Tag Archives: Information technology

Contact Information for Inquiries Regarding Compensation for Tendering Securityholders in First Tender Offer for FUJI SOFT

KKR

TOKYO, March 25, 2025 – FK Co., Ltd. (“Tender Offeror”), an entity owned by investment funds managed by KKR, will provide compensation to the shareholders and share option holders who tendered into the First Tender Offer that was completed on November 5, 2024 (“Securityholders Eligible for Compensation”) in connection with the two-stage tender offer scheme for the common shares and share options of FUJI SOFT INCORPORATED (TSE stock code 9749; “FUJI SOFT”), as stated in KKR’s press release on November 15, 2024, “KKR Receives Support and Recommendation from FUJI SOFT for Second Tender Offer and Expects to Launch Tender Offer Next Week” (“KKR Press Release Dated November 15, 2024”). Accordingly, KKR is providing a dedicated contact point for inquiries for the Security Holders Eligible for Compensation.

Eligible Persons
Shareholders and share option holders of FUJI SOFT that tendered in the First Tender Offer.

Compensation
Securityholders Eligible for Compensation will be compensated in the amount calculated by multiplying the compensation amount per share or share option announced in the KKR Press Release Dated November 15, 2024 (namely 651 yen per common share, 130,200 yen per 5th Series Share Option, 130,200 yen per 6th Series Share Option, and 65,100 yen per 7th Series Share Option), by the respective number of shares or share options that the Securityholder Eligible for Compensation tendered in the First Tender Offer.

Next Steps
The Tender Offeror plans to contact the Securityholders Eligible for Compensation sequentially from mid-April 2025 onwards. If you are no contacted by the Tender Offeror by the end of April 2025, please reach out via the email address provided below.

Contact Point for Inquiries
Dedicated contact point for inquiries for the Security Holders Eligible for Compensation:
fujisoft_inquiry@kkr.com

 

This press release does not constitute, either in whole or in part, a solicitation of an offer to sell or purchase any securities. The existence of this press release (or any part thereof) or its distribution shall not be construed as a basis for any agreement regarding the First Tender Offer, nor shall it be relied upon in concluding an agreement regarding the First Tender Offer.

 

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KKR Enters into MoU with Founding Family of FUJI SOFT; to Acquire 100% of FUJI SOFT

KKR

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)– KKR, a leading global investment firm, announced today that in connection with the privatization of FUJI SOFT INCORPORATED (TSE stock code 9749; “FUJI SOFT” or the “Company”) by FK Co., Ltd. (“FK”), an entity owned by investment funds managed by KKR, a Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) was entered into on March 24, 2025 with the founding family of FUJI SOFT to take the Company private.

Under the MoU, the parties agree to:

  • collaborate in the implementation of a share consolidation that will result in FK and NFC Corporation (“NFC”) becoming the only shareholders of FUJI SOFT (“Squeeze-out”);
  • vote in favor of various proposals concerning the privatization, including the Squeeze-out, at the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on April 25, 2025; and
  • the transfer of FUJI SOFT shares held by NFC to FUJI SOFT after the completion of the Squeeze-out (“Share Repurchase”).

In addition to the securities that FK acquired through the First and Second Tender Offers for the common shares and share options of FUJI SOFT, the Squeeze-out and Share Repurchase will result in FK acquiring 100% of the shares of FUJI SOFT. The Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders for the Squeeze-out is scheduled to be held on April 25, 2025, and the Share Repurchase is currently planned after early June 2025, after the Squeeze-out takes effect.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group’s website at www.globalatlantic.com.

For more information, please contact:

KKR Asia Pacific
Wei Jun Ong
+65 6922 5813
WeiJun.Ong@kkr.com

Source: KKR

 

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SoftBank Group to Acquire Ampere Computing

Carlyle

(TOKYO, Japan) and (Santa Clara, CA) – March 19, 2025 – SoftBank Group Corp. (TSE: 9984, “SoftBank Group”) today announced that it will acquire Ampere® Computing, a leading independent silicon design company, in an all-cash transaction valued at $6.5 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Ampere will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank Group and retain its name. As part of the transaction, Ampere’s lead investors – Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) and Oracle Corp. (NYSE: ORCL) – are selling their respective positions in Ampere.

As SoftBank Group broadens its AI infrastructure investments in ventures such as Cristal intelligence and Stargate, the acquisition will help enhance SoftBank Group’s capabilities in key areas and accelerate its growth initiatives.

