (4.1/5) overall. LeewayHertz is the better choice for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group).. Markovate is the stronger option for companies wanting AI agent or chatbot development led by an executive with enterprise AI leadership background (AT&T, IBM).. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
LeewayHertz vs Markovate: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | LeewayHertz | Markovate |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 2015 |
| HQ | San Francisco, California, United States | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Team size | 200–300 | 50–100 |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best for | Enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group). | Companies wanting AI agent or chatbot development led by an executive with enterprise AI leadership background (AT&T, IBM). |
| Pricing model | Project-based, retainer | Project-based, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Python, LangChain, Hugging Face | LangChain, OpenAI API, Python |
| Industries served | FinTech, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail & E-commerce | Healthcare, Retail & E-commerce, FinTech, Travel & Hospitality |
LeewayHertz vs Markovate: overview
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.
Markovate
Markovate was founded in 2015 and is led by CEO Rajeev Sharma, an AI veteran with 18+ years of experience who previously led AI initiatives at AT&T and IBM. Headquartered with a San Francisco address (some sources cite Toronto as an operating base), the company has grown to roughly 51 employees, including 50+ engineers described as 'certified AI engineers' (per company website), delivering custom AI agents, chatbot development, and cloud services for healthcare, retail, fintech, SaaS, and travel clients. Its small team size makes it a boutique play best suited to scoped generative AI or agent projects rather than large-scale programs.
Services and capabilities: LeewayHertz vs Markovate
| Capability | LeewayHertz | Markovate |
|---|---|---|
| Custom ML Models | ✓ | ✓ |
| Computer Vision | ✗ | ✗ |
| NLP | ✗ | ✗ |
| MLOps | ✗ | ✗ |
| Generative AI | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI Consulting | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: LeewayHertz vs Markovate
| Framework / platform | LeewayHertz | Markovate |
|---|---|---|
| TensorFlow | N/A | N/A |
| PyTorch | N/A | N/A |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | N/A |
| Google Cloud | N/A | ✓ |
| LangChain | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hugging Face | ✓ | N/A |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: LeewayHertz vs Markovate
| Criterion | LeewayHertz | Markovate |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Project-based, Retainer, Dedicated team | Project-based, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: LeewayHertz vs Markovate
| Dimension | LeewayHertz | Markovate |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | FinTech, Healthcare, Manufacturing | Healthcare, Retail & E-commerce, FinTech |
| Best use cases | 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. | Company wants an AI agent or chatbot built by a team led by a former enterprise AI executive., Healthcare or fintech startup needs a scoped generative AI project from a small, focused vendor. |
| Typical project type | Project-based | Project-based |
LeewayHertz vs Markovate: pros and cons
| LeewayHertz | |
|---|---|
| + | 17 years of AI/software delivery history since 2007, well-established before its 2024 acquisition. |
| + | Now backed by The Hackett Group, a publicly traded management consulting firm, adding financial stability and enterprise client access. |
| + | Proprietary AI platform assets built pre-acquisition can shorten delivery timelines for common use cases. |
| - | September 2024 acquisition by The Hackett Group is recent enough that integration effects on pricing and delivery team stability are still unfolding. |
| - | Employee-count sources disagree meaningfully (194 vs. 300), so confirm current AI-delivery headcount directly. |
| Markovate | |
|---|---|
| + | CEO's 18+ years leading AI initiatives at AT&T and IBM brings genuine enterprise AI leadership experience to client engagements. |
| + | Focused service scope (AI agents, chatbots, generative AI) rather than a broad, diluted general-consulting offering. |
| + | Serves a wide industry spread (healthcare to travel) despite small team size, suggesting adaptable delivery patterns. |
| - | At roughly 51 employees, capacity for multiple concurrent large engagements is limited. |
| - | HQ location is inconsistently reported (San Francisco vs. Toronto across sources) — confirm the contracting entity directly. |
| - | "50+ certified AI engineers" claim on a 51-person total headcount is a company claim worth verifying during vendor due diligence. |
Who should choose LeewayHertz?
LeewayHertz is the right choice for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group)..
AI consultancy now operating as a Hackett Group company, combining startup-era agility with public-company backing.. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in FinTech, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail & E-commerce.
Who should choose Markovate?
Markovate is the right choice for companies wanting AI agent or chatbot development led by an executive with enterprise AI leadership background (AT&T, IBM)..
CEO brings direct enterprise AI leadership experience (AT&T, IBM) rather than a purely technical or agency background.. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Healthcare, Retail & E-commerce, FinTech, Travel & Hospitality.
Decision matrix: LeewayHertz vs Markovate
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Both offer fixed-price models |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | LeewayHertz |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: LeewayHertz (Not published) vs Markovate (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | LeewayHertz |
| You need production MLOps support after model launch | Both offer MLOps support |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | LeewayHertz |
Use case fit: LeewayHertz vs Markovate
| Use case | LeewayHertz fit | Markovate fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise wants AI consulting from a firm now backed by a publicly traded management consultancy. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Company needs generative AI or AI agent development with proprietary platform accelerators. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Company wants an AI agent or chatbot built by a team led by a former enterprise AI executive. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Healthcare or fintech startup needs a scoped generative AI project from a small, focused vendor. | Limited | Strong | Markovate |
| Fixed-scope ML build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Ongoing model retraining | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: LeewayHertz vs Markovate
LeewayHertz (4.2/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Machine Learning Development projects. AI consultancy now operating as a Hackett Group company, combining startup-era agility with public-company backing.. It is best for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group)..
Markovate (4.1/5) is the better choice when companies wanting AI agent or chatbot development led by an executive with enterprise AI leadership background (AT&T, IBM).. If your situation matches those criteria, Markovate is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
LeewayHertz vs Markovate FAQ
Is LeewayHertz better than Markovate?
LeewayHertz (4.2/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. LeewayHertz is better for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group).. Markovate is better for companies wanting AI agent or chatbot development led by an executive with enterprise AI leadership background (AT&T, IBM)..
How do LeewayHertz and Markovate differ in pricing?
LeewayHertz uses project-based, retainer pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Markovate uses project-based, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: LeewayHertz or Markovate?
LeewayHertz is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between LeewayHertz and Markovate?
LeewayHertz's primary differentiator is: ai consultancy now operating as a hackett group company, combining startup-era agility with public-company backing.. Markovate's primary differentiator is: ceo brings direct enterprise ai leadership experience (at&t, ibm) rather than a purely technical or agency background.. They also differ in team size (200–300 vs 50–100), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (FinTech, Healthcare vs Healthcare, Retail & E-commerce).
Last reviewed: July 2026. Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.