PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2, 2025 • 12 MIN READ

Lighthouse AI vs Accenture AI Consulting: Which is Right for Your Business?

You know your business needs AI. You've seen competitors moving fast, read about the productivity gains, and felt the pressure to transform. But when you start looking for help, you face a confusing landscape of options. This guide breaks down the real differences—not just the marketing fluff—so you can make an informed decision about which approach fits your business.

Introduction

On one end, there's Accenture—the 77,000-person AI consulting behemoth working with Fortune 500 companies on multi-million dollar transformations.

On the other end, there are DIY tools and offshore developers who'll build whatever you tell them to (but won't tell you what to build).

Somewhere in the middle, there's us.

This isn't a hit piece on Accenture. They're exceptional at what they do—transforming massive enterprises with complex, global AI initiatives. We've studied their methodology, learned from their frameworks, and respect their expertise.

But here's the thing: If you're a growth-stage B2B tech company with $1M-$50M in revenue, Accenture isn't built for you. And you shouldn't have to choose between enterprise consulting you can't afford and DIY approaches that waste months of your time.

This guide breaks down the real differences—not just the marketing fluff—so you can make an informed decision about which approach fits your business.

Table of Contents

  1. The Tale of Two Companies
  2. Service Offerings Comparison
  3. Pricing & Investment Models
  4. Process & Timeline
  5. Team Structure & Who Does the Work
  6. Technology & Platforms
  7. When Accenture Makes Sense
  8. When Lighthouse Makes Sense
  9. Side-by-Side Comparison
  10. Real Talk: What Clients Actually Say
  11. Making Your Decision

The Tale of Two Companies

💡 Get AI insights in your inbox

Join 500+ founders • Weekly tips • No spam

Accenture AI Consulting

Scale: 77,000 AI professionals globally
Market Position: 7% market share in AI consulting (largest)
Typical Client: Fortune 500 enterprises, multi-billion dollar corporations
Average Project Size: $1M - $50M+
Typical Timeline: 9-18 months for full transformation
Approach: Platform-first, industrialized AI at enterprise scale

What They're Known For:

What They're Criticized For:

Lighthouse AI

Scale: Boutique firm, one client per month
Market Position: Specialized in B2B tech companies ($1M-$50M revenue)
Typical Client: Series A-C startups, growth-stage SaaS/fintech/martech
Average Project Size: Under $50K
Typical Timeline: 30 days for transformation
Approach: Education-first, build with you not for you

What We're Known For:

What We're Not:

Service Offerings Comparison

Accenture's Service Portfolio

1. AI Strategy & Advisory

Timeline: 2-6 weeks for assessment, 2-4 weeks for strategy
Cost: $100K-$750K
Deliverable: 50-100 page strategy document

2. AI Implementation Services

Timeline: 3-6 months for development, 4-8 weeks for deployment
Cost: $1M-$10M+
Team Size: 15-30 people

3. Industry-Specific Solutions

Timeline: Varies by industry and solution
Cost: Typically $2M-$20M for enterprise implementations

4. AI Managed Services

Timeline: Ongoing monthly engagement
Cost: $50K-$500K/month depending on scope

5. Training & Change Management

Timeline: 6-12 months for enterprise rollout
Cost: Included in larger engagements or $500K-$2M standalone

Lighthouse's Service Portfolio

1. AI Readiness Assessment (Weeks 1-2)

Timeline: 1-2 weeks
Cost: Included in 30-day transformation
Deliverable: AI Opportunity Map with prioritized use cases

2. Strategic AI Education (Weeks 2-3)

Timeline: 1 week
Cost: Included in 30-day transformation
Deliverable: Strategic AI Roadmap + educated team

3. Hands-On Implementation (Weeks 4-10)

Timeline: 6 weeks
Cost: Included in 30-day transformation
Deliverable: 5-8 working AI solutions in production

4. Future-Proofing (Weeks 11-12)

Timeline: 2 weeks
Cost: Included in 30-day transformation
Deliverable: AI-enabled team that can evolve independently

5. Ongoing Support Options (Optional)

Timeline: Month-to-month, no long-term commitment
Cost: $0-$15K/month based on your needs

Pricing & Investment Models

Accenture Pricing Structure

Hourly Rates (Blended):

Blended Team Rate: $250-$400/hour average

Typical Project Costs:

