BY Fraser Tennant
In a deal which highlights its preference to purchase undervalued tech companies and turn them around for a big profit, US investment firm Vista Equity Partners has acquired web content management and digital experience company Acquia for $1bn.
Following completion of the transaction, Acquia will continue to operate independently.
According to Acquia’s chief executive Michael O’Sullivan, Vista’s investment will enable Acquia to grow its presence in the digital experience platform (DXP) market, as it continues to innovate and serve the world’s most ambitious brands. Acquia currently serves more than 30 companies in the Fortune 100.
“Vista shares our belief that the DXP market is ripe for disruption and we are excited to partner with them to accelerate our plans,” said Mr O’Sullivan. “Over 4000 Acquia customers crave faster innovation, greater agility and better integrations than legacy marketing cloud providers can deliver. Vista’s support will allow us to invest more in R&D, expand faster, and get products to market quicker.”
With Vista’s backing, Acquia will maximise recent investments to take on legacy DXP providers and capture new market share. Vista’s portfolio of more than 60 companies and more than 70,000 employees, combined with its operational expertise, provides Acquia access to a vast community of resources, peers and practice experts.
A value-added investor with a long-term perspective, Vista exclusively invests in enterprise software, data and technology-enabled companies. “The world’s leading and most innovative digital brands understand that their ability to deliver a seamless digital customer experience is essential to their success,” said Robert F. Smith, founder, chairman and chief executive of Vista. “Acquia understands this and is leading the way in providing innovative solutions to its customers while, at the same time, giving back to the open source community.”
The Vista/Acquia transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
Mr Smith concluded: “We are thrilled to partner with Acquia and believe the company is well-positioned to capitalise on the tremendous opportunity in the DXP marketplace.”