“The future of Artificial Super Intelligence requires breakthrough computing power,” said Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp. “Ampere’s expertise in semiconductors and high-performance computing will help accelerate this vision, and deepens our commitment to AI innovation in the United States.”

“With a shared vision for advancing AI, we are excited to join SoftBank Group and partner with its portfolio of leading technology companies,” said Renee James, Founder and CEO of Ampere. “This is a fantastic outcome for our team, and we are excited to drive forward our AmpereOne® roadmap for high performance Arm processors and AI.”

Founded in Silicon Valley in 2018 with an initial focus on cloud-native computing, Ampere has since expanded into sustainable AI compute. The company has multiple products for a spectrum of cloud workloads from the edge to the cloud data center.

Transaction Details
Under the terms of the agreement, SoftBank will acquire Ampere for $6.5 billion in cash.  The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the second half of 2025. Ampere’s headquarters will remain in Santa Clara, CA.

About SoftBank Group

The SoftBank Group invests in breakthrough technology to improve the quality of life for people around the world. The SoftBank Group is comprised of SoftBank Group Corp. (TOKYO: 9984), an investment holding company that includes stakes in AI, smart robotics, IoT, telecommunications, internet services, and clean energy technology providers, as well as a majority stake in Arm, which is building the future of computing; and the SoftBank Vision Funds, which are investing to help transform industries and shape new ones. To learn more, please visit https://group.softbank/en.

About Ampere
Ampere is a semiconductor design company focused on high-performance, energy efficient, sustainable AI Compute based on the Arm compute platform. To learn more, please visit https://amperecomputing.com.

 

Media contacts:

Ampere

press@amperecomputing.com

 

SoftBank Group

softbank@fgs.global.com

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EQT to acquire Crown Castle’s Small Cells Solutions business

eqt

Avetta Overview Pic

  • Crown Castle’s Small Cells Solutions business builds and operates small cells nationwide, serving mobile densification needs for cellular carriers
  • Transaction highlights EQT’s active ownership approach by acquiring an attractive, stable core infrastructure platform targeting a substantial market opportunity
  • EQT will aim to further accelerate the Company’s future growth ambitions 

EQT is pleased to announce that the EQT Active Core Infrastructure fund (“EQT”)” has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Crown Castle Inc.’s (“Crown Castle”) (NYSE: CCI) Small Cells Solutions business (the “Company”) in a transaction valuing it at approximately $4.25 billion.

Crown Castle’s Small Cells Solutions business is a leading builder and operator of digital infrastructure, specializing in the deployment of small cell networks that enhance essential wireless connectivity. The Company operates a nationwide portfolio of approximately 115,000 small cells on air or under contract spread across 43 states, serving the top three U.S. mobile network operators. The Company plays an important role in providing capacity for high-demand areas lacking macro towers through its extensive network of small cells.  

The increasing demand for bandwidth-intensive activities, driven by the proliferation of 5G, IoT, AI, and other emerging technologies, is accelerating the need for network densification. The Company is well-positioned to capitalize on these underlying digitization trends, providing turnkey services that enable carriers to expand coverage, improve network efficiency, and meet growing global mobile data traffic demands. 

“Small cell networks are an essential part of the digital infrastructure ecosystem,” said Alexander Greenbaum, Partner and Head of EQT’s Active Core Infrastructure Advisory team. “This investment is a natural fit within EQT Active Core Infrastructure’s strategy – investing behind long-term contracted, core infrastructure assets with strong growth potential. With EQT’s deep experience in digital infrastructure and active approach to value creation, we see significant opportunity to support the Company’s continued growth.” 

“Crown Castle’s Small Cells Solutions business is a platform at the heart of the next generation of digital infrastructure, enabling essential digital connectivity that will help power the future,” said Nirav Shah, Partner within EQT’s Infrastructure Advisory team. “With its significant scale, operational excellence, and deep carrier relationships, the Company is poised to benefit from positive digital tailwinds. We look forward to partnering with the business to help fuel its next phase of growth, drive cutting-edge innovation, and support the long-term expansion of critical digital infrastructure.” 

With a strong foundation of long-term contracts, operational expertise, and deep-rooted carrier relationships, the Company has firmly established itself as a partner of choice in the U.S.  EQT will support the Company through its next phase of growth by leveraging its global scale and significant experience within the digital infrastructure space to strengthen its asset base and further deepen its relationships with leading mobile network operators. 

