Insight Partners Launches Forward Deployed Practice with Industry-First Advisory Council

Insight Partners has introduced its Forward Deployed Practice, a specialized advisory program designed to assist portfolio companies in assessing and implementing Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) strategies. The initiative is supported by the industry's first FDE Advisory Council, which includes senior leaders from prominent companies like Databricks, ServiceNow, Microsoft, SAP, and Salesforce.

The Forward Deployed Practice is part of Insight Onsite, a team of over 100 operational experts. It aims to help companies transition from delivering software to delivering outcomes by developing the necessary talent, operating models, and foundational capabilities. The practice is led by Santosh Iyer and Samma Hafeez, drawing on insights from 18 months of research across 200+ companies.

Jeff Horing, Insight's Co-Founder and Managing Director, highlighted the shift driven by AI, noting that Forward Deployed teams are crucial in closing gaps that create larger markets for companies. The practice addresses a significant challenge in the enterprise sector, where 88 percent of AI proofs of concept fail to reach widespread deployment, according to IDC.

The FDE Advisory Council, the first of its kind, brings together practitioners, academics, and investors to share insights and validate strategies. Founding members include leaders from Postman, Wonderful, Berkeley, Fin, Microsoft, Harvey, Salesforce, Cresta, Databricks, ServiceNow, Alteryx, and SAP. The council will meet quarterly over the next year, with its first gathering held on September 9.