South Florida Tech HubSouth Florida Tech Hub
10
Apr, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Intellias Acquires C2 Solutions, Strengthening Its Digital Health and Medical Devices Expertise

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Intellias, a global software engineering and digital consulting company, has acquired 100% of the shares in C2 Solutions, a Bloomington, MN-based technology services and product lifecycle management firm.  

With an office in Boca Raton, the Chicago-based, Intellias is a global software engineering and digital consulting company with offices all around the world. They are a trusted technology partner to top-tier organizations helping them accelerate their pace of sustainable digitalization. Intellias empowers businesses operating in North America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia to embrace innovation at scale. For more than 20 years, Intellias has been building mission-critical projects and delivering measurable outcomes to ensure lasting change for their clients. Intellias is contributing to the success of the world’s leading brands including HERE Technologies, Rand McNally, TomTom, HelloFresh, and Travis Perkins.

Founded in 2010, C2 Solutions offers services in development & integration, information architecture & data insights, and firmware & software engineering. C2 Solutions is a business-driven technology service firm providing technical delivery services across multiple industries and offering extensive experience in digital health and medical devices technology. C2’s experienced consultants both understand the complexity of the product lifecycle and are eager to get involved to drive measurable results for companies across the US.

With more than 80% of its clients working with C2 for more than 10 years, the company is well known for its digital health and medical devices technology capabilities. C2 has appeared on the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s “Fast 50” list that ranked it among Minnesota’s fastest growing companies.

“Intellias and C2 Solutions share both the values of exemplary client service and a people-centric culture, and the common goal of nurturing the vision of each of our clients,” said Vitaly Sedler, co-founder and CEO of Intellias.

“We are looking forward to fostering relationships with clients in the Digital Health and Medical Devices space by relying on C2’s unparalleled expertise that is complemented by our extensive technological offering.”

The acquisition expands the array of Intellias offerings across North America, strengthening its Digital Health and Medical Devices capabilities. As a company of 3,200 employees and offices in 14 countries, Intellias offers clients a breadth of expertise in mobility, retail, financial services, telecom & media, and high-tech sectors that includes product engineering, AI/ML, cloud and DevOps, IoT, data & analytics.

“Our goal is to support our clients around the world with the technical expertise and deep industry knowledge that allow us to take on and implement projects of any complexity and size. Strategic M&A plays a pivotal role in reaching that goal, as we continue to build on our track-record of robust organic growth, ” said Michael Puzrakov, co-founder and Executive Chair of Intellias.

Dean Nelson and Dave Rowe, C2 Solutions co-founders and co-CEOs who have worked together since 1999, built the company to provide industry-leading solutions that deliver value to their customers, fueled by a strong will to win in the marketplace and in every aspect of their business.

“From strategy to execution, we help clients gain a competitive advantage by transforming their business operations and enhancing their product lifecycle. We are excited to drive value for our clients and win more projects, powered by the technical and engineering capabilities of Intellias,” shared Dave Rowe, co-founder and co-CEO of C2 Solutions.

This is the second strategic acquisition completed by Intellias. In September 2022, the company acquired Digitally Inspired, a UK-based IT services provider focused on product engineering in retail and eCommerce.

To learn more about Intellias, visit www.intellias.com

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09
Feb, 2024

By Nikki Cabus

Broward-based CentralReach Aquires SILAS, a Rapidly Growing, Provider of SEL and Behavior Solutions for PreK-12 Students

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CentralReach announced the acquisition of SILAS – a social and emotional learning (SEL) and behavior solution for PreK-12 general, special, and transition vocational education programs.

Founded in 2012 in Pompano Beach, CentralReach has become the #1 ABA and Multi-Disciplinary Software Provider for Autism and IDD Care featuring end-to-end applied behavior analysis and multi-disciplinary software that supports the delivery of ABA, speech, occupational, and related therapies for care at home, school, and work. Today, under the leadership of Chris Sullens, award-winning CEO in the technology space, CentralReach is the leader in the applied behavior analysis (ABA) field continually striving to propel the autism and IDD care industry forward through cutting-edge technology, an unrelenting commitment to excellence, and a culture devoted to serving the growing neurodiverse population.

