Category Archives: Mergers & Acquisitions

Energy, Mergers & Acquisitions, News

Octopus Energy agrees purchase of Shell Energy UK and Germany

  • Subject to regulatory approvals, deal expected to complete in the fourth quarter of 2023
  • Move will take Octopus Energy’s retail supply arm to 6.5 million customers
  • Octopus Energy has the highest approval rating of any energy supplier in the UK, according to a recent analysis by Bain & Company

Octopus Energy Group today announces it has signed a deal with Impello Limited (“Shell”), a subsidiary of Shell Petroleum Company Limited, to buy Shell Energy in the UK and Germany, taking on two million new home energy and broadband customers.

This deal grows challenger energy supplier Octopus to nearly 6.5 million household customers in the UK (over 11 million meter points). Its customer base in Germany will grow to almost 300,000.

The move comes after a competitive process run by Shell and includes 1.4 million household energy customers (2.5 million meter points) and 500,000 broadband customers.

Shell Energy Retail customers should sit tight for now – the deal is expected to complete in the fourth quarter of 2023 following regulatory approval, and they will be contacted at that time.

Octopus has a strong track record in large-scale customer migrations through its proprietary tech platform Kraken. The company recently completed the transfer of 1.5 million Bulb customers in just six months – an industry record – all while maintaining its award-winning customer service levels and its Which? Recommended Energy Supplier status for the 6th year running. The company also recently topped Citizens’ Advice’s star ratings.

There will be a smooth transition and no disruption to customer energy supply, all Shell energy and broadband customers will be contacted about the next steps following regulatory approval. Customer credit balances are protected, and will automatically get transferred to their new account with Octopus together with their existing direct debits.

Octopus is headquartered in the UK and operates in 15 countries, with significant businesses in energy retail, generation, technology and electric vehicles. It has received well over $1bn in investment from global giants, including investment funds, pension funds and large energy companies.

 

Greg Jackson, CEO and founder of Octopus Energy Group, comments: “Following a stringent process, we are pleased to be acquiring Shell Energy Retail in the UK and Germany. Octopus has proven that it delivers game-changing service whilst innovating and investing relentlessly towards a cheaper cleaner energy system. Our commitment to customers is paramount and we will do whatever it takes to deliver the Octopus promise when we welcome these new customers too.”

 

As part of the agreement, Shell and Octopus Energy have also signed a memorandum of understanding to explore a potential international partnership. The companies are planning to bring the best possible experience to their EV charging customers, including for Shell Recharge and Octopus Electroverse subscribers. Options will be explored for possible joint promotions, brand activations and other activities across the EV value chain.

 

According to a recent analysis by management consultancy Bain & Company, Octopus Energy has the highest approval rating of any energy company in the UK*. The company also tops TrustPilot ratings for energy suppliers and has won multiple awards – among others, it’s been named among Sunday Times’ ‘Best Places to Work’, Utility Week’s ‘Utility of the Year’ and was recently awarded one of TIME Magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential Companies’.

 

Octopus has put together this information page for Shell customers to find the latest news on their transition, the page will be updated regularly: octopus.energy/shell

 

AI, Finance and Banking, Mergers & Acquisitions, News, Software News

Sidetrade acquires US-based CreditPoint Software to disrupt B2B credit risk market

  • Acquisition catalyzes disruptive real time B2B credit risk management solutions
  • Enhances Sidetrade’s offer with the most advanced solution and responds to booming B2B e-commerce market
  • Sidetrade strengthens position in North America Accretive acquisition

 

Sidetrade (Euronext Growth: ALBFR.PA), the global leader in AI-powered Order-to-Cash solutions, has announced that it has finalized an agreement to acquire the entire business of CreditPoint Software, a leading provider of real time B2B credit risk management solutions.

Two years on from the Amalto takeover, Sidetrade gains a stronger foothold in North America with the acquisition of CreditPoint Software activities.

