---
id: "entity-salesforce-d11"
type: "entity"
entityType: "organization"
canonicalName: "Salesforce"
aliases: ["\\\"Salesforce", "Inc.\\\""]
source_timestamps: ["¶5", "§ Three types of ecosystem synergies"]
tags: ["acquirer", "crm", "case-study"]
related: ["entity-krux", "framework-three-types-ecosystem-synergies"]
source_url: "https://hbr.org/2026/06/when-evaluating-an-ma-opportunity-consider-the-broader-digital-ecosystem"
source_title: "When Evaluating an M&A Opportunity, Consider the Broader Digital Ecosystem"
sources: ["ecosystem"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-ecosystem"
originDay: 11
articleStem: "hbr-cl-80-ma-digital-ecosystem"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/06/when-evaluating-an-ma-opportunity-consider-the-broader-digital-ecosystem"
sourceTitle: "When Evaluating an M&A Opportunity, Consider the Broader Digital Ecosystem"
---
# Salesforce

**Entity type:** organization · **Canonical name:** Salesforce, Inc.

**Role in source — 'Connecting' synergy exemplar.** Salesforce acquired [[entity-krux]], a data management platform. Post-acquisition, developers who had built integrations for Krux (using audience-behavior data) could **extend those integrations to Salesforce** (tapping into CRM data), creating new cross-connections between previously siloed complementor bases. It is the anchor case for the 'Connecting' branch of the [[framework-three-types-ecosystem-synergies]].

**Enrichment note:** Canonical reference is Salesforce, Inc.; used as the 'connecting' example where acquisition potentially links separate data and CRM ecosystems (authorial interpretation, SMJ-supported).