Engagement Type Duration Team Size Cost Range
Assessment Only 2-6 weeks 4-8 people $100K-$500K
Strategy Development 6-12 weeks 5-10 people $150K-$750K
Pilot Program 6-12 weeks 8-15 people $300K-$1.5M
Full Implementation 6-12 months 15-30 people $1M-$10M
Enterprise Transformation 12-24 months 30-50+ people $10M-$50M+
Managed Services Ongoing 5-10 people $50K-$500K/month

Hidden Costs to Consider:

Payment Terms:

Lighthouse Pricing Structure

Fixed Investment: Under $50,000 total

What's Included:

No Hidden Costs:

Optional Ongoing Support:

Support Tier Cost/Month What's Included Best For
Self-Sufficient $0 You own everything, 30-day email support Teams ready to own AI independently
Office Hours $2,500 4 hrs/month guidance, Slack access, questions/troubleshooting Teams wanting occasional expert guidance
Ongoing Partnership $5K-$15K Continued implementation, 2-4 new use cases/quarter, priority support Fast-growing teams scaling AI continuously

Payment Terms:

ROI Guarantee:
We project ROI before starting. If the solutions we build don't deliver the projected time savings or revenue impact within 6 months, we'll work additional hours at no charge until they do.

Process & Timeline

Accenture's 6-Phase Methodology

Phase 1: Discovery & Assessment (2-6 weeks)

Team: 4-8 people (Partner, Manager, Senior Consultants, Analysts)

Activities:

Deliverables:

Cost: $100K-$500K

Phase 2: Strategy Development (2-4 weeks)

Team: 5-10 people (Senior Partner, Managers, Architects, Strategy Consultants)

Activities:

Deliverables:

Cost: $150K-$750K

Phase 3: Pilot Development (6-12 weeks)

Team: 8-15 people (Data Scientists, ML Engineers, Business Analysts, UX Designers)

Activities:

Deliverables:

Cost: $300K-$1.5M

Phase 4: Solution Development (3-6 months)

Team: 15-30 people (ML Engineers, Cloud Architects, DevOps, Integration Specialists)

Activities:

Deliverables:

Cost: $1M-$10M+

Phase 5: Deployment & Change Management (4-8 weeks)

Team: 10-20 people (Change Management, Training, DevOps, Support)

Activities:

Deliverables:

Cost: $500K-$2M

Phase 6: Operations & Continuous Improvement (Ongoing)

Team: 5-10 people (Managed Services team)

Activities:

Deliverables:

Cost: $50K-$500K/month

Total Accenture Timeline: 9-18 months typical
Total Accenture Investment: $1.5M-$15M+ typical

Lighthouse's 4-Phase Methodology (30 Days)

Phase 1: Deep Discovery (Weeks 1-2)

Activities:

Deliverables:

Who Does the Work: 1-2 Lighthouse principals (you get senior people, not analysts)

Phase 2: Strategic Education (Weeks 2-3)

Activities:

Deliverables:

Who Does the Work: Lighthouse principals teaching your team directly

Phase 3: Hands-On Implementation (Weeks 4-10)

We build solutions with your team, not for your team. You learn as we build.

Week 4-5: Quick Wins (2-3 solutions)

Week 6-8: Strategic Solutions (2-3 solutions)

Week 9-10: Advanced Implementation (1-2 solutions)

How We Build:

Deliverables:

Who Does the Work: Lighthouse principals building alongside your team

Phase 4: Future-Proofing (Weeks 11-12)

Activities:

Deliverables:

Who Does the Work: Lighthouse principals preparing your team for independence

Total Lighthouse Timeline: 30 days (12 weeks)
Total Lighthouse Investment: Under $50K

Team Structure & Who Does the Work

Accenture Team Composition

Typical Mid-Size Project Team (18-31 people):

Leadership Layer (2-3 people):

Strategy & Advisory (3-5 people):

Technical Delivery (8-15 people):

Specialized Roles (3-5 people):

Support (2-3 people):

Reality Check from Employee Reviews:

"You're paying for the Partner but you'll mostly work with Analysts and Consultants who are 1-2 years out of college. The senior people sell the project, then rotate to the next sale." - Former Accenture Senior Manager (Glassdoor)

"Typical project has 60% junior staff, 30% mid-level, 10% senior. That's how they make margin." - Accenture Manager (Blind)

"Partners are on 5-8 projects at once. You get maybe 2-4 hours per week of their time if you're lucky." - Client Review (G2)

Lighthouse Team Composition

Your Dedicated Team (1-2 people, 100% focused):

Principal Consultant(s):

That's it. No bait and switch.

