Tag Archives: Information technology

TA Associates to Invest in Compusoft

TA associates

BOSTON & SARPSBORG, Norway – TA Associates, a leading global growth private equity firm, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to invest in Compusoft, a leading provider of computer-aided design (“CAD”) software to the kitchen and bathroom retail industries.

The investment is expected to close in the third quarter of 2018. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Compusoft’s main products, Winner Design and Innoplus, provide design and sales support to kitchen and bathroom retailers, respectively. The user-friendly CAD systems include proprietary databases of graphic elements, pricing information and language translations from more than 2,800 digital manufacturer catalogues. They also feature fully-integrated graphics displayed in real‐time 3D. Additional Compusoft products allow individuals to easily design and view kitchens or bathrooms in 3D on a smartphone or tablet. The company also offers back-office customer relationship management (CRM) and process management software systems for small and large businesses. Founded in 1989 in Sarpsborg, Norway, Compusoft operates in 14 countries across Europe, as well as South Africa and Australia, and serves approximately 12,00o customers, including leading global manufacturers and retailers.

“Compusoft is among the industry leaders in Europe, with a high quality business model and an impressive history of sustained growth,” said Naveen Wadhera, a Managing Director at TA Associates who will join the Compusoft Board of Directors. “We look forward to partnering with Compusoft, which fits squarely within our focus on profitable businesses with strong management teams and proprietary products and services, to help the company capitalize on its strategy and accelerate growth.”

“Given our mission to create measurable added value for our customers, we believe TA Associates, with their well-earned reputation for helping businesses reach their full potential, is an ideal partner for Compusoft,” said David Tombre, Chief Executive Officer, Compusoft. “We have enjoyed notable organic and acquisitive growth over the course of our nearly 30-year history and are confident that TA can help us build on that success. We welcome the opportunity to work with TA as we explore opportunities for continued expansion.”

“As the demand for kitchen and bathroom modeling services continues to rise, we expect interest in Compusoft’s unique offerings and capabilities to expand further across Europe and other regions,” said J. Morgan Seigler, a Managing Director at TA Associates who will also join the Compusoft Board of Directors. “Importantly, Compusoft’s innovative technology provides customers with a user-friendly experience to develop fully-customized spaces to meet their individual needs and desires. With the company’s leading market position, we anticipate continued meaningful growth for Compusoft.”

Goodwin is providing legal counsel, while Alvarez & Marsal and KPMG are providing consulting services to TA Associates. Kvale is providing legal counsel and ABG Sundal Collier is serving as financial advisor to Compusoft.

About Compusoft
Founded in 1989 in Sarpsborg, Norway, Compusoft provides sales, management, communication, web and business solutions for the kitchen and bath industry. The company’s advanced CAD software solutions offer dynamic sales tools for retailers, helping them lead customers through the entire planning process, from sketch to fully installed kitchen or bath. With a focus on creating added value for its customers, Compusoft combines the development of high-quality software with a dedication to customer service. Compusoft operates in 14 countries across Europe, as well as South Africa and Australia. For more information, please visit www.compusoftgroup.com.

About TA Associates
Now in its 50th year, TA Associates is one of the largest and most experienced global growth private equity firms. Focused on five target industries – technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer and business services – TA invests in profitable, growing companies with opportunities for sustained growth, and has invested in nearly 500 companies around the world. Investing as either a majority or minority investor, TA employs a long-term approach, utilizing its strategic resources to help management teams build lasting value in growth companies. TA has raised $24 billion in capital since its founding in 1968 and is committing to new investments at the pace of $1.5 to $2 billion per year. The firm’s more than 80 investment professionals are based in Boston, Menlo Park, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong. More information about TA Associates can be found at www.ta.com.

Categories: News

Tags:

Bomgar Acquiring Avecto to Create Leading Privileged Access Management Solution

Franciso Partners

  • Avecto adds market-leading endpoint privilege management to Bomgar’s Privileged Identity and Access solutions, resulting in a best-in-class Privileged Access Management (PAM) portfolio.
  • Combined solution will enable companies to defend against privileged access threats, and improve compliance, productivity, and performance.

Atlanta, GA – Bomgar, a leader in identity and access management solutions for privileged users, today announced it will acquire Avecto, a global leader in endpoint privilege management. Avecto’s Defendpoint technology combines privilege management and application control, making it easy to protect thousands of endpoints by making admin rights removal simple and scalable. Pairing Avecto with Bomgar’s privileged account and session management technology will enable businesses to fully implement the principle of least privilege and defend themselves against today’s most prevalent threats.

Forrester estimates that 80% of security breaches involve privileged credentials. Privileged accounts are coveted targets for attackers and must be protected from both internal and external threats. Bomgar’s solutions protect privileged accounts, passwords, and credentials, while securing the remote access pathways commonly exploited in these attacks. Avecto’s technology adds another layer of defense at the endpoint by allowing organizations to remove excess admin rights, only elevating privileges for approved applications and actions.

