\usepackage{setspace}
\usepackage{etoolbox}

\setbeamertemplate{background}{
  \begin{tikzpicture}
    \useasboundingbox (0,0) rectangle(\the\paperwidth,\the\paperheight);
    \fill[color=ibmblue50] (0,0) rectangle (\the\paperwidth,\the\paperheight);
    \ifnum\thepage>1\relax%
      \fill[white,opacity=1] (0,0) rectangle(\the\paperwidth,\the\paperheight);
    \fi
  \end{tikzpicture}
}

\defbeamertemplate*{title page}{customized}[1][]{%
  \usebeamercolor[fg]{titlepage}

  \ifdef{\topspace}{\topspace}{\vspace{3ex}}

  \begin{minipage}[t]{0.59\textwidth}
    \usebeamerfont{date}\insertdate
  \end{minipage}
  \begin{minipage}[c]{0.40\textwidth}
    \raggedleft
    \inserttitlegraphic{}
  \end{minipage}

  \ifdef{\titlespace}{\titlespace}{\vspace{5ex}}

  \begin{minipage}[t]{\ifdef{\titlewidth}{\titlewidth}{0.70}\linewidth}
    \raggedright

    {
    \usebeamerfont{title}
    \begin{spacing}{1.1}
      \inserttitle
    \end{spacing}
    }

    \ifdef{\printtitletag}{%
      \ifdef{\titletagspace}{\titletagspace}{\vspace{2ex}}

      % Must use spacing environment because there is a font size change
      \usebeamerfont{titletag}
      \begin{spacing}{1.1}
        \printtitletag
      \end{spacing}
    }{}

    \ifdef{\subtitlespace}{\subtitlespace}{\vspace{2ex}}

    % Must use spacing environment because there is a font size change
    \usebeamerfont{subtitle}
    \begin{spacing}{1.1}
      \insertsubtitle
    \end{spacing}
  \end{minipage}

  \ifdef{\printurl}{%
    \ifdef{\urlspace}{\urlspace}{\vspace{1ex}}

    \usebeamerfont{titleurl}{\printurl}
  }{}

  \ifdef{\authorspace}{\authorspace}{\vspace{2ex}} \vfill

  \usebeamerfont{author}\insertauthor

  \usebeamerfont{institute}\insertinstitute

  \ifdef{\bottomspace}{\bottomspace}{\vspace{2ex}}
}