 

Olivier Novasque, CEO of Sidetrade, said: “By acquiring CreditPoint Software, Sidetrade has undoubtedly enhanced its solution for B2B credit risk management and we are in pole position to take advantage of the boom in B2B e-commerce. After placing artificial intelligence at the core of our Collection, Disputes and CashApps solutions, we are now shaping the future of B2B credit risk management together with CreditPoint Software’s teams as we build on the analysis from our Data Lake of over $4.6 billion worth of B2B transactions. Our technological advantage in AI over our competitors will only continue to assert itself and become even more evident. Working in tandem, the talents and technologies of both groups will enable Sidetrade to cement its global leadership position in Order-to-Cash.”

Introducing CreditPoint Software and its state-of-the-art platform for instant credit risk management

Founded in 2006 in the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, CreditPoint Software is an American software company specializing in comprehensive B2B credit risk management solutions.

Following a decade of substantial R&D investment, CreditPoint Software has developed one of the world-leading cloud-based platforms that leverages real time connection and monitoring for over 20 credit rating agencies worldwide including Dun & BradstreetTM, CreditsafeTM, ExperianTM, EquifaxTM, TransUnionTM as well as S&P and MoodysTM. By standardizing external data from multiple sources within a single repository, CreditPoint Software makes it possible for companies to combine this information with their internal financial and customer data on credit risk exposure. This enables Credit Management teams to automate and streamline decision-making, thanks to the platform’s unlimited configuration options, resulting in the ability to auto decide up to 100% of initial, increase and renewal decisions. The CreditPoint suite of products also includes highly configurable personalized credit application templates.

Supported by customizable business rules and data points, the decision engine within CreditPoint Software secures compliance with internal credit delegations based on delegation of authority. CreditPoint Software also schedules regular reviews of current credit limits for existing clientele, while providing the option for sales teams and organizations to be made aware of credit availability so they may potentially generate additional sales. The end result: selling more to the best customers and pricing risk into the customers that may not be as healthy financially as others.

What’s more, CreditPoint Software’s “Onboarding Credit Application” facilitates the initial process for customers to apply for a credit line, irrespective of whether the B2B purchasing experience is delivered offline or online. In an increasingly digitalized landscape, where digital transformation is key, providing real-time credit approval during the onboarding process of new customers becomes an essential competitive advantage for all businesses.

To date, CreditPoint Software has an active portfolio of around 30 customers in North America and serves multinationals such as Nutrien, BP, Edelman and Caterpillar.

In the fiscal year 2023, CreditPoint Software expects to break even, with revenue topping the $2 million mark.

 

John C. Powers, CEO of CreditPoint Software, commented: “This deal with Sidetrade is a major step forward in our commitment to providing leading-edge solutions for B2B credit risk management. In today’s uncertain economic environment, companies seek efficient solutions that anticipate risks and automate decisions to secure and increase their revenue streams. By leveraging Sidetrade’s Data Lake with its predictive payment intelligence map of 21 million companies worldwide, we will deploy artificial intelligence in all our decisioning to provide companies with the risk management solution of the future. Propelled by Sidetrade’s sales force and implementation resources, we will further expand this new offering throughout the United States and bring it to the European market for the first time.”

 

Contextualizing CreditPoint Software, the solution designed for the B2B e-commerce boom

While McKinsey & Company estimated that the majority of B2B corporations had next to no e-commerce capabilities at the start of the pandemic, the past two years have seen a rapid trend reversal. In its 2021 B2B Pulse Report, the US consulting firm found that 65% of B2B companies across all sectors offer e-commerce capabilities.

A DHL study also reported that by 2025, 80% of all B2B sales interactions between suppliers and professional buyers will take place digitally, representing a giant and unprecedented leap forward. And in its 2022 report, Statista expects total B2B e-commerce purchases to exceed $4.6 trillion in 2025. Clearly, e-commerce is no longer just a trendy new channel for B2B companies to discover, but instead an essential effective and strategic sales tool.

Compared to B2C e-commerce, B2B e-commerce places more importance on credit and payment terms. A series of checks must be performed in real time to validate an order. However, managing such procedures instantly requires a step-by-step process. The latter involves identifying the company, integrating external financial data, decision-making and delegating approval based on the total order amount.

Nevertheless, across the globe, very few companies can implement a solution to overcome the limitations of B2B e-commerce and offer a customer experience to match the B2C shopping experience.