The addition of Avecto will also help the thousands of IT admins and support professionals using Bomgar’s Remote Support solutions to securely manage privileged access to desktops and workstations with minimal user interruption.

“With the addition of Avecto, Bomgar now offers one of the most comprehensive PAM platforms for managing and protecting privileged access,” said Matt Dircks, CEO of Bomgar. “Our companies share a passion for developing security solutions that users love because they’re quick to deploy, intuitive, and don’t impede productivity. We’re excited to combine forces with Avecto’s team, customers, and partners to develop new, innovative ways to mitigate the risks of privileged threats.”

According to Gartner, “The privileged access threat landscape is growing with a higher risk of enabling cyberattacks and severe consequences.” Gartner recommends that, “in order to deliver effective privileged IAM capabilities technical professionals should… acquire and deploy commercial PAM solutions to automate foundational capabilities such as privilege credential discovery, protection, session monitoring, privilege elevation and delegation, and audit controls.”

The acquisition will result in an integrated PAM offering with market-leading capabilities for:

• Privileged Account Auto-Discovery: Reliably discover and secure the widest range of privileged accounts across enterprises.

• Credential Management & Rotation: Change thousands of privileged passwords across an enterprise in minutes.

• Privileged Session Management: Securely manage, monitor, and control privileged access sessions.

• Privileged Elevation and Delegation: Making the removal of admin privileges and whitelisting of trusted applications achievable across all endpoints.

• Audit and Compliance: Record and track all privilege access across your environment.

“The combination of Avecto’s and Bomgar’s technology will enable companies to quickly and easily automate critical PAM capabilities while also improving end-users’ ability to do their jobs and support the business,” said Mark Austin, co-founder and co-CEO of Avecto. “We’re thrilled to join the Bomgar family and jointly lead the market in developing solutions that address today’s most pervasive and dangerous challenges.”

“It’s exciting to be joining a company that genuinely cares as much as Avecto does about its employees, customers, and partners,” said Paul Kenyon, co-founder and co-CEO of Avecto. “The combination of our teams will not only ensure Avecto’s customers and partners continue to receive the stellar service and support that is a hallmark of our business, but also benefit from the additional solutions and capabilities that Bomgar brings to the table.”

Terms of the transaction, which is expected to close July 31, 2018, will not be disclosed. For more information, please visit www.bomgar.com. Results International acted as exclusive financial adviser to Avecto.

About Bomgar

Bomgar’s secure access solutions enable customers to easily support people, access and protect endpoints, and defend privileged credentials to fight cyber threats and speed business performance. More than 15,000 organizations around the globe use Bomgar to deliver superior support services and reduce threats to valuable data and systems. Bomgar clients include some of the world’s leading IT outsourcers, systems integrators, software vendors, healthcare organizations, government agencies, universities, financial institutions, and retailers. Bomgar is privately held with offices in Atlanta, Jackson, Washington D.C., Frankfurt, London, Paris, and Singapore. Connect with Bomgar at www.bomgar.com, the Bomgar Blog, or on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Avecto

For organizations seeking to prevent breaches without hindering productivity, Avecto Defendpoint combines best-in-class privilege management and application control software, making admin rights removal simple and scalable across desktops and servers to ensure compliance, security, and efficiency.

Since 2008, the company has enabled over 8 million users across the world’s biggest brands and most highly-regulated industries to successfully work from the safety of standard user accounts while enjoying the flexibility of admin accounts.

Categories: News

Tags:

EQT acquires Saxo Payments Banking Circle

eqt

  • EQT VIII and EQT Ventures, in partnership with Saxo Payments Banking Circle’s founders and other co-investors, to acquire Saxo Payments Banking Circle
  • Saxo Payments Banking Circle’s unique banking platform enables cross-border payments with reduced complexity, time and cost
  • EQT to support Saxo Payments Banking Circle’s continued growth by leveraging the entire EQT platform, including around 25 years of experience in future-proofing companies as well as accelerating hyper-growth businesses, deep TMT expertise, and a global industrial network

The EQT VIII fund (“EQT VIII”) and EQT Ventures fund (“EQT Ventures”) (jointly “EQT”) have together with company founders and other co-investors entered into an agreement to acquire Saxo Payments Banking Circle (“Banking Circle” or “the company”) from Saxo Bank A/S and other minority owners. EQT VIII will have the majority ownership.

Founded in 2013, Banking Circle is a next-generation provider of mission-critical infrastructure for online cross-border payments. Today, Banking Circle is processing around EUR 60 billion run-rate annual payment volumes for several high-profile customers using direct clearing access through partnerships with blue-chip partner banks. The global cross-border payments market is driven by an increasing need for faster and less costly payments, compliance, and transparency, resulting in one of the fastest growing segments within the payments ecosystem.

EQT will support the continued acceleration of Banking Circle’s growth strategy, in current and new geographies, as well as the expansion of the product portfolio. Through EQT, Banking Circle will get access to both operational and financial resources to drive innovation and investments in technology development and talent acquisition. The company will also be able to leverage the entire EQT platform, including deep TMT sector expertise, local presence and EQT’s global network of Industrial Advisors. Banking Circle’s current management team, including founders and co-CEOs Anders la Cour and Laust Bertelsen, will continue to lead the organization, building on a strong track record of growth.