The SILAS software will be incorporated into CentralReach’s suite of education solutions, which currently includes ABLLS-R|AFLS digital assessments, IEP management and student rostering, data collection, parent training and professional development tools – making CentralReach one of the only providers in the space to offer a comprehensive education suite that serves the entire student body, from general education to special education.

“We’ve been looking at what Chris and the SILAS team have been doing for quite some time and the impact they are having on the U.S. schools and students they work with,” said CEO Chris Sullens.

“The positive outcomes of their interactive, animation-first approach to social skill acquisition are truly impressive. Unlocking the power of SEL for this generation of children will have exponential impacts on our society as a whole and I’m honored to work alongside Chris and his team to accelerate their mission and increase their impact by expanding their reach in education, to embed their curricula into the market leading offerings we have for ABA providers and to add SEL and executive functioning curricula into our caregiver training products for families with a child diagnosed with autism and broader IDDs.”

Founded by Chris Dudick, SILAS offers research and evidenced-based, CASEL-aligned screening solutions to measure students’ abilities, SEL programs for all tiers with CASEL-aligned lessons, applied behavior analysis-based instruction tools, executive functioning solutions built by renowned industry-leader Dr. George McCloskey, transitional vocational solutions, and so much more. SILAS uses proprietary assessments to customize the learning plan for each student and accelerates reinforcement and retention of those skills through an interactive, animated app that allows students to make bespoke animated videos tied to each lesson. SILAS has almost tripled in size since 2020 purely through word of mouth and teacher referrals and now touches 35,000 students across over 40 school districts in New Jersey. SILAS’s increasing adoption among districts is tied to its effectiveness as a solution. A 2019 study also concluded that the use of SILAS curriculum and software generated a statistically significant increase in student ratings in all competency areas.

Research has shown that treating the whole child by providing social skills training alongside academic training both leads to improved academic achievement as well as helps students learn the skills necessary to navigate their emotions and relationships, ultimately having long-term benefits on students’ lives and outcomes both in and outside of the classroom. While investment in SEL programs continues to grow as seen with the U.S. Department of Education’s announcement last year of a 13.6% increase in investment for these programs; schools have struggled to find tools and curriculum that enables fast adoption and success of these programs. SILAS has been able to step in to help schools unlock the potential of SEL programs by accelerating student understanding and outcomes thanks to the software’s gamification features in ways that have exceeded administrators’ and teachers’ expectations.

Another SILAS customer, Ettie Luban, MA, CCC-SLP, BCBA, Speech Pathologist from Bright Beginnings, also shared, “The students are highly motivated by the moviemaking component. It has been exceedingly beneficial when teaching a wide range of SEL skills to my students.”

“I’m very proud of the solution we’ve built and the impact that we’ve made on our customers’ programs,” said Chris Dudick, CEO of SILAS. “I chose to partner with CentralReach because of their strong, mission-driven culture and the vast amount of resources, expertise and talent they bring, which will enable us to take the product to new levels and unlock even more potential within the schools that we serve. I look forward to helping the CentralReach team integrate and expand the reach of SILAS’s SEL and executive functioning programs in both the education and ABA provider markets and am particularly excited about adding this curricula as a tool for caregivers through CentralReach’s caregiver-focused application, CR Care Coordinator.”

In addition to SILAS, CentralReach offers leading solutions for special education including the well-known ABLLS-R | AFLS CR Assessments product, which is used by 300+ school districts to help teachers assess students on over 2,400 skills.

Learn learn more abou CentralReach, please visit https://centralreach.com/

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04
Sep, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Successful Ft. Lauderdale-based Enhance Health acquires local JET Health Solutions

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JET Health Solutions, the sister company of Ft. Lauderdale-based OZ Digital, recently announced they were acquired by Enhance Health. 

