Sage, a global leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll software for small and mid-sized businesses, has acquired Criterion HCM, a fast-growing provider of human capital management solutions. The acquisition strengthens Sage’s position in the mid-market segment and accelerates its strategy to deliver unified, AI-powered HR systems designed to simplify complexity and drive performance.
“With embedded intelligence and an intuitive experience layer, we can deliver HR and payroll that’s no longer just compliant or automated, but truly trusted and proactive,” said Jonathan Cowan, EVP, Human Capital Management, Platform and Services at Sage. “Criterion fits perfectly into that vision.”
The acquisition brings together Sage’s financial expertise and Criterion’s intelligent HCM capabilities to help mid-sized organizations reduce administrative burdens, enhance compliance, and scale efficiently. Criterion’s unified platform—covering Core HR, Payroll, and Talent Engagement—uses AI to automate routine processes, identify compliance risks, and surface predictive insights throughout the employee lifecycle.
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Already integrated with Sage Intacct and Sage 300 CRE, Criterion’s inclusion into the Sage ecosystem will enable customers to benefit from a cloud-native, end-to-end HR and payroll experience. The combined offering will operate on the Sage Platform, giving businesses a centralized environment for workflows, applications, and data that adapts as they grow domestically and globally.
“Our mission with Criterion has always been to make HR a growth driver, not a blocker,” said Sunil Reddy, CEO of Criterion. “With Sage’s backing, we can now take that vision global, delivering practical, human-first AI that’s purpose-built for the real world of business.”
Co-founder Uma Reddy added, “From the beginning, we built Criterion with a deep focus on people and innovation. This next chapter with Sage gives us the scale and reach to make that vision a reality.”
Founded in 2014, Criterion serves over 80,000 users across more than 10 countries, empowering mid-sized businesses to streamline HR and payroll operations through automation, intelligence, and simplicity.