Transaction Details 

As part of the transaction, the EQT Active Core Infrastructure fund will acquire Crown Castle’s Small Cells Solutions business, while Zayo, backed by the EQT Infrastructure IV fund and Digital Bridge, will independently acquire Crown Castle’s Fiber Solutions business, as communicated in a separate transaction announcement today. Concurrent with the acquisitions, Zayo and the Small Cells business will enter into a long-term commercial agreement whereby Zayo will provide fiber to the Small Cells business. The total combined value of the Fiber Solutions and Small Cells transaction is $8.5 billion.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory review and other customary closing conditions.

TD Securities served as sole financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis as legal advisor to EQT in connection with the transaction.

Contact EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com

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Clario Enters into Definitive Agreement to Acquire WCG’s eCOA Business

Arsenal Capital Partners

Acquisition of WCG’s electronic clinical outcome assessments (eCOA) business will expand Clario’s scientific expertise and offerings in neuroscience

Philadelphia, PA – Clario, a leading provider of endpoint data solutions to the clinical trial industry, today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the eCOA business of WCG, a leader in providing solutions that measurably improve and accelerate clinical research.

Electronic clinical outcomes assessments (eCOA), in addition to paper assessments, are used to evaluate the safety and efficacy of new drugs by measuring how a clinical trial participant feels or functions. WCG’s eCOA operations offer robust, full-service clinical expertise and specialized functionality, particularly in neurology, psychiatry, neuropathic pain, and rare diseases.

“WCG’s eCOA business has a well-earned reputation for industry-leading expertise in neuroscience. Adding their scientific and operational capabilities to expand our neuroscience capabilities in imaging and digital physiology aligns with Clario’s vision to transform lives by unlocking actionable evidence,” said Chris Fikry, M.D., chief executive officer, Clario. “I am excited about the long-term positive impact this will have on customers and patients.”

“WCG’s eCOA expertise and capabilities in subjective endpoints are a strategic and complementary fit with Clario’s endpoint solutions. This transaction allows WCG to focus on being a trusted partner in connecting sponsors and CROs with sites to accelerate trials through trial design, study review, site activation, and participant recruitment and retention,” said Sam Srivastava, chief executive officer, WCG. “With a legacy of supporting clinical trials over more than five decades across 130 countries, we remain well-positioned to accelerate clinical research through our AI-enabled data, technology, and expertise, paving the way to bring life-saving therapies to patients, faster.”

Customers of both companies can expect no immediate changes to existing contracts or relationships.

“This complementary acquisition will augment our offerings by expanding our scientific expertise and service delivery capabilities,” said Clario EVP and General Manager of eCOA, Terry Burke. “I am delighted that we will be positioned to further enable the success of our customers and ultimately have a greater impact on patients with unmet medical needs.”

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Until the acquisition closes, both organizations will continue to operate as independent entities.

About Clario:

Clario is a leading provider of endpoint data solutions to the clinical trials industry, generating high-quality clinical evidence for life sciences companies. We offer comprehensive evidence-generation solutions that combine medical imaging, eCOA, precision motion, cardiac solutions and respiratory endpoints.

For more than 50 years, Clario has delivered deep scientific expertise and broad endpoint technologies to help transform lives around the world. Our endpoint data solutions have been deployed over 26,000 times to support clinical trials in more than 100 countries. Our global team of science, technology, and operational experts have supported over 60% of all FDA drug approvals since 2012. Clario’s controlling shareholders are Astorg, Nordic Capital, Novo Holdings, and Cinven.

For more information, go to Clario.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About WCG:

WCG is a global leader of solutions that measurably improve and accelerate clinical research. Biopharmaceutical and medical device companies, contract research organizations (CROs), research institutions, and sites partner with us for our unmatched expertise, data intelligence, and purpose-built technology to make informed decisions and optimize study outcomes, while maintaining the highest standards of human participant protection. WCG raises the bar by pioneering new concepts, reimagining processes, fostering compliance and safety, and empowering those who perform clinical trials to accelerate the delivery of medical therapies and devices that improve lives. For more information, please visit wcgclinical.com or follow us on LinkedIn or X @WCGClinical.