Established in 1997, JET Health Solutions is the healthcare product division of IT systems integrator and consulting firm OZ Digital Consulting. The company is a premier Enhanced Direct Enrollment (EDE) platform and has been equipping healthcare payers and providers with the technology tools they need to surge ahead of the competition in a rapidly changing healthcare marketplace such as break-through automation systems for both payers and providers that boost productivity, improve operational efficiencies, accelerate sales, and bolster the bottom line.

Enhance Health is a digital health insurance brokerage and care navigation platform. The acquisition reinforces Enhance Health’s commitment to serving its members and scaling its operations effectively through technology. Enhance Health was founded in 2021 by industry veteran Matt Herman and backed by Bain Capital Insurance and has experienced rapid growth due to the record number of Americans enrolling in ACA health plans in 2022. Enhance Health has grown its membership base to hundreds of thousands, and is rapidly expanding into other insurance business lines.

Enhance Health has gained much visibility through recent partnerships such as NASCAR, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and the recent official partnership agreement with the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium.  The multi-year partnership provides wide-spread visibility for the rapidly growing insurance organization between two offices in the Fort Lauderdale area.

“Enhance Health is committed to helping as many people as possible in South Florida access quality healthcare through great health insurance, often at little or no cost. The partnership with the Miami Dolphins will help us spread the word and ultimately get more people covered, given the team’s widespread popularity and dedicated fan base,” said Matthew Herman, CEO and President of Enhance Health.

“We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of JET Health Solutions. Since Enhance’s founding, we’ve been committed to leveraging technology in new ways to simplify the enrollment process. JET’s advanced EDE platform improves our already best-in-class member and agent experience.”

JET Health Solutions’ flagship product, JET Insure is the enterprise-class online private exchange and marketplace quote-to-card insurance automation platform that empowers health plans to sell multiple lines-of-business — individual/family ACA (on/off-exchange), small group, large group, fully/self/level-funded and specialty products — faster and more profitably, all on a single system leveraging all sales channels including brokers and direct to consumer sales. JET Insure is a single platform for all your insurance products sales, and policy management needs.

With hundreds of thousands of members enrolled in Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans as well as Medicare Advantage plans, Enhance Health has established itself as a trusted partner in the healthcare industry. The acquisition of JET empowers Enhance Health to fully own the enrollment process, enhancing its capabilities and expanding its services with one of the few CMS-certified Phase 3 EDEs available in the market.

“Joining forces with Enhance Health is an exciting opportunity to drive meaningful change in the healthcare industry,” said Asad Shamim, Founder and Managing Partner of JET Health Solutions. “Together, we are well-positioned to revolutionize the enrollment process and improve healthcare access for individuals and families across the nation.”

With partners such as Microsoft, Xamarin, Mulesoft, and IBM, JET Health has successfully equipped healthcare payers and providers with cutting-edge tools to excel in the ever-evolving healthcare marketplace.

“Integrating an EDE into our technology stack solidifies Enhance as the leader in the digital health insurance space,” said Jeff Tang, CIO of Enhance Health. “Fully integrated with our CRM and other agent systems, this platform will fundamentally change the way we interact with our members through streamlined agent workflows, actionable data, and enhanced data security.”

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04
Sep, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Miami agtech startup Envonics acquired by world leader RussKap

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Miami-based agtech startup Envonics announces their recent acquisition by world leader RussKap.

Founded in 2019, Envonics has become a leading provider of precision agriculture solutions that enable farmers to achieve optimal crop yields through real-time monitoring, optimization, and data-driven insights. By combining cutting-edge AI-powered technology with a deep understanding of agriculture, Envonics empowers farmers to make informed decisions that enhance productivity, sustainability, and resource efficiency.

This acquisition brings together two major industry players with a shared commitment to revolutionizing sustainable solutions with cutting-edge innovation. Diversifying into agricultural solutions is also a new milestone in RussKap Water’s business and product strategy, bringing new revenue opportunities to the company.