“We are proud of Saxo Payments Banking Circle’s development and growth. As investor and incubator, we have supported the company with our core competencies in foreign exchange as well as developing and managing global fintech solutions. It is not an easy task to build fintech solutions that create value and are long-term sustainable, but the company has done what few succeed in. We see EQT as the ideal partner for the next part of the journey and we are confident that Saxo Payments Banking Circle will thrive and continue its impressive growth trajectory. We look forward to continuing a close collaboration with the company and EQT, leveraging our technology and market access”, says Kim Fournais, founder and CEO of Saxo Bank.

Anders la Cour and Laust Bertelsen, co-CEOs at Banking Circle comment: “We would like to thank Saxo Bank for a great partnership and look forward to a close collaboration in the years to come. We are excited to partner with EQT. With their support, we will be ideally positioned to continue innovating to serve our customers even better and continue our rapid growth.”

“We have followed Banking Circle for several years and are impressed by the company’s management team and unique innovation capabilities. Saxo Bank and Banking Circle’s management team have built an innovative, secure, and highly automated platform to make competitive, faster, and more transparent payments across borders. EQT is looking forward to supporting Banking Circle and the management team on their continued growth journey and in building a leading global payments infrastructure player. The cooperation between EQT VIII and EQT Ventures enables Banking Circle to benefit from the full EQT platform”, says Mads Ditlevsen, Responsible Deal Partner and Partner at EQT Partners, Investment Advisor to the majority owner EQT VIII.

“We’re excited to partner with the entrepreneurs behind Banking Circle and support them in building the next generation infrastructure for cross-border payments,” says Hjalmar Winbladh, Partner at EQT Partners and Investment Advisor to EQT Ventures. “Cross-border payments is a large and rapidly growing market dominated by traditional players. Banking Circle has built a disruptive solution with a strong value proposition. The customer feedback is excellent and the company’s traction is evident looking at the triple digit growth of the business.”

The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2018, subject to approval from financial regulators.

Contacts
Mads Ditlevsen, Partner at EQT Partners, Investment Advisor to EQT VIII +45 2325 0158
Hjalmar Winbladh, Partner at EQT Partners, Investment Advisor to EQT Ventures +46 708 323286
EQT Press office +46 8 506 55 334
Banking Circle Press office (Harrison Sadler) +44 208 977 9132 bankingcircle@harrisonsadler.com

About Banking Circle
Banking Circle is a rapidly growing payments infrastructure platform that enables faster, competitive and more transparent payments clearing, reducing complexity relative to the traditional correspondent banking network. Today, Banking Circle has around 85 employees and is headquartered in Denmark, with offices in Denmark, Luxembourg and the UK. The company is processing around EUR 60 billion run-rate annual payment volumes for several high-profile customers using direct clearing access and partnerships with blue-chip partner banks.

More info: www.bankingcircle.com

About EQT
EQT is a leading investment firm with approximately EUR 50 billion in raised capital across 27 funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 19 billion and approximately 110,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtpartners.com

About Saxo Bank
Saxo Bank Group (Saxo) is a leading Fintech specialist focused on multi-asset trading and investment and delivering ‘Banking-as-a-Service’ to wholesale clients. For 25 years, Saxo’s mission has been to democratize investment and trading, enabling clients by facilitating their seamless access to global capital markets through technology and expertise.

As a fully licensed and regulated bank, Saxo enables its direct clients to trade multiple asset classes across global financial markets from one single margin account and across multiple devices. Additionally, Saxo provides wholesale institutional clients such as banks and brokers with multi-asset execution, prime brokerage services and trading technology, supporting the full value chain delivering Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS).

Saxo’s award winning trading platforms are available in more than 20 languages and form the technology backbone of more than 100 financial institutions worldwide. Founded in 1992 and launching its first online trading platform in 1998, Saxo Bank was a Fintech even before the term was created. Headquartered in Copenhagen Saxo Bank today employs more than 1500 people in financial centers around the world including London, Paris, Zurich, Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

More info: www.home.saxo

Categories: News

Tags:

HQ Equita acquires r2p and Open Access to build a leading player in the fast-growing market for intelligent digital public transport solutions

HQ Capital

Bad Homburg, 9 July 2018. HQ Equita Beteiligungen V GmbH & Co. KG, advised by HQ Equita GmbH (“HQ Equita”), has signed an agreement with the Swedish investor Alder Fund I AB (“Alder”) to acquire a majority stake in r2p GmbH (“r2p”), based in Flensburg. Simultaneously, HQ Equita will acquire Open Access Pty Ltd (“Open Access”) based in Sydney, to become a subsidiary of r2p, thereby extending the group’s global reach to Australia, Southeast Asia, and North America.