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Darwinbox Raises $140 Million Investment Co-led by Partners Group and KKR to Accelerate Global Expansion

KKR

HYDERABAD, India–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Darwinbox, a leading global human resource (“HR”) technology platform, today announced the signing of definitive agreements under which Partners Group, one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry (acting on behalf of its clients), and funds managed by KKR, a leading global investment firm, will co-lead an investment of $140 million in the company, with additional participation from Gravity Holdings. The addition of Partners Group and KKR to an already-solid cap-table underscores Darwinbox’s strong momentum over the recent years. The investment positions Darwinbox well to deepen its technology leadership and accelerate its international expansion plans.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304817935/en/

Founded in 2015, Darwinbox is a mobile-first and AI-enabled human capital management platform that serves more than 1,000 enterprises around the world. In less than a decade, Darwinbox has expanded internationally across multiple markets, including Asia Pacific, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In particular, since its entry into North America two years ago, the company has seen significant traction and is doubling down on its regional presence. Over the last two years, Darwinbox has built a robust and diversified global portfolio, having achieved a fivefold growth in revenue in international markets, with over 60% of new revenue coming from international markets.

In 2024, Darwinbox was recognized as a Challenger in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud HCM Suites for enterprises with more than 1,000 employees, making it the youngest and only Asian company to receive the accolade.

“This investment is a testament to Darwinbox’s strong fundamentals and the trust we have earned from our 1,000+ global customer base,” said Jayant Paleti, Co‐founder of Darwinbox. “By placing the employee experience front and center — and ensuring our platform is deeply configurable to diverse local needs — we have helped transform HR for enterprises globally. With top-tier investors backing us, we’re poised to amplify our global momentum and deliver innovative AI‐powered solutions for thousands of enterprises worldwide.”

Cyrus Driver, Managing Director, Private Equity, Partners Group, comments, “Darwinbox operates in the rapidly growing HR tech market, which we have been tracking through our thematic research. The company is acting as a key disruptor to legacy platforms in this space, investing heavily in product innovation, generative AI, and global expansion, and is well positioned to take market share. We look forward to working with Darwinbox’s talented management team on driving future growth. The company represents another exciting addition to our private equity growth portfolio.”

Akshay Tanna, Partner and Head of India Private Equity, KKR, said, “Darwinbox has established itself as a leading player in the human capital management space in a short span of time through its focus on innovation and customer centricity. We are pleased to support Darwinbox on its next stage of growth and will look to draw from our global network and expertise to accelerate its international expansion ambitions.”

Globally, over 3 million employees from leading brands — including Starbucks, Nivea, AXA, Cigna, WeWork, Crisil (an S&P company), T-Systems, and more — rely on Darwinbox’s platform for modern HR management. Darwinbox’s recent wave of product rollouts — highlighted by a multi-country payroll solution and enhanced GenAI features — demonstrates its commitment to next-generation HR innovation.

Partners Group invests through its growth equity strategy, which applies a thematic approach to identify investment opportunities in growth-stage companies globally. Partners Group made its first growth investment in 2013 and has deployed around $2.5 billion in the space to-date. The firm’s recent growth investments include Lumin Digital, a leading cloud-native digital banking provider, and Neara, one of the first AI-powered predictive modeling software platforms for critical infrastructure.

KKR makes its investment from its Asia Next Generation Technology strategy, which seeks to support the growth of innovative, disruptive companies in Asia across consumer technology, software, and FinTech. This marks KKR’s latest growth equity investment in India and the region, including Rebel Foods, an internet restaurant company in India; Lenskart, an omni-channel eyewear retailer; Livspace, an omni-channel home interior and renovation platform; KiotViet, a SaaS platform for SMBs in Vietnam; and Privy, a digital trust provider in Indonesia.

Avendus Capital acted as the financial advisor and investment banker on this transaction.

About Darwinbox

Founded in 2015, Darwinbox is a global HR tech leader that empowers enterprises to better manage their talent with new-age employee experiences and disruptive AI-powered technology. Its cloud-based Human Capital Management (HCM) software caters to an organisation’s HR needs across the entire employee lifecycle. Darwinbox is trusted by over 3 million employees from more than 1000 enterprises across 130 countries. Darwinbox has been backed by global investors like TCV, Microsoft, Salesforce Ventures, Peak XV, Lightspeed and Endiya Partners among others.

About Partners Group

Partners Group is one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry, with around 1’800 professionals and over USD 150 billion in assets under management. The firm has investment programs and custom mandates spanning private equity, private credit, infrastructure, real estate, and royalties. With its heritage in Switzerland and primary presence in the Americas in Colorado, Partners Group is built differently from the rest of the industry. The firm leverages its differentiated culture and its operationally oriented approach to identify attractive investment themes and to build businesses and assets into market leaders. For more information, please visit www.partnersgroup.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group’s website at www.globalatlantic.com.