“The boom in e-commerce has revolutionized sales and consumption patterns. In B2B, the growth of e-commerce requires companies to find the right solution for the right emerging expectation. You need to determine an acceptable payment delay to minimize risk and instantly maximize sales.” commented Olivier Novasque, CEO of Sidetrade. “For B2B companies that want to continue leading the way in their sectors, e-commerce is no longer just a nice to have, but an essential requirement. We will support them by utilizing our teams and the technology of CreditPoint Software. No matter the sector, it is a pressing need.”

 

Focusing on the accretive acquisition of CreditPoint Software asset

This acquisition will be made in cash for an estimated €3 million and paid in part on the signing of the agreement with the rest scheduled for end-2023, which is subject to certain customer renewals. The amount includes an earn out based on the sales achieved by Sidetrade for CreditPoint Software’s solution over the next three years.

Sidetrade is financing the transaction through its cash position, which totaled €36 million (€12 million in treasury shares) as of June 30, 2023.

The transaction is part of the Group’s Fusion 100 strategic plan which targets Annual Recurring Revenue (“ARR”) of $100 million by end-2025. Not only is it a catalyst for Sidetrade’s product strategy, but also its target revenue for North America of close to $14 million in 2023 which will bolster the Group’s presence in the United States.

 

About Sidetrade (www.sidetrade.com)

Sidetrade (Euronext Growth: ALBFR.PA) provides a SaaS platform dedicated to securing and accelerating cash flow. Sidetrade’s next-generation AI, nicknamed Aimie, analyzes $4.6 trillion worth of B2B payment transactions daily in the Sidetrade Cloud to predict customer payment behavior and the attrition risk of more than 21 million companies worldwide. Aimie recommends the best cash collection strategies, intelligently automates actions on the Order-to-Cash process, and dematerializes customer transactions to enhance productivity, performance and working capital management.

Sidetrade has a global reach, with 300 talented employees based in Paris, London, Birmingham, Dublin, Houston, and Calgary, serving global businesses in more than 85 countries. Amongst them: Tech Data, KPMG, Nespresso, Hearst, Expedia, Criteo, Manpower, Securitas, Randstad, Engie, Veolia, Inmarsat, and Bidfood.

Sidetrade is a participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business.

For further information, visit us at www.sidetrade.com and follow us on Twitter @Sidetrade.

 

About CreditPoint Software (www.creditpointsoftware.com)

CreditPoint Software was founded in 2006, by a former credit professional, who realized there was a better way to help companies manage their credit and collections processes. From small and medium-sized companies, all the way up to Fortune 50, CreditPoint Software serves a myriad of business types and sizes. With 20+ years of experience, CreditPoint Software works with B2B companies to minimize risk and reduce DSO by streamlining the credit risk management process from decisioning to monitoring and collections.

CreditPoint Software has helped businesses across industries increase workflow efficiency, gain transparency, and ultimately save millions in bad debt reduction and productivity increases

 

Acquisitions & Partnerships, Mergers, Mergers & Acquisitions, News, Tech

WSO2 Expands Global Distribution of API Management Solution Through Partnership with Global IT Solutions Aggregator TD SYNNEX 

The partnership brings joint cloud-based offerings for API management, integration, and customer identity and access management to help more companies innovate faster 

WSO2, the leader in digital transformation technology, announced a new partnership with leading global IT distributor and solutions aggregator TD SYNNEX. This partnership brings WSO2’s industry-leading software for API management, integration, and customer identity and access management (CIAM) to TD SYNNEX’s expansive global IT ecosystem.

In a survey of 500 IT decision-makers, the vast majority agree on three factors that are key to driving better digital experiences, as well as gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage: improved security (90%), cloud adoption (89%), and API integration (82%). Yet too often, getting these technologies to work together seamlessly increases the costs and time needed to bring new digital services and applications to market.

Through their partnership, WSO2 and TD SYNNEX will help mutual customers significantly lower the barriers to delivering new digital services and software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings that create seamless experiences. WSO2 uniquely brings together industry-leading cloud-native technologies for API management, integration and customer identity and access management, including robust business-to-business and business-to-consumer CIAM.