Founded in 2009 with headquarters in Flensburg, r2p is a rapidly growing technology group in the intelligent transport market, which develops both proprietary hard- and software, offering products and components for use in moving vehicles, stations and control centres. Alder, a Sweden-based growth investor, which focuses on majority investments in the sustainable technology sector, acquired r2p in 2012. Since then, r2p has made several add-on acquisitions in Denmark and the UK and has founded subsidiaries in Brazil and Switzerland, resulting in a competitive international presence. The current setup is enhanced by a close co-operation with Open Access, an Australian provider of technology and solutions for integrated passenger information and audio communication systems, active throughout Australia, Southeast Asia and through partners in North America. Upon closing of the transaction, HQ Equita will combine and integrate r2p and Open Access into one group to realise the untapped cross-selling potential arising from the two companies’ complementary product portfolios, applications and geographies. The combined group also seeks to become an active industry consolidator – aiming to acquire complementary technology and product solutions and to further increase its global delivery and service capabilities.

The management teams of both r2p and Open Access remain significant shareholders and are committed to growing the company further through active management and development of the group.

Henrik Flygar, Partner at Alder, says: “We have worked closely with r2p to build a strong international platform. With HQ Equita we have found a new owner for r2p, who has the necessary financial resources and network to continue to drive the group’s organic and inorganic growth. r2p will certainly benefit from HQ Equita’s sector expertise.”

Ulrik Rasmussen, CEO of r2p, adds: “With HQ Equita as our new owner, we will be able to consolidate the existing group, and build the required structures to accommodate further growth. The entire r2p management team is highly committed to further developing the group into a leading provider of intelligent transport solutions.”

Brendan Dooley, CEO of Open Access explains: “Open Access and r2p align well with respect to geographical coverage, technology and management experience. The merged group is well positioned to deliver compelling integrated solutions to the market. We look forward to working closely with HQ Equita.”

Hans J. Moock, Managing Director of HQ Equita, emphasizes: “The underlying intelligent transport market is expected to continue to grow at attractive double-digit rates in the next years. With the acquisition of r2p and Open Access, we seize the opportunity to participate in this promising growth case close to and overlapping with a product market we know well from our previous investment in MEN Mikro Elektronik. r2p’s integrated solutions portfolio and its cutting-edge technology combined with an extraordinary management team makes this acquisition an ideal platform for future inorganic growth.”

The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price and other details of the contractual agreement. The closing of the transaction is expected for mid-July.

HQ Equita was supported in the transaction by the following advisors: DC Advisory (M&A, Debt Advisory), Gleiss Lutz (Law, Sales Contract, Taxes), civity Management Consultants (CDD), Rödl & Partner (FDD), Aon (Insurance, W&I), ERM (Environment, ESG).

Alder was supported in the transaction by the following advisors: Lincoln International (M&A), Deloitte (Finance, Taxes), White & Case (Law, Purchase Agreement).

About r2p

Headquartered in Flensburg, Germany, r2p is a globally active provider of IP-based system solutions for public transport covering communication, security and monitoring applications. The fully integrated portfolio of hard- and software products for passenger and fleet flow management r2p offers include CCTV, Passenger Information Systems (PIS), Passenger Announcement (PA), passenger counting, infotainment and fleet management with real-time data transfer and analysis for rail and road vehicles. The group has a network of subsidiaries in Denmark, the UK, Switzerland and Brazil. r2p currently employs around 117 people.  For further information, please refer to www.r2p.com

About Open Access

Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, Open Access primarily provides solutions for integrated passenger information and audio communication systems in the public transportation space. The group has a subsidiary in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and employs c. 53 people. It is primarily active in Australia, Southeast Asia and through partners in North America. For further information, please refer to www.oa.com.au

About Alder

Alder is a Swedish growth investor within the sustainable industry sectors focused on investments in proven and established companies with strong growth potential. Alder currently manages investment funds with committed capital of approximately EUR 200 million. For further information, please refer to www.alder.se

Categories: News

Tags:

CapMan Buyout to sell InfoCare Group to Katalysator

Funds managed by CapMan Buyout have agreed to sell their holdings in InfoCare Group to the Norwegian private equity investment company Katalysator.

CapMan Buyout funds’ exit from portfolio company InfoCare Group (“InfoCare”) is already the sixth transaction within the last eight months.

InfoCare is one of the leading IT services companies in the Nordic countries. InfoCare’s services comprise field service, staffing services and spare parts logistics within the IT sector. In 2017 the net sales of InfoCare was approximately MEUR 90 and it employed a total of 870 persons.

“InfoCare is an undisputed market leader for more than 30 years in the Nordics and over the last years, the company has undergone a significant reorganization in terms of divestment of non-core business, new management, initiating cost efficiency programs and a new strategy for growth. InfoCare has a lot of potential to create stronger growth in existing and new business areas with the help of highly professional employees and satisfied top tier customers,” says Hanna Ideström, Investment Director at CapMan Buyout and responsible for the investment in InfoCare.