About Gravity Holdings

Gravity Holdings is a technology growth equity firm. Gravity invests in technology businesses whose persistent competitive advantages support unusually high growth and cash generation over the long term. Gravity leverages its global network to unlock bespoke growth opportunities for the firm’s small handful of partnerships. For further information please visit www.gravityholdings.com.

Media Contacts

For more information, please contact:

For Darwinbox
Rishita Chiranewala
Rishita.Chiranewala@darwinbox.in

For Partners Group
Henry Weston
Henry.Weston@partnersgroup.com

For KKR Asia Pacific
Wei Jun Ong
WeiJun.Ong@kkr.com

Source: KKR & Co. Inc.

 

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Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA), an Arlington Capital Partners Portfolio Company, Completes Acquisition of Proximity Advisory Services

Proximity is Market Leader in Consulting, Legal, and Commercial Services to Government

ALEXANDRIA, VA – March 4, 2025 – Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA), a leading global provider of data- driven analytical insights supporting complex national security programs and defense priorities, has acquired Proximity, a leading Australian provider of consulting, legal, and commercial services to government. Proximity joins SPA Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Systems Planning & Analysis.

The acquisition of Proximity significantly expands SPA’s international footprint and presence in the Australia market. Proximity adds mission-critical clients across whole of government and major Commonwealth public sector agencies in Australia, including Department of Defence, Department of Home Affairs, Australian Taxation Office, Department of Health Services Australia, and Department of Social Services.

With the acquisition, SPA’s service offerings in Australia will expand in the areas of change management, procurement and contract management, program and project management, public law and legal support services, and business cases and cost modeling.

SPA CEO Rich Sawchak commented, “Proximity is a sought-after and highly respected multidisciplinary government consultancy with an impressive client list. Its strong consulting, legal, and commercial practice areas broaden our capabilities and reinforce our commitment to Australia, where we have supported major clients since 2010. We are thrilled to expand our success globally, and we wholeheartedly welcome our new and talented Proximity team members.”

SPA Australia and Proximity are headquartered in Canberra, with Proximity also located in Melbourne and Adelaide.

Zoe Lynam, Proximity’s CEO, with over 15 years working in executive and general management roles, will take the helm as Managing Director, SPA Australia, and Group Leader of the Australia Group, reporting to SPA Senior VP and Sea, Land, Air Division Director Dave Duryea.

SPA President Terry Benedict (VADM, USN, Ret.) added that “Proximity brings a leadership team that understands Australia’s defense issues at a critical time for strategic considerations in the Pacific theater. I look forward to working with Zoe and her team to expand our advisory and analytic support for our defense-focused clients as well as to provide new services through each of Proximity’s practice areas.”

Zoe Lynam stated “We’re proud of the strong reputation we’ve earned in the Australian market, and SPA is a natural fit given our shared commitment to integrity and client service. We are honored and excited to share our deep, mission-critical expertise with a global company of SPA’s caliber.”

David Wodlinger, a Managing Partner at Arlington Capital, said “SPA’s acquisition of Proximity brings cutting-edge capabilities, approaches, and expertise that will enhance SPA’s position as the trusted partner of choice for the defense community and whole of government clients. This is an excellent match that further solidifies SPA’s reputation for quality.”

 

About SPA

SPA is a premier, independent global advisory and technical services firm supporting complex national security programs and defense priorities. SPA’s portfolio of differentiated capabilities and tools delivers comprehensive support to the most critical programs for combatting threats, influencing long-term strategic priorities, and shaping policies at the highest levels. With over 2,200 professionals, SPA’s employees are subject matter experts in numerous domains, including Land, Undersea, Surface and Air Warfare Operations; Intelligence Community, Radar and Sensor Systems; Unmanned Systems and Counter Systems; Defense Industrial Base and Economic Security; Space Systems; Ballistic Missile Systems; Cybersecurity Analysis and Policy; and Hypersonics. Awards include GovCon Contractor of the Year in 2022, Washington Post Top Workplace consecutively since 2014, and Department of Labor HIRE Vets Gold Medal for the past seven consecutive years. SPA is a portfolio company of Arlington Capital Partners. For more information: www.spa.com.