When you work with Lighthouse:

For specialized needs, we bring in:

Reality Check:

"I was skeptical about working with a small firm after considering Accenture. But the difference is night and day - the Lighthouse principal was in our Slack every day, building alongside us. With Accenture, we would have had weekly PowerPoints from an Engagement Manager." - SaaS VP of Operations

"The Accenture team had 12 people on our project. We actually only knew 3 of them. With Lighthouse, it was just two principals who became part of our team." - Fintech CTO

Technology & Platforms

Accenture's Technology Stack

Proprietary Platforms

AI Refinery:

GenWizard:

myWizard:

LearnVantage:

SynOps:

Strategic Partnerships

Microsoft:

AWS:

Google Cloud:

NVIDIA:

Pros of Accenture's Platform Approach:

Cons of Accenture's Platform Approach:

Lighthouse's Technology Stack

Philosophy: Best-of-Breed, No Lock-In

We don't have proprietary platforms. We use proven, accessible tools that:

AI Models & Platforms

OpenAI (GPT-4, GPT-4 Turbo):

Anthropic (Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Opus):

Model Selection Criteria:

Automation & Integration

Zapier (5,000+ integrations):

Make.com:

n8n (open-source):

Development Stack

Backend:

Frontend:

Infrastructure:

You own the code. Forever.

Monitoring & Analytics

Custom Dashboards:

Open-Source Tools:

Pros of Lighthouse's Approach:

Cons of Lighthouse's Approach:

When Accenture Makes Sense

You Should Consider Accenture If:

1. You're a Large Enterprise ($1B+ Revenue)

Accenture is built for scale. If you have:

Example: Fortune 500 bank implementing AI across 50,000 employees in 40 countries

2. You Need Industry-Specific Compliance

If you operate in highly regulated industries:

Accenture has deep regulatory expertise and pre-built compliance frameworks.

Example: Hospital system implementing AI diagnostics with strict HIPAA requirements

3. You're Implementing Their Proprietary Platforms

If you've already decided to use:

Then Accenture is the natural implementation partner.

Example: Enterprise committed to AI Refinery as standard platform

4. You Have a Multi-Million Dollar Budget

If you have:

Example: Retail chain with $10M budget for AI-powered supply chain transformation

5. You Need Global Delivery Capability

If your implementation requires:

Example: Global manufacturer implementing AI in factories across 15 countries

6. You Want "Nobody Gets Fired for Hiring Accenture"

Sometimes, the brand name matters:

This is real, and sometimes valid.

7. You're Building a Novel AI Platform

If you're creating:

Example: Tech company building AI-powered product from scratch

Accenture's Sweet Spot

Perfect Client Profile:

When Lighthouse Makes Sense

You Should Consider Lighthouse If:

1. You're a Growth-Stage B2B Tech Company

Lighthouse is built for companies like:

Example: Series B SaaS company with 50 employees wanting to automate support and sales ops

2. You Need Results Fast

If you have:

Lighthouse delivers working solutions in 30 days, not 18 months.

Example: Startup needing AI capabilities before Series B fundraise in Q1

3. Your Budget is $50K or Less

If you have:

Example: Early-stage company with $40K allocated for AI initiatives

4. You Want to Build Internal Capability

If your goal is:

Lighthouse's education-first approach builds your team's skills.

Example: Company wanting team to handle 80% of AI initiatives independently after 6 months

5. You Value Direct Access to Principals

If you want:

With Lighthouse, the person you meet does the work.

Example: CTO who wants to pair-program with AI experts, not review Gantt charts

6. You're Solving Operational Problems, Not Building Platforms

If you need:

Not:

Example: SaaS company wanting to automate 15-20 repetitive workflows

7. You Want No Vendor Lock-In

If you require:

Lighthouse builds with open-source and standard tools you own.

Example: Company burned by previous proprietary platform wanting full ownership

8. You're Willing to Be Hands-On

If your team:

This is collaborative transformation, not "do it for us."