“We are very satisfied to have Katalysator as the new majority owner of InfoCare. Katalysator’s active and long-term investment perspective is important for us to realize our new strategy Skylift. With main focus on Customer Orientation, Operational Excellence and Growth we are going to lift InfoCare to new heights. Together with Katalysator and our fantastic employees, that is our most important asset, will we make this happen. I would like to thank CapMan for the continuous support during CapMan’s ownership,” says Kjell Magne Leirgulen, CEO of InfoCare.

“InfoCare has established a unique position in the Nordic market within IT services and we are very impressed by the management team. Katalysator will through active ownership support the management team and the development of the business, with strong customer focus, best practice operations and new growth initiatives. We see a significant potential for continued growth in the Nordics and look forward to work together with InfoCare’s employees in the coming years,” says Jon Håkon Pran, CEO of Katalysator.

Katalysator is a family owned investment company focusing on investments in medium-sized companies in Scandinavia. Katalysator currently has a portfolio of 6 companies and the team comprises 5 investment professionals.

The completion of the transaction is pending certain conditions including approval from competition authorities. Bridgehead acted as an advisor for CapMan Buyout in the transaction.

The CapMan Buyout team comprises 12 investment professionals working in Helsinki and Stockholm. The funds managed by CapMan Buyout invest in medium-sized, unlisted companies in the Nordic countries.

For more information, please contact:
Hanna Ideström, Investment Director, CapMan Buyout, tel. +46 705 861 348
Kjell Magne Leirgulen, CEO, InfoCare Group, tel. +47 97 72 31 21
Jon Håkon Pran, CEO, Katalysator, tel. +47 91 33 93 42


CapMan
www.capman.com
@CapManPE

CapMan is a leading Nordic private asset expert with an active approach to value-creation in its target companies and assets. We offer a wide selection of investment products and services. As one of the Nordic private equity pioneers we have developed hundreds of companies and real estate and created substantial value in these businesses and assets over the last 28 years. CapMan has today approximately 120 private equity professionals and manages approximately €2.8 billion in assets under management. We mainly manage the assets of our customers, the investors, but also make investments from our own balance sheet. Our objective is to provide attractive returns and innovative solutions to investors. Our current investment strategies cover Real Estate, Buyout, Russia, Credit, Growth Equity and Infrastructure. We also have a growing service business that currently includes procurement services (CaPS), fundraising advisory (Scala Fund Advisory), and fund management services.

 

Categories: News

Tags:

Arlington Capital Partners has sold Zemax, global leader in optical and illumination design software, to EQT

eqt

EQT to support the continued growth of Zemax by leveraging EQT’s global network, experience in scaling businesses and history of developing enterprise software leaders

Arlington Capital Partners (“Arlington Capital”) and EQT Mid Market US GP B.V. (“EQT”) today announced that EQT has acquired Zemax Software Holdings, LLC. (“Zemax” or the “Company”), a leading global provider of optical and illumination design software, from Arlington Capital. The Company will continue to be led by current CEO Mark Nicholson.

Founded in 1990, Zemax enables its customers to more efficiently and accurately design optical components through its physics-based optimization and design software. Zemax helps companies achieve a qualified design more efficiently by streamlining the workflow and communication between optical and mechanical engineers. Zemax Virtual Prototyping tools include OpticStudio®, the industry-leading optical design software, and LensMechanix®, a unique application that allows mechanical engineers to package optical systems in CAD software. Zemax allows its customers to improve optical performance, get to market faster and reduce both production and development costs. Zemax’s software is used to develop a range of products including space telescopes, augmented reality glasses, LIDAR in autonomous vehicles, smartphone cameras and biomedical imaging devices. Zemax is headquartered in Kirkland, Washington with over 80 employees and operations in the US, Europe and Asia.

Michael Lustbader, a Managing Partner at Arlington Capital, said “We have been thrilled to partner with the Zemax management team over the last four years. The Company has done a tremendous job capitalizing on its market leadership with OpticStudio® to drive rapid organic growth across both new and existing geographies. During our ownership, Zemax has also developed and introduced complementary products such as LensMechanix® that further expand the user base and provide innovative solutions that better serve its customers. We are excited to watch Zemax’s continued success under EQT’s tenure.”

Brendan Scollans, Partner at EQT Partners and Investment Advisor to EQT, commented, “Zemax aligns perfectly with EQT’s focus of investing in market leaders in attractive and growing niche markets globally. EQT’s software expertise and international presence will help Zemax further expand its product offering, both organically and through acquisitions, to best serve its global customer base. We are excited to partner with the talented Zemax management team to support the next phase of growth.”

“Our partnership with Arlington has been a tremendous success. During their ownership, Zemax made substantial investments and demonstrated consistent strong organic growth,” said Mark Nicholson, CEO of Zemax. “As we enter our next stage of growth, we are pleased to partner with EQT as we continue to expand our product offerings and deepen our customer focus. EQT’s relationships, global presence and investment philosophy position Zemax to enter into a new phase of investment and growth that stays true to our vision to offer software based on a strong physics architecture, uphold a culture of excellence and innovation and drive customer success.”

