DataStreams, an intelligent data platform company led by CEO Lee Young-sang, and IT consulting firm Next I&I, led by CEO Ryu Jae-woong, are moving to jointly target the AI and data governance market in the financial and public sectors.
The two companies held a kickoff meeting for the joint business initiative at DataStreams’ headquarters on May 21, where they discussed ways to build an AI-Ready Data-based cooperation model by combining consulting capabilities with platform technology.
As the adoption of generative AI accelerates, companies are facing growing challenges in building data management and delivery systems that can ensure the accuracy and reliability of AI services. In particular, many organizations are encountering limits in real-world implementation due to insufficient metadata standards, weak data quality controls, fragmented data connectivity, and difficulties in maintaining data freshness and accessibility.
To address these market changes, the two companies plan to pursue a joint business model that combines consulting expertise with data platform capabilities. DataStreams will provide its AI-Ready Data and data fabric platform capabilities, while Next I&I will contribute data strategy and consulting expertise tailored to the business environments of clients in the public and financial sectors. Together, they aim to build a practical foundation for clients to implement AI initiatives more effectively.
The partnership is designed to go beyond joint sales activities. The two companies plan to develop it into a business model that helps financial and public-sector clients design their AI transformation process from the ground up. By first diagnosing each client’s business structure and data environment through consulting, they intend to establish a joint response system for large-scale public and financial projects.
Through this approach, the companies aim to secure an early position in the AI-Ready Data Governance market and build a sustainable business structure centered on diagnosis, implementation and operation, rather than one-off system deployment.
The kickoff meeting was attended by the CEOs and senior executives of both companies. DataStreams presented its AI-Ready Data strategy and major implementation cases, while Next I&I introduced its consulting methodology for the financial and public sectors. The meeting also included working-level discussions on joint cooperation models, future target customers, initial proof-of-concept projects, joint seminars and commercialization plans.
DataStreams said demand for AI data governance and data catalog implementation has been rising rapidly, particularly in the financial and public sectors. The company emphasized that, with the spread of generative AI and agentic AI, building an AI-Ready Data framework that enables AI systems to use trusted data has become a critical task.
“In the AI era, simply adopting AI models is not enough,” said Lee Young-sang, CEO of DataStreams. “The key factors that determine AI accuracy and business outcomes are data quality and governance systems. Through our cooperation with Next I&I, we will strengthen our differentiated competitiveness in the financial and public markets based on AI-Ready Data.”
Ryu Jae-woong, CEO of Next I&I, said, “By combining our consulting capabilities with DataStreams’ platform technology, we plan to present customized AI and data innovation models for clients. Based on the synergy between the two companies, we will continue to expand the market and identify new business opportunities.”
DataStreams has been expanding its AI data framework projects in the financial and public sectors based on its capabilities in data governance, metadata management, data quality management, data cataloging and data fabric-based platforms. More recently, the company has also been advancing projects aimed at enhancing data utilization frameworks based on generative AI and agentic AI.