 

About Arlington Capital Partners

Arlington Capital Partners is a Washington, D.C.-area private investment firm specializing in government-regulated industries. The firm partners with founders and management teams to build strategically important businesses in the healthcare, government services & technology, and aerospace & defense sectors. Since its inception in 1999, Arlington has invested in over 175 companies and is currently investing out of its $3.8 billion Fund VI. For more information, visit Arlington’s website at www.arlingtoncap.com and follow Arlington on LinkedIn.

 

 

Contacts

Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA)

Sue Nelowet, Director of Communications

snelowet@spa.com

 

Arlington Capital Partners

Ryan Fitzgibbons and Meredith Bishop

Pro-arlington@prosek.com

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Flexera Completes Acquisition of NetApp’s Spot FinOps Portfolio

Thomabravo

With this acquisition, Flexera now has the most comprehensive FinOps offering in market

Itasca, IL and San Jose, CA—Flexera, the global leader in technology spend and risk management, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Spot from NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP), the intelligent data infrastructure company. The acquisition is Flexera’s latest step towards offering a comprehensive set of solutions to help organizations confront growing cloud cost and usage hurdles, especially as the consumption of artificial intelligence (AI) surges and strains cloud budgets.

With this acquisition, Flexera expands its leading Cloud Financial Management offering into a suite of AI-powered FinOps technologies and enhances the value of these offerings by expanding its partner ecosystem. This newly bolstered FinOps portfolio from Flexera allows organizations and managed service providers (MSPs) to manage cloud financial commitments, automate billing and invoicing, reduce workload costs and optimize containers. Flexera FinOps aligns with the expanding scope of FinOps to include data centers, SaaS and public cloud, while also supporting enhanced use cases such as software licensing and sustainability.

“The need for FinOps and cloud cost optimization has never been greater, as critical AI initiatives create more urgency for boards and C-suites to effectively contain swelling cloud and IT spend,” said Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Flexera. “We believe that by bringing Spot and its core products into the Flexera FinOps portfolio, we are now the most comprehensive provider in the space. This also complements our leading positions in IT Asset Management and SaaS Management.”

The Spot business adds new capabilities to Flexera’s FinOps solution with Kubernetes cost management and accelerates innovation in container management, spot cloud instances and commitment management. Spot’s main product lines include:

  • Spot Eco helps organizations unlock the full value of their cloud services with a series of cloud commitment management features, ensuring organizations capture critical savings from reserved instances, savings plans or committed usage discounts across Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform.
  • Spot Ocean is a Kubernetes infrastructure management product that provides continuous optimization of containers for cost, performance and availability.
  • Spot Elastigroup allows organizations to scale their workloads and maximize the value of their cloud investments with spot instances and virtual machines.
  • CloudCheckr is a powerful cloud cost management tool allowing enterprise, MSPs and distributors to manage and reduce cloud costs, optimize resources and gain operational efficiencies, manage billing and invoicing, improve governance, and strengthen security and compliance.

These solutions are accompanied by a robust portfolio of policy-based best practice checks for cost, security, governance and compliance.

“The completion of this transaction further hones our focus of our Public Cloud business. Our highly differentiated first party and marketplace cloud storage services are complemented by intelligent data and operational services such as Data Infrastructure Insights and Instaclustr. These services, in concert with our Hybrid Cloud products, enable customers to build a seamless intelligent data infrastructure across hybrid multi-cloud,” said Haiyan Song, Executive Vice President, Intelligent Operations Services, at NetApp. “We believe that Flexera is the right environment for Spot portfolio of solutions, employees and customers to thrive.”

Flexera’s integration of Spot also creates new opportunities for partners – particularly MSPs and distributors – to develop or enhance their own FinOps services. With Flexera, partners have a chance to tap into a broader portfolio of technologies and specialists, while building value-added services that cover the expanded definition of FinOps to include ITAM and software licensing, SaaS management, AI spend management and more.

“Flexera customers can expect to gain in capabilities and a richer portfolio, such as a whole slew of advanced purchase commitment automation and container cost management and optimization capabilities,” wrote Tracy Woo at Forrester in a recent blog post. “The Spot acquisition is a boon for Flexera both in market presence with CloudCheckr’s dominant channel presence and with the added capabilities of Spot’s Eco (purchase commitments), Elastigroup (spot automation), and Ocean (container management), which all fill major gaps.”

Flexera recently achieved a new FinOps certification milestone, and now has the largest group of FinOps-certified practitioners in the world. The company also made a significant investment in its partner program, with an emphasis on expanding its support for MSPs. These events continue to reinforce Flexera’s proven leadership in FinOps, ITAM and SaaS Management.

About Flexera

Flexera helps organizations understand and maximize the value of their technology, saving billions of dollars in wasted spend. Powered by the Flexera Technology Intelligence Platform, our award-winning IT asset management, FinOps and SaaS management solutions provide comprehensive visibility and actionable insights on an organization’s entire IT ecosystem. This intelligence enables IT, finance, procurement and cloud teams to address skyrocketing costs, optimize spend, mitigate risk and identify opportunities to create positive business outcomes. More than 50,000 global organizations rely on Flexera and its Technopedia reference library, the largest repository of technology asset data. Learn more at flexera.com.

About NetApp

NetApp is the intelligent data infrastructure company, combining unified data storage, integrated data, operational and workload services to turn a world of disruption into opportunity for every customer. NetApp creates silo-free infrastructure, harnessing observability and AI to enable the industry’s best data management. As the only enterprise-grade storage service natively embedded in the world’s biggest clouds, our data storage delivers seamless flexibility. In addition, our data services create a data advantage through superior cyber resilience, governance, and application agility. Our operational and workload services provide continuous optimization of performance and efficiency for infrastructure and workloads through observability and AI. No matter the data type, workload, or environment, with NetApp you can transform your data infrastructure to realize your business possibilities. Learn more at www.netapp.com or follow us on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

NETAPP, the NETAPP logo, and the marks listed at www.netapp.com/TM are trademarks of NetApp, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

 Read the release on the Flexera website here.

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Sparta secures $42M Series B led by One Peak to transform commodity trading with AI-powered insights and collaboration

Onepeak

Geneva, Switzerland – 24th February 2025 – Sparta, a market-leading provider of real-time intelligence for commodity traders, has secured $42 million in Series B funding led by One Peak, with continued backing from Singular and FirstMark. This investment fuels Sparta’s expansion beyond oil and gas, accelerating its vision to evolve from a data provider into a full-scale AI-powered trading platform – an industry-wide operating system that empowers traders with actionable intelligence and collaborative decision-making.

A Vision Born from Experience

Founded by former traders Felipe Elink Schuurman and Miles Moseley, Sparta was born out of first-hand frustration with the inefficiencies of commodity trading. For years, traders relied on fragmented data buried in endless spreadsheets, hoarding information as a competitive advantage. But today, success depends on real-time insights, seamless collaboration, and AI-driven analytics – not outdated spreadsheets and siloed data.

Recognizing this shift, Sparta has revolutionized how traders, analysts, and risk managers access and act on data. With a robust history of automating global trading workflows, Sparta now sets its sights on harnessing AI to unlock predictive insights, optimize price and volume forecasting, and streamline decision-making for traders worldwide.

“Today’s team-based incentives demand tools that turn isolated insights into collective alpha.”, said Felipe Elink Schuurman, CEO and Co-Founder of Sparta. “To maximize profits, traders need live, granular, customizable data. They also need an AI-powered operating system to analyze, visualize, collaborate, and ultimately help them build conviction”.

Expanding Beyond Oil: The Next Era of Commodity Trading

With this latest funding round, Sparta is set to expand into new commodities beyond oil and gas, leveraging its cutting-edge technology to serve a broader market. The company aims to evolve from a traditional data vendor into a comprehensive trading intelligence platform that enables traders, analysts, and risk managers to collaborate, analyze data, and make real-time decisions within a seamless operating system. Additionally, Sparta will enhance its AI-driven capabilities to identify key market signals, uncover trade patterns, and improve price and volume forecasting, solidifying its position as the trusted AI co-pilot for the industry.

A New Era of Trading Customization, Collaboration and Efficiency

The commodity trading industry is still reliant on legacy tools designed for a different era—one where individual traders thrived on data silos, secrecy, and fragmented knowledge. But the landscape has changed. Today, firms prioritize teamwork over individual performance. Information is no longer exclusive but widely accessible. Leading companies are racing to build centralized data platforms that foster real-time collaboration and decision-making.

Sparta is answering this new demand. By transforming how traders access, share, and act on data, the company is not just solving today’s problems—it is setting the foundation for the future of commodity trading. With its AI-driven platform, Sparta aims to become the next financial data powerhouse, reshaping the industry in the same way that Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters redefined financial markets decades ago.