Spurrier Capital Partners served as financial advisor to Zemax. Sheppard Mullin served as legal advisor to Zemax. Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisor to EQT. Shea & Company served as financial advisor to EQT. Ares Capital Corporation and Carlyle Global Credit provided debt financing in support of the transaction.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Contacts
Michael Lustbader, Managing Partner at Arlington Capital Partners, +1 202 337 7500
Bilal Noor, Vice President at Arlington Capital Partners, +1 202 337 7500
Brendan Scollans, Partner at EQT Partners, Investment Advisor to EQT, +1 917 281 0850
EQT Press Office: US +1 646 687 6810 and Europe +46 8 506 55 334
Julie Burke, Principal at GA Creative for Zemax, +1 425 454 0101 x127

About Arlington Capital Partners
Arlington Capital Partners is a Washington, D.C.-area private equity firm that has managed $2.2 billion of committed capital via four investment funds. Arlington focuses on middle market investment opportunities in growth industries, including: government services and technology, aerospace/defense, healthcare, and business services and software. The firm’s professionals and network have a unique combination of operating and private equity experience that enable Arlington to be a value-added investor. Arlington invests in companies in partnership with high quality management teams that are motivated to establish and/or advance their company’s position as leading competitors in their field.

For more information: www.arlingtoncap.com

About EQT
EQT is a leading investment firm with approximately EUR 50 billion in raised capital across 27 funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 19 billion and approximately 110,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

For more information www.eqtpartners.com

About Zemax
Zemax’s industry-leading optical product design software, OpticStudio and LensMechanix, helps optical and mechanical engineering teams turn their ideas into reality through Zemax Virtual Prototyping, which reduces design iterations and repeated prototypes, speeding time to market and reducing development costs. Zemax is headquartered in the Seattle, Washington area and has offices in the UK, Japan, Taiwan, and China.

For more information: www.zemax.com

Categories: News

Tags:

FSN CAPITAL V forms new challenger in Nordic IT Services

Fsn Capital

FSN Capital V (“FSN Capital”) has agreed with the owners of Office-IT Partner (“OITP”), Zetup and Dicom to form a new challenger within the Swedish IT services market. FSN Capital V will become a majority owner of the new group, which aims to become a Nordic market leader within IT infrastructure, cloud services and process digitalization. Focusing on medium-sized organizations, OITP, Zetup and Dicom provide managed IT and outsourcing services to customers across all industries including workspace IT, infrastructure and application management as well as digitalization services.

The new group will have more than 500 employees with an annual turnover of SEK 1 billion, serving its customers from 33 offices across Sweden. FSN Capital will support the continued development of the group while strengthening its platform, accelerating knowledge sharing and developing the group’s service offering within IT and digitalization services both organically and via acquisitions. The group entities will maintain their strong focus on customer partnerships and business improvements.

Lotta Widorson Lassfolk, CEO of Office IT-Partner, will assume to role as the group’s interim CEO. Widorson-Lassfolk comments: “We are excited about forming this group and welcoming FSN Capital as our new growth partner. We are entering the next stage of growth in the Swedish IT services market and our partnership with FSN Capital will enable us to continue to develop our platform and service offering as well as attract new talents to the group. We will continue to work on our customer centric offering providing our customers with high quality, efficient and innovative solutions while integrating new services into our offer to become a true digitalization partner to our customers.”

Claes Willén, CEO of Dicom, adds: “Dicom, OITP, and Zetup share the same commitment of delivering superior value to our customers with highest customer satisfaction. We complement each other well when it comes to skillset and customer mix. We are very much looking forward to growing together as a group and building a leading Nordic managed IT services group.”

Mats Franzén, CEO of Zetup, says: “Zetup has since its inception focused on delivering superior value to our customers driving continued business improvements. We are excited to have found a group of companies that shares the same values and can help us to expand our offer and customer base. We are very happy about the new partnership and are confident that it will allow us to deliver even better services to our customers going forward.”

“We have followed the IT infrastructure services market for some time and see a great opportunity to establish a leading group at the forefront of digitalizing mid-size companies across the Nordics. Against this backdrop, Office IT-Partner, Zetup and Dicom represent an optimal platform due to their strong customer focus, well-oiled delivery model and shared vision for the future. We are thrilled to partner with management, founders and employees in building a new innovative force within IT” says Andreas Bruzelius, Principal at FSN Capital Partners AB, acting as investment adviser to FSN Capital V.

FSN Capital V was advised by UB Capital, The Boston Consulting Group, Baker McKenzie and PWC.

 

Categories: News

Tags:

Hg invests in IT Relation

HG Capital

14 June 2018. Hg today announces that it has agreed to invest in IT Relation, a leading Danish supplier of managed IT services to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

Hg will acquire a majority stake in IT Relation from Adelis Equity Partners. The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval and the terms are not disclosed.

Founded in 2003, IT Relation provides services which allow SMEs to move their IT infrastructure and operations into the cloud, as well as providing end user support and consulting as part of a full-service IT offering. The company has more than 450 employees supporting thousands of customers and tens of thousands of users in Denmark and around the world.