RussKap Water is the world leader in Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG) technology developing advanced AWG systems to produce clean water from the moisture in the air. With a strong focus on quality, sustainability, and efficiency, RussKap Water has become a trusted provider of Atmospheric Water Generation solutions across various sectors, including military, commercial, and residential applications.

The current market base of RussKap consists mainly of industrial, commercial, military, and residential clients in over 40 countries. By integrating Envonics’ product offering with Atmospheric Water Generation, RussKap Water will be able to better develop and serve its agricultural market.

RussKap Water and Envonics bring together top-tier research and development teams and diverse experience in their respective fields. With this acquisition, RussKap Water will expand its market base, providing clients with advanced water solutions for controlled environment agriculture. Envonics will dramatically accelerate its growth trajectory and improve its product offering with new capabilities while continuing to deliver on its commitment to small and enterprise farms.

“Envonics is at the forefront of data-driven agricultural solutions with an exceptional product offering. Integrating our innovative AWG systems with their technology stack will make a tremendous impact in advancing sustainable farming practices” said Ed Russo, CEO at RussKap Water.

Widely recognized as a premier developer in AWG technology, RussKap Water serves as the largest supplier of AWGs to the US military and Department of Defense. With a proven track record in providing high-quality atmospheric water solutions, RussKap Water has transformed the landscape of water sourcing by harnessing the fully-renewable supply of water in air to generate clean and healthy drinking water at the point of need. The company’s revolutionary AWG systems utilize an internal ozone water treatment system to produce drinking water that exceeds global health standards all while greatly simplifying the process of accessing clean drinking water.

“We are thrilled to welcome Envonics into the RussKap Water family,” said Yehuda Kaploun, President at RussKap Water. “Envonics is transforming controlled environment agriculture and by combining our advanced water generation technology with their precision agriculture solutions, we can provide farmers with a comprehensive toolkit to improve their water and crop management needs on all fronts.”

Since its inception, Envonics has been dedicated to supporting farmers worldwide with state-of-the-art precision agriculture solutions. Its primary offering – Envonics Vertical Ecosystem (eVE) – is a plug and play solution that collects real-time crop data and utilizes an AI cloud ecosystem to automatically optimize irrigation and crop environments. By monitoring and optimizing crop conditions in real time, Envonics empowers farmers with actionable insights that maximize yields, enhance sustainability, and improve overall efficiency.

In recognition of the company’s important progress, Envonics was recently awarded a competitive research grant from the National Science Foundation. Their innovative system has set a new standard for precision agriculture, ushering in a new era of data-driven farming practices.

Customers can expect to see this system integrated with RussKap Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs) which will allow growers to determine and maintain the best minerals, water content, and soil composition to make crops grow as quickly and as healthy as possible. RussKap customers can expect to see this included in RussKap’s product offering as they integrate their water from air technology into comprehensive water solutions for agricultural clients.

Lior Barhai, Co-Founder and CEO at Envonics said, “Our mission has always been to enable farmers to maximize the quality, sustainability, and efficiency of their agricultural operations, and we are delighted to join forces with the team at RussKap Water, who share that passion. This deal will enable Envonics to leverage RussKap Water’s scale and expertise to further develop our technology and deliver value to our clients at a faster pace. We look forward to continuing our advancements in data-driven agricultural solutions and are ready to hit the ground running.”

RussKap’s resources will allow Envonics to advance their goals much more rapidly than possible alone. The acquisition has given the Envonics team increased bandwidth that will allow them to expand R&D, improve product offering, and ultimately reach more customers. The joint efforts of RussKap Water and Envonics will lead to the development of innovative solutions that optimize water usage, increase crop yield, and reduce environmental impact. This collaboration will greatly contribute to achieving global goals of improving food security, water access, and sustainability, ensuring more efficient agricultural solutions for future generations.

Lior shared that he realize this was the right opportunity for Envonics when he thought about how RussKap’s mission was so very aligned with their own and how “our combined efforts will lead to better innovations in providing healthy food and healthy water for the world. Additionally, RussKap is a company with global reach and recognition, and is always innovating and looking to integrate emerging technologies. Their world leading AWG systems were the missing link in stabilizing water minerals content for our solutions.”

