Boss Insights – Weekly M&A Tech News Round Up – 10th April 2020

Accenture Acquires Revolutionary Security, Provider of Cybersecurity Services for Critical Infrastructure
New York – 7th April 2020 – Accenture has acquired Revolutionary Security, a privately held company specializing in enterprise cybersecurity for information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) environments. Financial terms were not disclosed. Revolutionary Security’s portfolio of cybersecurity services includes assessment and testing, design and build of security programs and functions as well as security operations across its clients’ IT and OT systems.  Revolutionary Security leverages proprietary technology and methods to help mature the security capabilities of its clients and manage risk. The company’s breach and attack simulation testing service, LiveFire®, utilizes real-world cyber threats to identify gaps in security processes and monitoring, as well as staff operations and technologies. The results help organizations prioritize actions to mitigate cyber risks within their enterprise.
https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/accenture-acquires-revolutionary-security-provider-of-cybersecurity-services-for-critical-infrastructure.htm

Cisco Announces Intent to Acquire Fluidmesh Networks
San Jose, California - 6th April 2020 – Cisco has announced the intent to acquire privately-held Fluidmesh Networks, a leader in wireless backhaul systems. Fluidmesh’s leading technology delivers reliable and resilient wireless solutions for mission critical applications, whether it’s high-speed rail and mass transit or large-scale distributed sites such as ports and urban settings where signal strength can be challenging. Fluidmesh’s solutions are quick to deploy and configure, offering customers a cost-efficient, low-maintenance solution. “Cisco provides one of the most secure and reliable networking technologies on the market today,” said Liz Centoni, senior vice president and general manager for Cloud, Compute, and IoT businesses. “With wireless technology playing a greater role in every organization’s multi-access IoT strategy, reliable wireless connectivity is paramount to organizations operating Industrial IoT environments, whether that’s manufacturing, mining, rail, or ports, where wireless technology automates operations to improve safety and lower costs. The acquisition of Fluidmesh strengthens Cisco’s offerings in this space with leading technology that’s designed to provide zero loss of data transfer at speeds in excess of 300 Km/h.”
https://newsroom.cisco.com/press-release-content?type=webcontent&articleId=2066015&dtid=osscdc000283

Avira Finalizes Acquisition Agreement with Investcorp Technology Partners
Tettang, Germany – 9th April 2020 – Avira has announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Investcorp Technology Partners IV. “We are delighted to announce another high-quality addition to our Technology Partners portfolio. Avira represents an attractive opportunity to invest in a cybersecurity business,” said Gilbert Kamieniecky, Managing Director and Head of Investcorp’s Technology Private Equity Business. “With our long history of working with cybersecurity, IoT and data-driven businesses, Investcorp is looking forward to supporting Avira’s targeted growth trajectory and expansion plans.” Travis Witteveen, Chief Executive Officer of Avira, said: “We are proud to be partnering with a firm that offers such a breadth of experience working with growing technology and software companies. The investment confirms our business strategy and enables Avira to further accelerate our profitable growth in the consumer and OEM market segments."
https://www.avira.com/en/press/avira-finalizes-acquisition-agreement-with-investcorp-technology-partners

Akerna buys Trellis for $2M
Denver  - 8th April 2020 - Akerna a compliance technology provider and developer of the cannabis industry’s first seed-to-sale enterprise resource planning (ERP) software technology (MJ Platform®), will acquire cannabis cultivation management and compliance software company Trellis for $2.0 million in an all-stock deal.  The deal is expected to close later this week. The acquisition is a compelling strategic fit for Akerna, expanding Akerna’s TAM into SMBs by providing a lighter-weight cultivation product.  Akerna will leverage its existing product development and sales infrastructure to drive faster and more efficient growth, accelerating the conversion of Trellis’ large revenue pipeline.  Over time, Trellis will also serve to funnel clients to Akerna’s enterprise offerings as they grow in size and sophistication.  The transaction is expected to contribute positive cash flow and evidences Akerna’s position as the go-to buyer for cannabis technology, executing on the unique advantage of being the only Nasdaq-listed company serving the industry.
https://www.trellisgrows.com/

SoFi To Acquire Galileo Financial Technologies for $1.2 Bilion
San Francisco – 7th April 2020 - SoFi, the online personal finance company, has announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Galileo Financial Technologies, the powerful financial services API and payments platform. SoFi will pay total purchase consideration of $1.2B to acquire Galileo, comprising cash and stock. Galileo’s digital payments platform enables critical checking and savings account-like functionality via its powerful open APIs, providing companies with an easy way to create sophisticated consumer and B2B financial services. The company’s offerings are accessible via mobile, desktop, and a physical debit card. Galileo processed over $53B of annualized payments volume in March 2020, up from $26B in September 2019, with accelerating growth. Galileo and SoFi will work together to accelerate the pace of technology innovation. These new functionalities and services will further help Galileo’s current and new partners capture the secular shift of financial transactions from the physical-only to a multi-channel digital and physical platform.
https://www.sofi.com/press/sofi-to-acquire-galileo