This investment is consistent with Hg’s focus on SME Technology Services in Europe, with other activity in this sector including investments in Zitcom (2015) and DADA (2017), both providers of online hosting services to SMEs. Hg will support the management team to build a clear industry champion based on IT Relation’s excellent customer service and operating platform.

Nick Jordan, Partner and Jonas Samlin, Principal, at Hg, said: “Henrik Kastbjerg and the IT Relation management team have built an exceptional business addressing the need for SMEs to operate their mission-critical IT in the cloud. We look forward to partnering with the business in the next phase of growth in Denmark and internationally.”

Henrik Kastbjerg, CEO of IT Relation said: “It has been a great journey with Adelis and now we are very excited about the next phase with Hg. Hg has a proven track record of investing in and developing tech and software companies and can support our further growth in Denmark as well as internationally.”

Categories: News

Tags:

Software AG acquires Technology scale-up TrendMiner for analysis and visualization of time series data

Fortino Capital

Software AG announced its acquisition of the Belgian data analytics scale-up TrendMiner. Founded in 2008, TrendMiner specializes in visual data analytics for the manufacturing and process industry and will complement Software AG’s Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 product portfolio.

We would like to congratulate CEO Bert Baeck and the entire team at TrendMiner. Fortino Capital has been with TrendMiner since 2015. We are proud to have been part of TrendMiner’s success story, and look forward to their onward journey in scaling up even further towards a “Google for industry”.

Press
Press release Software AG: https://www.softwareag.com/corporate/company/press/news/dyn_press?id=171415-158077
For the press article by De Tijd (in Dutch), visit https://www.tijd.be/ondernemen/technologie/vlaams-google-van-de-industrie-komt-in-handen-van-duitse-softwarereus/10021202.html

For more press coverage (in English), visit
BusinessWire: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180612006143/en/Software-AG-Acquires-TrendMiner-Expand-IoT-Portfolio
Nasdaq: https://www.nasdaq.com/article/software-ag-announces-acquisition-of-data-analytics-scaleup-trendminer-20180612-00714

Categories: News

Tags:

TA Associates Announces Acquisition and Combination of Global Software, Inc. and insightsoftware.com International to Create Market-Leading ERP Reporting Platform

TA associates

Global Software, Inc. and insightsoftware.com International combine in merger of equals to create a world-class ERP reporting and corporate performance management company

Boston, MA and Raleigh, NC – TA Associates, a leading global growth private equity firm, today announced the acquisition and combination of Global Software, Inc. and insightsoftware.com International, two leading ERP reporting and corporate performance management software companies. With over 6,000 enterprise customers globally and more than 75,000 end users, the combination creates the market-leading ERP financial and operational reporting platform. Financial terms of both transactions were not disclosed.

Global Software, Inc. and insightsoftware.com International combine in merger of equals to create a world-class ERP reporting and corporate performance management company

Boston, MA and Raleigh, NC – TA Associates, a leading global growth private equity firm, today announced the acquisition and combination of Global Software, Inc. and insightsoftware.com International, two leading ERP reporting and corporate performance management software companies. With over 6,000 enterprise customers globally and more than 75,000 end users, the combination creates the market-leading ERP financial and operational reporting platform. Financial terms of both transactions were not disclosed.

The combined company will be named insightsoftware and will be led by new Chief Executive Officer, Michael Lipps. Mr. Lipps previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer of MercuryGate International and as Managing Director at LexisNexis, where he led the company’s Legal Software Division and Raleigh Technology Center. He also held several executive leadership positions during his 14-year career at Intuit Inc., including leading the company’s flagship Quickbooks Financial Software product line. “We’re bringing together the two premier companies in the ERP reporting and business intelligence space to create a world-class platform that helps business leaders make smarter, more informed decisions,” said Mr. Lipps. “I’m incredibly energized to help bring this next generation of world-class financial intelligence tools to our customers so they benefit immediately from the combination.”

The creation of insightsoftware also aligns Spreadsheet Server, the leading Microsoft Excel-based ERP reporting tool, and Hubble, the leading JD Edwards & Oracle E-Business Suite ERP performance management tool, under the direction of a single management team. “By combining these platforms, we’re able to offer our customers a broader set of product functionality, as well as fast access to a wider array of technical support experts and geographical support options,” added Mr. Lipps. “With TA Associates as our majority investor, we believe we are well-positioned to expand our capabilities, on-board the best talent in our industry and quickly bring new product functionality to market.”

“As more companies look to leverage their financial and business data in impactful ways, we believe insightsoftware is set to be the leading provider of data-driven intelligence that improves business outcomes,” said Hythem T. El-Nazer, a Managing Director at TA Associates. “We’re extremely excited about the opportunities in front of Michael and his management team, and we’re committed to ensuring they have the resources necessary to innovate and bring new products and functionality to customers over the coming weeks and months.”

With a large customer base already using insightsoftware’s products, there is excitement for what the new organization will bring to market.