RussKap Water will become the sole shareholder of Envonics, which will continue to operate as an independent brand and business unit led by Co-Founder and CEO Lior Barhai. Some members of the Envonics team will stay on and RussKap will be bringing new members to the team as well. RussKap is currently a privately held company; no financial information was shared.

“The emerging tech environment in South Florida has been a great aid,” stated Lior. “There is a loud community here and a lot of public interest which has greatly assisted in our growth. The ability to grow year round in South Florida has also been a great help.”

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14
Aug, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Palm Beach-based HotelPlanner acquires leading travel platform Lucid Travel

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Downtown West Palm Beach-based, HotelPlanner, a leading travel technology platform and hotel booking engine, announced the the acquisition of Lucid Travel.

Lucid Travel is a leading sports travel technology company that serves universities, sports teams, and event directors. These market segments are core business segment and growth areas for HotelPlanner and areas in which the two companies share deep expertise plus operational synergies. Lucid believes that travel can be better for teams and that the real innovation needed in sports travel will come from automating the end-to-end booking & management process and focusing on great user experience, notification design, and software automation.

Lucid Travel was co-Founded in 2018 by CEO Ben Knosby and CTO Nick Karagiannis. The company’s software is currently used by more than 150 universities and 10,000+ teams. Under Ben and Nick’s leadership, Lucid Travel has experienced triple-digit growth year-over-year, which is a testament to their strategic vision and managerial talents.

The company currently serves 10,000+ teams, 1000+ events, and over 150 universities in the USA and Canada. Whether you’re a youth soccer club or a university with 40,000 students – booking, tracking and saving money should be easier. Lucid Travel offers a one-stop solution that allows teams to access the entire market of travel vendors in one place while making it easier to book & manage travel services.

“We’re proud to join the HotelPlanner team to supercharge growth across the sports, events, and university markets. With HotelPlanner’s vast network in sports and world-class technology, we’re perfectly positioned to expand our reach and continue making sports team travel better.” says Ben Knosby & Nick Karagiannis, Co-founders, Lucid Travel.

What makes this a smart acquisition for HotelPlanner? 

  • The strongest synergy is with Sports Tournaments & Team Travel, a very successful side of Lucid. HotelPlanner will work with Lucid Travel to drive more business from this segment.
  • Lucid has a very robust suite of software products designed to increase conversion and automate manual tasks. HotelPlanner will implement this software at a broader scale.
  • Lucid helps thousands of Event Directors source and book hotels using group room blocks and hotel contracts. HotelPlanner is integrating Lucid’s existing book of business to the HotelPlanner platform, to increase bookings and operational efficiencies.
  • Lucid provides a one-stop shop for universities and colleges to manage their travel. Adding the Lucid Travel brand to our university partnerships will help us grow this vertical.

Founded in 2003, HotelPlanner has enduring partnerships with the world’s largest online travel agencies, well-known hotel chains, individual hotels, online wedding providers, ancillary lodging providers, corporations, professional and youth sports teams and franchises, universities and government agencies.

HotelPlanner combines proprietary artificial intelligence capabilities, and a 24/7 global gig-based reservations and customer service network. Travel agents can customize all traveler hotel and accommodation needs from a single platform while providing localized advice. HotelPlanner is one of the world’s leading providers of individual, group and corporate travel bookings, specializing in unique “Closed User Group” discount rates offered in unpublished private sale environments.

“Partnering with Lucid Travel is very smart for our business and well-timed with the return of group and sports travel. This partnership plays to our mutual strengths, and it provides a runway for future growth. A Win-Win!” says Tim Hentschel, Co-founder & CEO, HotelPlanner.

Learn more at www.HotelPlanner.com

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20
Jun, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

West Palm Beach-based Digital Resource acquires South Florida territory Fortune Management

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Digital Resource announced the acquisition of the South Florida territory of Fortune Management. 

