Three Integration Patterns
Absorption (migrate acquired tech to buyer's platform): Success rate 40%. Fails when: acquired product is complex, team leaves during migration, timeline is underestimated by 2-3x.
Preservation (keep acquired tech running independently): Success rate 60%. Fails when: tech debt compounds without investment, acquired team feels abandoned, synergy benefits never materialize.
Symbiosis (gradually merge best of both): Success rate 70%. Fails when: no clear technical authority, both teams resist adopting the other's patterns, timeline extends indefinitely.
The #1 predictor of success: retaining 80%+ of the acquired engineering team for at least 18 months.