“Having real-time access to our financial and business data is critical for our business to run smoothly,” said Clint Osteen, Sr. Director of IT at Granite Properties and current user of insightsoftware’s solutions. “insightsoftware’s tools enable us to get the most value out of our data, without the need for additional resources or large expenses to do so. We’re thrilled about the additional enhancements and product functionality that we’ll gain as a result of this combination.”

The new company will be headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, with global offices in Denver, Colorado; London, England; and Perth, Australia.

About insightsoftware
insightsoftware is on a mission to help companies turn their financial & operational data into better business outcomes that drive growth and ROI. Through their innovative, turn-key reporting and performance management solutions, insightsoftware provides users with real-time access to data-driven insights in an efficient, cost-effective and secure manner. Featuring integration support for over 130 tier 1 and tier 2 ERP systems, as well as full integration into Microsoft Excel, the company has the experience and flexibility to help business leaders unlock the power of their business data so they can understand, manage and optimize their business with ease. More information about insightsoftware can be found at www.insightsoftware.com.

About TA Associates
Now in its 50th year, TA Associates is one of the largest and most experienced global growth private equity firms. Focused on five target industries – technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer and business services – TA invests in profitable, growing companies with opportunities for sustained growth, and has invested in nearly 500 companies around the world. Investing as either a majority or minority investor, TA employs a long-term approach, utilizing its strategic resources to help management teams build lasting value in growth companies. TA has raised $24 billion in capital since its founding in 1968 and is investing out of current funds of $7.25 billion. The firm’s more than 80 investment professionals are based in Boston, Menlo Park, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong. More information about TA Associates can be found at www.ta.com.

The combined company will be named insightsoftware and will be led by new Chief Executive Officer, Michael Lipps. Mr. Lipps previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer of MercuryGate International and as Managing Director at LexisNexis, where he led the company’s Legal Software Division and Raleigh Technology Center. He also held several executive leadership positions during his 14-year career at Intuit Inc., including leading the company’s flagship Quickbooks Financial Software product line. “We’re bringing together the two premier companies in the ERP reporting and business intelligence space to create a world-class platform that helps business leaders make smarter, more informed decisions,” said Mr. Lipps. “I’m incredibly energized to help bring this next generation of world-class financial intelligence tools to our customers so they benefit immediately from the combination.”

The creation of insightsoftware also aligns Spreadsheet Server, the leading Microsoft Excel-based ERP reporting tool, and Hubble, the leading JD Edwards & Oracle E-Business Suite ERP performance management tool, under the direction of a single management team. “By combining these platforms, we’re able to offer our customers a broader set of product functionality, as well as fast access to a wider array of technical support experts and geographical support options,” added Mr. Lipps. “With TA Associates as our majority investor, we believe we are well-positioned to expand our capabilities, on-board the best talent in our industry and quickly bring new product functionality to market.”

“As more companies look to leverage their financial and business data in impactful ways, we believe insightsoftware is set to be the leading provider of data-driven intelligence that improves business outcomes,” said Hythem T. El-Nazer, a Managing Director at TA Associates. “We’re extremely excited about the opportunities in front of Michael and his management team, and we’re committed to ensuring they have the resources necessary to innovate and bring new products and functionality to customers over the coming weeks and months.”

With a large customer base already using insightsoftware’s products, there is excitement for what the new organization will bring to market.

“Having real-time access to our financial and business data is critical for our business to run smoothly,” said Clint Osteen, Sr. Director of IT at Granite Properties and current user of insightsoftware’s solutions. “insightsoftware’s tools enable us to get the most value out of our data, without the need for additional resources or large expenses to do so. We’re thrilled about the additional enhancements and product functionality that we’ll gain as a result of this combination.”

The new company will be headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, with global offices in Denver, Colorado; London, England; and Perth, Australia.

About insightsoftware
insightsoftware is on a mission to help companies turn their financial & operational data into better business outcomes that drive growth and ROI. Through their innovative, turn-key reporting and performance management solutions, insightsoftware provides users with real-time access to data-driven insights in an efficient, cost-effective and secure manner. Featuring integration support for over 130 tier 1 and tier 2 ERP systems, as well as full integration into Microsoft Excel, the company has the experience and flexibility to help business leaders unlock the power of their business data so they can understand, manage and optimize their business with ease. More information about insightsoftware can be found at www.insightsoftware.com.

About TA Associates
Now in its 50th year, TA Associates is one of the largest and most experienced global growth private equity firms. Focused on five target industries – technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer and business services – TA invests in profitable, growing companies with opportunities for sustained growth, and has invested in nearly 500 companies around the world. Investing as either a majority or minority investor, TA employs a long-term approach, utilizing its strategic resources to help management teams build lasting value in growth companies. TA has raised $24 billion in capital since its founding in 1968 and is investing out of current funds of $7.25 billion. The firm’s more than 80 investment professionals are based in Boston, Menlo Park, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong. More information about TA Associates can be found at www.ta.com.

 

Categories: News

Tags: