ServiceNow Takes 5% Stake in BusinessNext, Extending Enterprise Software's Minority-Investment Playbook for Vertical AI

ServiceNow Ventures invested $40 million in Indian banking software firm BusinessNext, securing roughly 5% at a $700 million valuation. The Series C deal gives BusinessNext access to ServiceNow's global sales channel while ServiceNow gains a foothold in banking workflow automation. Large platform vendors increasingly favor minority stakes over acquisitions to secure vertical AI capabilities without integration burden or regulatory scrutiny.