Example: Operations team wanting to learn AI while solving real problems

Lighthouse's Sweet Spot

Perfect Client Profile:

Side-by-Side Comparison

Factor Accenture Lighthouse
Company Size Focus Enterprise ($1B+ revenue) Growth-stage ($1M-$50M revenue)
Team Size Focus 1,000+ employees 10-500 employees
Minimum Investment $1M-$5M typical Under $50K
Engagement Timeline 9-18 months typical 30 days (12 weeks)
Team Size 18-50+ people 1-2 principals
Who Does Work 60% junior, 30% mid, 10% senior 100% senior principals
Pricing Model Hourly rates, variable scope Fixed price, clear scope
Blended Hourly Rate $250-$400/hour N/A (fixed price)
Discovery Phase 2-6 weeks, $100K-500K 1-2 weeks, included
Strategy Phase 2-4 weeks, $150K-750K 1 week, included
Pilot Phase 6-12 weeks, $300K-1.5M 2-4 weeks, included
Implementation 3-6 months, $1M-10M 6 weeks, included
Solutions Delivered 2-3 pilots → 3-5 full solutions 5-8 solutions in production
Technology Approach Proprietary platforms (AI Refinery, GenWizard) Open-source, standard tools
Vendor Lock-In High (proprietary platforms) None (you own everything)
Training Included Yes (LearnVantage platform) Yes (hands-on during build)
Ongoing Support $50K-500K/month $0-15K/month (optional)
Access to Team Weekly meetings, monthly executive reviews Daily collaboration
Decision Speed Weeks (many layers) Hours (direct to principals)
Industry Specialization Deep vertical expertise (10+ industries) B2B tech focus
Global Delivery Yes (77,000 people, 50+ countries) No (focused, not global)
Compliance Expertise Deep (healthcare, finance, gov) Standard (GDPR, SOC 2)
Change Management Enterprise-grade, 1000+ users Practical, 10-100 users
ROI Timeline 12-24 months 3-6 months
Best For Enterprise transformation Operational AI implementation
Your Ownership Limited (platform-dependent) Complete (code, systems, knowledge)
Can Maintain Without Them Difficult (proprietary tools) Yes (standard tools, trained team)
Exclusivity You're one of thousands You're one of 12 clients/year

Real Talk: What Clients Actually Say

Accenture Client Feedback

Positive Reviews:

"The scale and expertise were impressive. They mobilized a 25-person team in 3 weeks and brought deep knowledge of our industry. You're definitely paying for experience."
— CIO, Healthcare Enterprise (G2 Review)

"Their AI Refinery platform accelerated our development significantly. We got to production 4 months faster than if we'd built everything custom."
— VP of Technology, Financial Services (Case Study)

"The change management program was world-class. They trained 800 employees across 15 locations and managed adoption metrics closely."
— Chief Digital Officer, Retail Chain (Clutch Review)

Critical Reviews:

"We spent $3.2M over 14 months. The strategy documents were beautiful but the implementation team was 70% junior consultants who seemed to be learning AI on our project."
— VP of Operations, Manufacturing (G2 Review)

"Partners sold us the project, then we barely saw them again. The day-to-day team was smart but inexperienced. Felt like we were paying BMW prices for Toyota delivery."
— CTO, SaaS Company (Clutch Review)

"Everything required 'change requests' that added cost and time. What was scoped as $1.5M ended up being $2.8M. The governance process meant decisions took weeks."
— Director of Innovation, Insurance (Reddit r/consulting)

"We're now locked into their AI Refinery platform. Migrating off would essentially mean rebuilding everything. Wish we'd known this upfront."
— Engineering Manager, Tech Company (Blind)

"The project ran 6 months over schedule. Every delay had a reason, but it felt like they weren't as accountable as we were since they were billing hourly."
— COO, Fintech (G2 Review)

From Accenture Employees (Glassdoor/Blind):

"You sell with Partners and MDs, then deliver with Analysts who graduated 18 months ago. That's the business model. Utilization pressure means we're always selling more than we can deliver with senior people."
— Former Senior Manager, 6 years at Accenture

"80-hour weeks during busy season are normal. The AI practice is growing so fast that we're constantly understaffed. Quality suffers but clients pay for the brand."
— Consultant, 2 years at Accenture

"We have great frameworks and tools, but there's so much internal bureaucracy. Getting approval for a design decision that should take an hour takes a week because of all the layers."
— Manager, 4 years at Accenture

Lighthouse Client Feedback

Positive Reviews:

"We went from zero AI to 8 working solutions in 30 days. The ROI was immediate - we're saving 47 hours per month on support alone. And our team actually understands how it all works."
— VP of Customer Success, SaaS Startup

"The difference between Lighthouse and the big firms we talked to was night and day. No junior consultants, no PowerPoint theater. Just two experienced people building alongside our team every day."
— CTO, Fintech

"We spent $45K with Lighthouse vs the $1.2M quote from Accenture for similar scope. Sure, Accenture would have been more polished, but we got 80% of the value at 4% of the cost in 1/6th the time."
— COO, Martech Company

"They taught us to fish instead of just giving us fish. Six months later, our team has implemented 6 additional AI workflows using what we learned. That's the real ROI."
— Head of Operations, B2B SaaS

"The education component was game-changing. Our executives went from 'AI is scary' to 'here's our AI roadmap for the next year' in two weeks."
— VP of Product, Series B Startup

Critical Feedback:

"The 30-day timeline is aggressive. Our team had to be really engaged and available, which was hard during a busy quarter. Not a criticism, just be ready to prioritize it."
— Director of Engineering, SaaS

"If you're looking for a someone to just 'handle it' while you focus on other things, this isn't it. It's collaborative, which is great, but requires your involvement."
— VP of Sales, Early-stage Startup

"They're not going to build you a proprietary AI platform or do R&D on novel algorithms. This is practical AI for operational problems. Know what you're getting."
— CTO, AI-focused Product Company

"The team is small (which is also a strength), so if you need 24/7 support or massive scale, you'll outgrow them quickly. Great for getting started, less so for enterprise-wide initiatives."
— IT Director, 300-person Company

Making Your Decision

Decision Framework

Use this framework to determine which option fits your situation:

Choose Accenture if you answer YES to 3+ of these:

If you scored 7+, Accenture is likely a good fit despite the cost.

Choose Lighthouse if you answer YES to 3+ of these:

If you scored 7+, Lighthouse is likely the better fit for your stage and needs.

If you scored 5-7 on both:

You're in the middle. Consider:

Split Approach:

  1. Start with Lighthouse for rapid implementation and learning ($50K, 30 days)
  2. If successful, scale with Accenture for enterprise-wide rollout ($2M+, 12 months)

This gives you:

Example: SaaS company used Lighthouse to implement AI in customer support (30 days, $48K, 3 use cases). Proved ROI, then hired Accenture to roll out company-wide AI strategy (18 months, $4.2M, 20+ use cases).

Ready to explore AI consulting for your startup?

Lighthouse AI helps B2B tech companies implement AI in 30 days through education, strategy, and hands-on implementation. One client per month. Under $50K. No vendor lock-in.

Get Your Free Assessment

Conclusion: There's No Wrong Choice (If You Choose Honestly)

Here's the truth: Both Accenture and Lighthouse are good at what they do—for the right clients.

Accenture is exceptional at enterprise-scale AI transformation. If you're a $10B company implementing AI across 50,000 employees in 30 countries, they're probably your best bet. The cost and timeline are appropriate for that scale.

Lighthouse is exceptional at rapid, practical AI implementation for growth-stage B2B tech companies. If you're a $10M SaaS company with 50 employees needing to automate support and sales operations, we're built for you.

The mistake isn't choosing one over the other. The mistake is choosing the wrong one for your situation.

Three Final Thoughts:

1. Don't Buy More Than You Need

If you're a 40-person startup, you don't need a $5M enterprise transformation. That's like buying an 18-wheeler to move apartments. It works, but it's massive overkill.

Conversely, if you're a 40,000-person enterprise, a boutique firm can't handle your scale. That's like using a pickup truck to move a warehouse.

Match the solution to the problem.

2. Speed Has Value

Time to value matters. If you can get 80% of the result in 5% of the time at 10% of the cost, that's often the right business decision.

Perfect can be the enemy of good. Sometimes "working AI solutions in 30 days" beats "comprehensive enterprise platform in 18 months" because:

3. Build Capability, Don't Just Buy Solutions

Whether you choose Accenture or Lighthouse (or someone else), prioritize building internal capability over just getting deliverables.

The best engagement is one where:

Don't just rent AI expertise. Invest in building your own.

The AI transformation of your startup starts with a single conversation. The time to have that conversation is now.

📬 Want More AI Insights?

Join 500+ tech founders getting weekly AI implementation strategies, case studies, and tools delivered to their inbox.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We respect your privacy.