Qlik gets leaner, meaner, cloudier after acquisition by Thoma Bravo

Being private can be a welcome respite from the harsh scrutiny of Wall Street - something Qlik rival Tableau Software has been subjected to in recent quarters. On the other hand, the standard Constellation Research advice to technology buyers is to beware of private equity firms that seek to wring too much "value" out of an acquired company. Optimizing profitability is one thing, but will they invest too little in the product, innovation, customer service and the future of the company? Against this backdrop, job number one for Qlik at its October 17-19 Qlik UnSummit in Miami Beach, Fla., was to reassure the more than 20 analysts and customers attending that Thoma Bravo is interested in growing Qlik and bringing it to the next level, not wringing it dry. Qlik also used the event to update influencers on its strategy and its progress toward cloud. That move is ushering in changes in architecture, partner strategy and more.