Apple Acquires AI Start-Up Voysis
Dublin, Ireland - 7th April 2020 - Apple has acquired Voysis, an artificial intelligence (AI) start-up that has developed a platform for digital voice assistants to better understand natural language. Dublin, Ireland-based Voysis, focused on improving digital assistants inside online shopping apps, so the software could respond more accurately to voice commands from users. Voysis company webpage said the technology could narrow product search results by processing shopping phrases. Voysis provided this AI to other companies to incorporate it into their own apps and voice assistants. Its most obvious application would be to continue the incremental improvements Apple has been making on Siri, the iPhone's voice-activated digital assistant.
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/archive/

GlobalLogic Acquires Meelogic Consulting AG, a European Healthcare and Automotive-Focused Software Engineering Services Firm
San Jose, California - 7th April 2020 - GlobalLogic Inc., a Digital Product Engineering company, has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Meelogic Consulting AG, a Germany-based software engineering services firm with deep expertise in Healthcare, Automotive, and other key industries undergoing significant digital transformation. This acquisition is part of GlobalLogic’s ongoing strategy to strengthen its position in high-growth verticals by expanding design, architecture, and software engineering capabilities. Shashank Samant, CEO, GlobalLogic, said: “We’ve been particularly selective when considering potential acquisitions to realize our vision for strategic expansion. We look for cultural fit, geographic alignment, and deep software engineering skills and technical competency. We seek businesses that demonstrate a keen eye for creative problem-solving as well as an unshakable commitment to delivering above and beyond customer expectations. Meelogic possesses all of these attributes. They have built an incredible company with a roster of talented engineers who are focused on important and burgeoning technologies and exemplify the ingenuity and drive for success. We’re delighted to have the Meelogic team on board as our new colleagues.”
https://www.globallogic.com/about/news/globallogic-acquires-meelogic/

CNN Acquires Canopy to Accelerate the Development of its Forthcoming Digital News and Information Platform
New York - 7th April 2020 - CNN announced today that it has acquired the assets and hired the development team of Canopy, a Brooklyn and Boston based private personalization architecture company. The move will accelerate CNN’s development of “NewsCo” – the project name for its forthcoming news and information platform, connecting users to trusted sources, storytellers and creators across a wide range of topics. The effort is the first from CNN’s recently formed team of strategists and technologists whose exclusive focus is the creation of new products and platforms to address ever-evolving user needs and drive future growth for the business. “This acquisition enables us to light up in a single transaction a proven, best-in-class team whose deep knowledge and skill sets would’ve taken many months or even years to assemble,” said CNN EVP & Chief Digital Officer Andrew Morse. “Canopy’s culture of fast-cycle, iterative software and product development will enable us to more rapidly realize our ambitions and deliver against our goals.
https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2020/04/07/cnn-acquires-canopy/

EEX acquires 100% ownership of KB Tech Ltd
Tunbridge Wells, UK - 6th April 2020 - The European Energy Exchange (EEX) has successfully completed the 100% acquisition of UK based software company, KB Tech Ltd. Having completed all necessary closing conditions on Friday 3rd April, EEX now holds 100% of the shares of the company with immediate effect. Co-Founded in 2005 by David Briggs and Paul Kemp, KB Tech specializes in providing data management services and products to the trading, pension and financial markets. The Company’s propriety software delivers a range of modular, connected services providing functions for managing real-time data within and around the trading, price delivery and transactional environments. Speaking on the acquisition, Dr Tobias Paulun, Chief Strategy Officer at EEX comments: “KB Tech and EEX Group have been working together in close partnership for almost a decade. In that time, they have made a significant contribution to our IT set up which has driven our business forward. Notable examples of their expertise include the setting up of the order book and matching engine for EEX Asia as well as the more recently created pre-trade transparency platform for EEX. Above all, as companies, we share the same values and ideology of delivering quality, business focussed solutions for our customers. I am delighted to welcome the whole KB Tech team to the EEX Group family”.
https://www.eex.com/en/about/newsroom/news-detail/eex-press-release---eex-acquires-100--ownership-of-kb-tech-ltd-/105610

Koch Industries Completes Acquisition of Infor
New York – 6th April 2020 – Koch Industries, Inc. announced that it has completed the acquisition of the remaining portion of Infor from Golden Gate Capital. Infor, a global leader in business cloud software, specialized by industry, has been a key component of Koch’s technological transformation. Koch companies have made more than $26 billion in technology-related investments in the past six years, transforming a global portfolio of businesses spanning multiple industries. In addition to being an investor since 2017, Koch has been a key customer, implementing Infor solutions across its businesses in areas like enterprise resource planning, human resources, supply chain, asset management and finance. The acquisition brings new key capabilities to Koch to accelerate digital transformation, while providing Infor with resources and industry knowledge to continue growing its expertise in mission critical software for industries like manufacturing, retail and distribution, among others. Additionally, Infor’s industry-leading Healthcare Operations Platform and Interoperability Solutions extend Koch’s involvement in healthcare, where Koch companies are already engaged in connected device manufacturing, medical product purification, and hospital supplies.
https://news.kochind.com/media-resources/press-releases/2020/koch-aquires-infor

10 April 2020