“With today’s economic uncertainty and shrinking budgets, enterprises and SaaS companies are challenged to innovate faster without expanding their development teams. We’re proud to partner with TD SYNNEX to help more customers than ever to address this need and drive accelerated growth through our joint cloud-based solution,” said Moses Mathuram, vice president, of GSI alliances and strategic partnerships at WSO2. “As we continue to strengthen our partner ecosystem, we look forward to expanding the number of companies of all sizes that can take advantage of our industry-leading, open-source solutions for API management, integration and CIAM to speed time to market cost-effectively.”

Benefits of this partnership include:

  • New business offering that enables seamless API management monetisation, with every front- and back-end transaction managed in one place
  • Ease of access to WSO2’s market-leading API management, integration, and customer identity and access management solutions
  • Business value in reducing the cost of development with no need for businesses to build out their own elaborate infrastructure or hire technically diverse teams
  • Greater efficiencies from reducing time-to-market delivery and complexity with service and support

 

“TD SYNNEX is committed to uniting IT solutions that deliver business outcomes today and unlock growth for the future,” said Cheryl Neal, vice president of new vendor acquisition and global solutions at TD SYNNEX.“ With WSO2 added to our vast portfolio of vendor partners, we’re able to enrich the breadth and depth of our offerings so customers can do great things with technology.”

To learn more about WSO2’s partner program, please visit wso2.com/partners/.

 

About WSO2

Founded in 2005, WSO2 enables thousands of enterprises, including hundreds of the world’s largest corporations, top universities, and governments, to drive their digital transformation journeys—executing more than 60 trillion transactions and managing over 1 billion identities annually. Using WSO2 for API management, integration, and customer identity and access management (CIAM), these organisations are harnessing the full power of their APIs to securely deliver their digital services and applications. Our open-source, API-first approach to software that runs on-premises and in the cloud helps developers and architects to be more productive and rapidly compose digital products to meet demand while remaining free from vendor lock-in. WSO2 has over 900 employees worldwide with offices in Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Sri Lanka, the UAE, the UK, and the US. Visit https://wso2.com to learn more.

 

About TD SYNNEX

TD SYNNEX (NYSE: SNX) is a leading global distributor and solutions aggregator for the IT ecosystem. We’re an innovative partner helping more than 150,000 customers in 100+ countries to maximize the value of technology investments, demonstrate business outcomes and unlock growth opportunities. Headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, and Fremont, California, TD SYNNEX’s approximately 23,500 co-workers are dedicated to uniting compelling IT products, services and solutions from 1,500+ best-in-class technology vendors. Our edge-to-cloud portfolio is anchored in some of the highest-growth technology segments including cloud, cybersecurity, big data/analytics, IoT, mobility and everything as a service. TD SYNNEX is committed to serving customers and communities, and we believe we can have a positive impact on our people and our planet, intentionally acting as a respected corporate citizen. We aspire to be a diverse and inclusive employer of choice for talent across the IT ecosystem.

For more information, visit www.TDSYNNEX.com

Employee Benefits, Mergers & Acquisitions, News, Pensions

20-20 Trustees and Punter Southall Governance Services merge

Punter Southall Governance Services (PSGS) and 20-20 Trustees (20-20) have today announced they are merging to form Vidett. With a team of 120 and 475 clients, Vidett is now the UK’s largest professional trustee and pension governance firm by number of clients.

In this true merger of equals, the new business will be jointly led by co-Chief Executives, Naomi L’Estrange (formerly Managing Director of 20-20) and Wayne Phelan (formerly Chief Executive Officer of PSGS). They’ll be supported by a senior leadership team drawn from across the predecessor businesses.

Commenting on the merger, Wayne and Naomi said: “We both independently concluded our businesses were complementary and combining them would add significant impetus to accelerate our growth plans. 20-20 and PSGS had different attributes but similar ambition and cultures, based on collaborative teamwork, sharing knowledge to drive progress for our clients and embracing innovation. As both firms have always been committed to delivering the best client service, this will be a key measure of Vidett’s success in the future.

The opportunity to work together excites us and we both believe this merger will be a significant boost for our teams. They’ll be part of a strong, confident business intent on leading the way in professional trusteeship and pension governance. We hope this will make us the employer of choice in what is a very competitive market.

The way we’ve worked so well together over the past months to create Vidett demonstrates how well aligned our teams are, how strong our vision for the business is and how quickly we can integrate.

Importantly, these are clear messages to both our clients and the professional advisers we work with about the seriousness of our offering and commitment to the market and the cohesion of Vidett.”    

Vidett is a privately owned business, independent from any other provider of services to corporate pension and employee benefit schemes. With an unrivalled knowledge bank to support client needs, Vidett currently looks after over 475 clients with total assets in excess of £142bn and over 2.5 million scheme members.

Digital Transformation, Mergers & Acquisitions, News

OSF Digital Acquires UK-Based Multi-Cloud Consulting Firm Oegen

With its sixth acquisition this year, OSF continues to strengthen its Salesforce multi-cloud expertise and offerings globally

OSF Digital, an award-winning provider of digital transformation services to companies worldwide, announced the acquisition of Oegen Ltd., a UK-based Salesforce consulting firm with strong expertise in Salesforce Experience Cloud as well as Marketing Cloud, Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, and B2B Commerce.

OSF Digital is acquiring Oegen to quickly establish a Salesforce Experience Cloud team in the UK region and expand the multi-cloud center of excellence and delivery team in the UK and EMEA.​ OSF’s global team will grow its Salesforce Experience, Sales, and Service Cloud capabilities and deliver comprehensive digital transformation strategies to clients. The terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

The acquisition of Oegen will further establish OSF Digital as a highly regarded global Salesforce multi-cloud solution provider and consulting partner by boosting its Salesforce Experience Cloud practice in EMEA. As a well-established firm in the EMEA region, Oegen has expertise in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, Service, Sales Cloud, and B2B Commerce with a focus on the financial and business services, education, and non-profit sectors. Oegen’s customers include major UK high street banks as well as global education and charitable foundations. Together, OSF and Oegen will serve a growing EMEA customer base with innovative solutions and excellence.

“This acquisition will help to deepen our customer relationships in EMEA in many verticals,” said Gerard (Gerry) Szatvanyi, CEO of OSF Digital.  “We are serious about further strengthening our Salesforce multi-cloud services globally. Oegen’s agility and commitment to excellence align very well with OSF’s values and mission.”

“We’re pleased to join OSF Digital’s growing team,” said Pete Fells, Managing Director & Founder of Oegen Ltd. “Together with OSF, we’ll continue to deliver comprehensive digital transformation and user experience excellence to a vast customer base in several verticals in the UK and EMEA.”

 

OSF Digital, an award-winning digital transformation company with over 1,000 Salesforce certifications, is committed to driving digital transformation for its customers. The firm’s deep industry expertise enables it to identify clients’ unique requirements and launch innovative solutions to specific markets and industry verticals.

OSF Digital has over 2200 employees and 49 offices worldwide. With over 1,000 global clients, OSF Digital has served several businesses with offices in the U.K. including Burt’s Bees, Gatwick Airport, Marks and Spencer, Schuh Limited, Shop TJC Ltd. The Conair Group (Babyliss and Babyliss PRO UK), and many others.

This year, OSF Digital acquired FitForCommerce, Datarati, netnomics, Kolekto, and Aarin Inc.

To learn more about OSF Digital, visit: osf.digital.

 

About OSF Digital

OSF Digital is a global commerce and digital transformation leader with expertise in connecting technology and strategy to drive business goals. With expert status in B2C and B2B commerce and several Salesforce awards for multi-cloud innovation, OSF Digital seamlessly guides enterprises through their entire digital transformation journey. With customers in various industries around the globe, OSF Digital provides personal attention and the highest level of connection with a local presence throughout North America, Latin America, APAC, and EMEA. For more information about OSF Digital, visit: osf.digital.

 

Mergers & Acquisitions, News

Brady Technologies Announces the Sale of its Commodities Business to STG

  • Brady is divesting its commodities operations to STG
  • The divestment will allow both organisations to accelerate growth and focus on innovation in their respective solutions
  • STG’s carveout of Brady Commodities is a strategic platform acquisition executed via the STG Allegro Fund
  • Brady Technologies will remain under the ownership of Hanover Investors and be focused on its suite of energy trading and risk management software solutions

London, Thursday 21st July – Brady Technologies (‘Brady’), a leading global trading, risk and logistics software provider for the energy sector, announces the sale of its commodities business to STG, a leading Menlo Park, California-based private equity firm focused on the software, data, and analytics sectors.

Brady’s commodity trading and risk management (CTRM) products, including development and delivery functions is now a stand-alone entity within the STG portfolio. The Brady Technologies business is now completely focused on energy trading and credit risk markets. The deal allows both companies to aggressively pursue their respective product innovation plans and growth strategies, particularly driven by the green energy transition and increasing ESG requirements.

The sale of the commodities business to STG marks a significant milestone in the transformation of Brady, as the company accelerates its product innovation and expansion plans in energy markets. In the past year alone, Brady has launched its first SaaS short-term power trading solution (PowerDesk) and made two key acquisitions in the energy trading and risk software space (Igloo Trading Solutions and CRisk).

Going forward, the commodities business including CTRM products, intellectual property, employees, and customers, will be under the management of STG, a leading private equity firm focused on the software, data analytics and software-enabled technology services sectors.

“We have been extremely impressed by the wide-ranging breadth of functionality in Brady’s financial and physical CTRM platforms and their market leading position and their prestigious customer base”, said William Chisholm, Managing Partner of STG. “Brady Commodities is a strategic platform acquisition for us and this platform will serve as a cornerstone investment for our Allegro Fund.” Ishan Manaktala, STG Operating Partner added, “Brady Commodities is seen as a leader within metals for CTRM given its leading functionality, including best-in-class workflow, pricing, and hedging capabilities (among others). We are committed to continuing to deliver a high-quality customer service and will be making significant investments in product innovation and international markets.”

Matthew Peacock, Founder and Chairman of Hanover Investors, said, “This is an important milestone in Brady’s history as we focus on our exciting future in energy, short term power and risk. We continue to strengthen our leadership position in this dynamic sector, supporting operators and traders through macro-economic challenges as well as the transition in green energy and short-term power. Hanover is committed to investing in Brady’s innovation plans and products to provide even more capabilities for its customers.”

After today, the commodities business will be under the stewardship of STG, although Brady will provide support in certain capacities in the short-term to ensure a smooth transition for all stakeholders. Throughout the next stage of value creation, the top priority of both businesses remains continuity for its customers, employees, and partners.

Mergers & Acquisitions, News

Infinigate to acquire the Nuvias Group, creating a pan-European Cyber Security powerhouse to generate an anticipated 1.4 billion Euros by 2023

Woking, UK– 5 July 2022 – Infinigate Group, the pan-European value-added distributor (VAD) of Cyber Security solutions today announced the intended acquisition of Nuvias Group’s Cyber Security and Secure Networking business to create a pan-European Cyber Security powerhouse. The merging of the two highly successful businesses establishes Infinigate’s place as a leading VAD focused on Cyber Security in Europe with an anticipated 1.4 billion Euro in revenue. Subject to regulatory approval, closing is expected in the fourth quarter

This acquisition will create a platform of continued above-market growth in EMEA, bolstering Infinigate’s leadership position in Europe across Cyber Security, Secure Networking and Secure Cloud, serving the SMB to Enterprise and Service Provider market segments. Due to increased relevance, larger geographical footprint, and extended vendor portfolio, Infinigate aims to continue to grow annually by more than 20%.

Founded by Rigby Private Equity in 2015, the Nuvias Group has a strong heritage in VAD, having begun its original trading journey 45 years ago. It specialises in Cyber Security and Intelligent Networking with a range of innovative services and solutions designed to secure customer success and accelerate partner and vendor growth.

Infinigate Group has a track record of consistent year-on-year growth since its foundation in 1996 – something it attributes to its distinct customer-centric approach. The union of the two VADs will combine the best of both worlds.

Klaus Schlichtherle, CEO of Infinigate Group said: “Infinigate will become even more relevant and powerful. We will have a stronger geographical footprint, especially in the core markets in Europe – where we will have a strong position in 18 countries. Our complementary vendor portfolios will create a huge opportunity for growth. And bringing together so many skilled people will enable us to create lots of new development opportunities in a fast-growing company. Infinigate will continue to be an exciting place to be for key value add talent and a place to develop competencies, careers and opportunities.”

Simon England, CEO of the Nuvias Group said: “We are excited about joining forces and combining our assets to take the business and teams into the next phase of growth and expansion. Both companies value their people as their most critical asset, and the key to rewarding customer and vendor experiences in specialist distribution.”

Infinigate Group and Nuvias Group both have leading portfolios in Cyber Security for the SMB sector – which will further accelerate growth. Both companies are VADs with excellent services, offering best-in-class-services (training, pre-sales, support, etc.) for customers and vendors. And having both specialised in Cyber Security, Secure Networking and Secure Cloud for decades, their alliance represents an exceptionally high competence and expertise. Combined, they will gain even better customer access and will be able to further strengthen customer relationships.

“After closing the transaction, we aim to continue to grow the joint enterprise by more than 20% annually, and we will continue to address existing as well as new customers in a coordinated fashion. Nuvias and Infinigate have very similar strategies moving forward and will constantly stay focused on this,” explained Schlichtherle.

The acquisition will significantly upgrade the presence of Infinigate Group in UK, France, Benelux and Nordics territory, as well as covering Southern Europe and entering the market in Eastern Europe. Infinigate’s strong base in Germany and Nuvias’ in the UK is an example of the complementary portfolios. And additionally, Nuvias Group brings its enterprise customer segment.

Infinigate Group will serve its extended base of vendors with upgraded relevance, best-in-class execution and an enhanced digital platform for further innovation and growth and improve its performance.

The Unified Communications business of Nuvias Group (Nuvias UC) is not part of the transaction and will be a separate entity under the continued ownership of Rigby Group. Rigby Private Equity will be a shareholder in the Infinigate Group.

Mergers & Acquisitions, News

Blancco acquires WipeDrive

Move extends Blancco’s reach in US among private and public sector organisations

AUSTIN and LONDON – June 8, 2022—Blancco Technology Group (LON: BLTG), the industry standard in data erasure and mobile lifecycle solutions, has announced that it has acquired WipeDrive, formerly known as White Canyon Software Inc, a US-based provider of data erasure software solutions. The transaction will enable Blancco to enhance its reach, specifically in the US region, and strengthen its competitive position. Under the terms of the deal, WipeDrive’s employees will join the Blancco team. The new group of talent spans research and development, sales, support, IT, finance, HR and marketing.

Headquartered in Utah and founded in 1998, WipeDrive provides data diagnostic, wiping, transfer and verification software tools. WipeDrive’s expansive customer base spans the private and public sector markets – and includes Fortune 500 companies and large US government bodies. WipeDrive also has various proprietary technologies that Blancco plans to leverage.

“We’re thrilled to announce this acquisition of WipeDrive, a business which is highly complementary with Blancco’s offering to the market – but will only serve to strengthen it”, said Matt Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Blancco. “Blancco has built a strong reputation as a global leader in the data erasure space, and this deal is set to further enhance our position. I’m also delighted to be welcoming the new team to Blancco and wish them all the best for a bright future with us.”

“Everyone at WipeDrive is extremely excited to be joining Blancco”, said Bill Glynn, Chief Executive Officer, WipeDrive. “Blancco is an acknowledged leader in data erasure and is the ideal company to take our business to the next level. The teams are incredibly complementary and are set to collaborate on what I am sure will be a very successful future together.’’

Mergers & Acquisitions, News

Avolve Software to merge with DigEplan, Creating Market Leader in Electronic Plan Review Software

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, March 28, 2022 – Leading electronic plan review companies Avolve Software and DigEplan will merge, the companies announced Monday. The combined entity, operating under the Avolve Software brand, will draw upon extensive experience and an expanded product suite to become the global leader in electronic plan review. As part of the transaction, a strategic investment was provided by Polaris Growth Fund.