This acquisition positions Digital Resource as a one-stop-shop for dental practices in South Florida seeking both business and marketing support to grow their businesses.

Founded in 2014, Digital Resource is a full-service internet marketing agency headquartered in West Palm Beach, FL. The company’s winning solutions and experience deliver great results for businesses in all verticals across several key areas, including but not limited to search engine optimization, social media marketing and lead generation. Digital Resource has a proven track record in generating online leads and sales, elevating brand market share, and proving return on investment.

Fortune Management has been providing dental coaching services to dentists for over 30 years. Their proprietary approach helps dentists achieve their professional and personal goals by providing guidance in leadership, team building, financial planning, marketing, and more.

In partnership with Brian Houlahan, a Fortune Management Executive Coach from the Connecticut area, Digital Resource will take on the South Florida territory of Fortune Management and provide a holistic approach to dental practice management, combining Fortune’s expertise in dental coaching with Digital Resource’s marketing solutions.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Brian Houlahan and start Fortune Management South Florida to provide comprehensive support to dental practices,” said Shay Berman, President of Digital Resource. “With our expertise in digital marketing and Fortune’s experience in dental coaching, we’re able to provide a complete solution for South Florida dentists looking to grow.”

Digital Resource’s services will enable dental practices to gain a competitive edge in today’s digital landscape. The agency’s services include search engine optimization (SEO), digital advertising, social media marketing, website design and development, internal practice marketing, and more. With this acquisition, dentists will be able to receive customized marketing and coaching solutions that are tailored to their unique needs.

Brian Houlahan says, “It’s no secret that practices need new patients to grow! By partnering with Digital Resource, we are able to help practices with all the fun things that need to happen next – perfecting a new patient experience, implementing systems to retain patients, increasing case acceptance, controlling overhead expenses, establishing a culture of success, and much more.”

One of Digital Resource’s biggest goals this year was to invest deeper into their franchise partnerships. This is one of the main strategic decisions that has helped Digital Resource double in size over the last couple years.

The acquisition of the South Florida territory of Fortune Management marks a significant milestone for Digital Resource and strengthens the agency’s position as a leading marketing provider in the dental space.

 

 

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31
May, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Carrier Announces portfolio transformation including acquisition of Viessmann Climate Solutions

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Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR) announced strategic actions that will transform the Company’s business portfolio and establish Carrier as a pure-play, global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions.

Carrier will acquire Viessmann Climate Solutions, the largest segment of Viessmann Group, in a cash and stock transaction valued at €12 billion, subject to working capital and other adjustments. The value represents approximately 13X synergized projected 2023 EBITDA. A privately held company with a 106-year legacy of innovation, Viessmann Climate Solutions provides Carrier with an iconic, premium brand in the highest growth segment of the global heat pump and energy transition markets. In addition, Carrier announced plans to exit its Fire & Security and Commercial Refrigeration cabinet businesses.

“The acquisition of Viessmann Climate Solutions is a game-changing opportunity,” said Carrier Chairman & CEO David Gitlin.

“Climate change, sustainability requirements and geopolitical factors are driving an unprecedented energy transition in Europe. Accelerated by government regulations and incentives, the transition creates a significant, long-term growth opportunity. Viessmann Climate Solutions is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this opportunity with its premier brand, highly differentiated distribution channel and innovative product offerings.”

Gitlin continued, “With 70% of its business consisting of heat pumps and related accessories, solar PV, batteries and services, Viessmann Climate Solutions is a critical leader in Europe’s energy transition. We look forward to welcoming its 11,000 team members to the Carrier family and Max Viessmann, CEO of Viessmann to the Carrier Board of Directors at closing, which is expected around the end of 2023.”