“This funding is not just about growth—it’s about redefining the way the industry operates,” said Felipe Elink Schuurman. “We are building more than a platform; we are creating the intelligent infrastructure that will power the next generation of commodity trading.”

“In One Peak, we’ve found the perfect partner to execute this vision. Throughout the funding process, we were thoroughly impressed by their deep expertise, strategic insight, and commitment to our vision. Their understanding of our industry and growth potential made them the clear choice to lead our Series B raise. We’re excited to partner with One Peak as we take Sparta to the next level.”

David Klein, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at One Peak, commented, “We are thrilled to support Sparta in revolutionizing commodities trading with AI-powered intelligence and insights for physical and paper trades. The world-class team at Sparta, led by Felipe and Miles, has built a truly innovative platform that doesn’t only solve today’s challenges but also positions Sparta at the forefront of the next AI-powered wave of trading technology.”

“We’re excited to help accelerate Sparta’s dynamic growth and scale the platform across new markets. This investment aligns perfectly with our mission to back exceptional entrepreneurs in market-leading software businesses, and we have no doubt that Sparta will continue to redefine the commodities trading ecosystem.”

About Sparta

Sparta is a leading provider of real-time market intelligence and analytics for global commodity traders. Our cutting-edge technology delivers actionable insights, price transparency, and data-driven decision-making tools, empowering traders to stay ahead in fast-moving markets. With a commitment to innovation and accuracy, Sparta serves a diverse client base, from independent traders to multinational corporations.

To learn more, visit www.spartacommodities.com.

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Surf Internet Raises $175 Million in New Equity and Secures Upsized $300 Million Debt Facility to Support Continued Network Expansion Across the Great Lakes Region

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Following strong growth in 2024, new funding accelerates fiber deployment, bringing high-speed connectivity to more underserved communities.

As Surf Internet® celebrates 25 years of pioneering connectivity, the company has raised $175 million in new equity funding and secured an upsized $300 million debt facility, reinforcing its commitment to delivering fiber-optic broadband to underserved communities across the Great Lakes Region.

The equity investment was led by Macquarie Capital, with participation from existing investors Bain Capital and Post Road Group. The debt upsize, led by DigitalBridge Credit, includes a new commitment from global investment group CDPQ, along with participation from Boundary Street Capital and Liberty Mutual Investments. This builds upon Surf’s existing $200 million debt facility, which includes prior lending commitments from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments).

Together, these investments provide Surf with the financial flexibility to expand its fiber-optic network, enhance multigig capabilities, and reach 275,000 fiber passings in 2025.

“This combined financing strengthens our ability to scale while maintaining long-term financial sustainability,” said Ryan Delack, CFO of Surf Internet. “With the backing of Macquarie Capital and continued support from our existing investors, we are well-positioned to accelerate fiber deployment and bring reliable, high-speed internet to more communities.”

“Surf Internet has an impressive track record in deploying and commercializing fiber infrastructure and has a clear path for future growth,” said Sam Southall, Managing Director at Macquarie Capital. “This investment reflects our confidence in its leadership, strategy, and ability to scale in a rapidly evolving industry.”

“Strong demand for fiber connectivity continues to drive investment in critical broadband infrastructure,” said Chris Moon, Managing Director at DigitalBridge Credit. “We are excited to continue to support Surf’s next phase of growth as they expand across the Great Lakes Region, reinforcing our commitment to enabling the next wave of digital infrastructure expansion.”

The equity transaction closed on February 13, 2025, while the debt transaction closed on February 3, 2025. Houlihan Lokey served as exclusive financial advisor and placement agent to Surf on both transactions, while Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal counsel. Goodwin Proctor LLP served as legal counsel to Macquarie Capital. White & Case LLP served as legal counsel to DigitalBridge Credit as the lead lender.

About Surf Internet

Surf Internet is an innovative fiber-optic internet company that serves as the essential gateway to connectivity across the Great Lakes region of Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The company is building a bridge to the wide-open future by delivering high-speed, reliable internet to homes and businesses in underserved, rural communities. Surf’s 300-plus-person team is local, giving them an edge when it comes to customer care and advocacy for the region. Headquartered in Elkhart, Ind., Surf also has offices in La Porte, Ind., Byron Center and Fowlerville, Mich., and Coal City, Naperville, and Rock Falls, Ill. Learn more at https://surfinternet.com.

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