Avolve and DigEplan provide cities, counties, and other municipalities innovative software to manage their plan review processes as part of their permitting procedures. Each company offers a unique solution for digital, end-to-end plan review management, dramatically improving efficiency and creating a vastly better applicant experience compared to paper and legacy software.

Since its founding in 2008, Avolve has delivered industry-leading software with its ProjectDox platform, which automates the manual, paper-intensive, and frequently inefficient building plan review process. Together, Avolve and DigEplan will offer solutions for every city, county, and state, from small towns to large metropolitan areas, across a global market.

“The merger of Avolve and DigEplan, backed by Polaris’ resources and expertise, creates a superior market position for Avolve Software. Avolve and DigEplan have distinct and complementary strengths that will enable us to serve this entire market. Together, we will dramatically increase our reach and the value we deliver to our customers and business partners,” said Gary Heath, CEO of Avolve Software, who will assume the role of CEO at the combined company.

“This is not only an exciting time for Avolve and DigEplan’s customers, employees, and partners, but also for the plan review market as a whole. This merger reflects strong category growth and the need for solutions to modernize processes that are critical for community economic development. The combination of these two brands will enable us to deliver an unmatched product offering to address those needs,” added Gary.

Founded in 2011, DigEplan was created to address the limitations of paper-based reviews and the lack of integrated digital solutions to efficiently view, review, and approve permitting plans and documents.

“In joining forces with Avolve, we will continue to provide innovative solutions to help cities, counties, and municipalities to deliver efficient electronic plan review,” said Jason Matthews, CEO of DigEplan. “Our talented team remains focused on building integrated partnerships with permitting platforms. Outstanding customer service and category-leading electronic plan review solutions have always been at the heart of DigEplan, which is mirrored by the Avolve team, creating a company with strong, unrivaled expertise to enable customers to modernize and streamline permitting services.” Matthews will assume an executive role at Avolve Software, overseeing its international business.

Serving more than 250 jurisdictions in five countries, Avolve will continue to support and invest in the existing software platforms offered by the merged companies. Additionally, this transaction will unlock significant resources and efficiencies to strengthen the company’s ability to serve current customers, accelerate its reach to new customers, and expand the depth and breadth of its relationships with permitting software vendors and professional services providers.

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GS Verde Group expand Bristol presence at Generator Building

Building upon the recent expansion of their Cardiff headquarters, dealmaking business GS Verde Group has increased capacity in Bristol city centre by more than double, signing a significant lease at the Generator Building, accommodating over 30 staff with capacity to expand further as the business continues to enjoy rapid growth across its multiple disciplines.

 

The new offices, situated in the contemporary and centrally located Generator Building at Finzels Reach, will support the increased staff count across the businesses’ multiple disciplines. The business has made several appointments already in 2022 with more vacancies available following a year of significant growth, as demand for the M&A and business sale specialists’ multidisciplinary approach has soared.

 

Having only recently doubled their Welsh office space, the new Bristol premises underpin the Group’s growing presence across England, Wales and Ireland furthering the team’s reach.

 

This substantial expansion also follows recent success for GS Verde in the Experian Market IQ reports on deal-making in 2021, achieving a unique feat by being the only firm to rank in both the corporate financial and legal rankings in Wales, in first and second place respectively.

 

GS Verde advised on over 100 deals across the UK and Ireland last year, in the business’ best year of trading to date, and expects to see their activity increase even further through 2022.

 

With GS Verde’s complete advisory team across corporate law, finance, tax and communications, these new offices are more than double the Group’s previous space in Bristol, a significant increase that accommodates the fast growth of the business.

 

Speaking of their expansion, GS Verde Group CEO, Nigel Greenaway said: “We are thrilled to be expanding our Bristol office and operations across the South West, augmenting the scope of our offering of unique M&A advisory services throughout the UK and beyond.

 

“Just a few months into 2022, GS Verde has already seen rapid growth in multiple locations, reflecting the value of our multidiscipline approach, and the appetite for corporate transactions.”

 

As GS Verde also progresses plans to expand their EU location in Dublin and expects to continue to acquire as part of its own buy and build strategy, there are still more exciting developments to come this year.