“The Viessmann Climate Solutions acquisition and planned exit of Fire & Security and Commercial Refrigeration will further simplify our business portfolio and accelerate our strategy to establish Carrier as the global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions,” continued Gitlin. “Recent strategic actions, including the Toshiba Carrier Corporation acquisition and the sale of Chubb, have aligned our company with the most significant megatrends impacting the heating and cooling industry, including managing climate change and delivering on net zero emissions targets. While Fire & Security and Commercial Refrigeration are great businesses with incredible, customer-focused teams, the planned exits sharpen the strategic focus Carrier has gained through its 2020 spin-off from United Technologies. With Viessmann Climate Solutions, we are positioning ourselves to be the global climate solutions champion, poised to deliver higher growth and superior shareowner value.”

Max Viessmann, CEO of Viessmann, said, “Our purpose is to create living spaces for generations to come. Carrier’s global reach, broad product portfolio, financial strength and shared commitment to sustainability will enable our Climate Solutions business to fully capitalize on our innovative, integrated solution offering and maximize our impact on Europe’s independent energy transition.”

“Following the closing of the transaction, the Viessmann Group will remain committed as a significant, long-term shareowner of Carrier, reflecting our family’s high confidence in the superior value to be created by this combination. Joining Carrier’s Board of Directors will enable me to work directly with Dave, my fellow directors and the Carrier team to realize the substantial potential of the combination of two iconic and market-leading companies.”

 

Strategic Benefits

  • Positions Carrier to lead in the rapid climate and energy transition in Europe, which is driving sustainable market growth. Geopolitical dynamics and the push for energy independence are driving European governments to promote and prioritize renewable and electric solutions for heating and cooling, which comprise approximately half of Europe’s residential energy requirements. European governments are actively promoting heat pumps and renewable solutions to address these challenges and have implemented a number of related regulations and incentive programs that are expected to result in a significant growth opportunity for key climate solutions. The $5 billion European heat pump segment, in which Viessmann Climate Solutions specializes, is expected to triple in size to $15 billion by 2027.
  • Adds the premier asset in the European climate transition market to Carrier’s portfolio with a proven track record and confidence of high, sustained growth. As the premier European climate solutions manufacturer, Viessmann’s iconic global brand commands premium pricing. Viessmann Climate Solutions also benefits from unique customer access with a direct-to-installer model that includes more than 75,000 installers in 25 countries. These differentiators, combined with its innovative product offerings, have resulted in a superior growth track record and profile. Sales and EBITDA* have grown over 15% on a compounded annual growth rate basis since 2020, with double-digit growth expected to continue through 2030. 2023 forecasted EBITDA* is approximately €0.7 billion on approximately €4 billion of sales.
  • Provides new capabilities that expand Carrier’s comprehensive renewable offerings and strengthen Carrier’s differentiated, digitally enabled lifecycle solutions. In addition to proprietary heat pump technology, Viessmann Climate Solutions offers renewable energy capabilities and home battery storage, as well as smart home system controls and applications that can all be integrated to drive energy efficiency, reliability and convenience. Viessmann Climate Solutions also has extensive digital offerings that expand Carrier’s subscription and aftermarket offerings. The combination creates the industry’s most comprehensive and differentiated suite of sustainable technologies and services, which Carrier plans to scale globally.
  • Transforms Carrier into a simpler, pure-play global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions. The Viessmann Climate Solutions acquisition accelerates Carrier’s transformation into a global leader of intelligent climate and energy transition solutions. Viessmann Climate Solutions’ leadership position in Europe coupled with Toshiba and Giwee’s leadership positions in Asia and Carrier’s in the Americas provides the company with established leadership positions in all attractive segments in all major geographies. The planned exits from the Fire & Security and Commercial Refrigeration businesses will reduce operational complexity and sharpen focus. The outcome will be a Carrier with market-leading positions globally with a higher growth profile.

Viessmann Climate Solutions Transaction Details and Financial Benefits

Under the terms of the agreement, subject to working capital and other adjustments, Carrier will acquire Viessmann Climate Solutions for €12 billion, of which 80% will be in cash and 20% in Carrier common stock delivered to Viessmann Family Holdings.

Reflecting their confidence in Carrier’s growth and value creation, the Viessmann family has agreed to certain long-term lock-up provisions with respect to its equity ownership of Carrier common stock. Max Viessmann will join Carrier’s Board of Directors.

Carrier expects to fund the cash portion of the consideration through a combination of cash on hand and newly committed financing.

Carrier expects to maintain its investment grade credit rating at the close of the Viessmann Climate Solutions acquisition and return to its pre-transaction leverage profile within approximately two years. It also expects to resume share repurchases upon reaching its current leverage. The Company remains committed to a growing and sustainable dividend.

Financial benefits of the acquisition include:

  • Enhanced top-line and EBITDA* growth. The acquisition significantly enhances Carrier’s growth profile given Viessmann Climate Solutions’ expected continued double-digit sales growth. As a result, Carrier expects this acquisition to add more than 100 basis points to the Company’s revenue growth profile.
  • Acquisition accretive to adjusted EPS* by year two. The acquisition is expected to be modestly dilutive in 2024 to adjusted EPS*, accretive in 2025 and increasingly accretive thereafter. Free cash flow* yield is expected to be high-single-digits in year five.
  • Increases aftermarket and recurring revenue growth profile. Viessmann Climate Solutions has a large installed base serviced by more than 1,300 service and support personnel, which is projected to drive double-digit aftermarket growth. In addition to over 90,000 maintenance contracts, including subscription models, Viessmann Climate Solutions’ ViCare digital platform has over 500,000 connected devices that allow customers to use its products and services easily and effectively.
  • Meaningful synergies. Carrier anticipates approximately €200 million of run-rate cost synergies primarily from procurement and insourcing. The vast majority of the cost synergies will be realized by year three. Revenue synergies from cross-selling opportunities are expected to provide further upside.
  • Reduced complexity. Following the acquisition and business exits, Carrier will benefit from a simplified structure with a smaller footprint, fewer ERP systems, fewer legal entities, and fewer, yet more scalable, global businesses.

Listen to social media announcement here. 

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22
May, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Ft. Lauderdale-based CloudHesive, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Premier Partner, acquires Eplexity

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CloudHesive, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Premier Consulting Partner, announced the acquisition of fellow Premier Partner Eplexity, with additional investment from Strattam Capital. 

The combination creates one of the top “pure play” AWS partners in the United States and Latin America, with deep Amazon Connect and application modernization expertise underpinning a focus on helping customers get the most from their cloud investments.

Eplexity is one of the fastest-growing Amazon Web Services Partners with expertise in managed services, large-scale legacy to cloud migrations, and automation through DevOps pipeline implementation and management. Their CXOS Cloud Management Services Platform is built to AWS best practice standards utilizing DevOps tools and practices. CXOS enables customers to provide faster cloud adoption through proven, secure, cost-effective, and optimized migration methodologies, which increase performance and reliability.

The combined company will serve over 500 clients across a diversified set of industries, including oil and gas, logistics, travel and hospitality, healthcare, high-tech, and the public sector.

This milestone will drive growth and elevate the service quality of the combined company’s growing customer list. “The acquisition of Eplexity brings together two AWS Premier Consulting Partner ecosystem leaders to deliver a pure-play solution of scale to the market,” said Jim Walker, CEO, CloudHesive.

“The Eplexity team’s proven success in the small to mid-size market, combined with CloudHesive’s strength at enterprise scale, gives us unmatched capabilities delivering products, services, and solutions to help customers achieve their AWS goals.”

This investment represents the second acquisition for CloudHesive. In 2022, CloudHesive acquired Dextr Cloud, the industry’s most powerful customer service and performance contact center, as a service solution developed on the AWS service eco-system. This was rebranded ConnectPath CX Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) platform, powered by Amazon Connect. The acquisition of Eplexity is critical to help CloudHesive grow its Contact Center, AI/ML, Big data, and application optimization practices. This acquisition will increase CloudHesive’s footprint in the United States to include an office in Denver, Colorado, and add additional Amazon Web Service Partner Programs and Competencies to its portfolio.

CloudHesive is an Amazon Premier Partner and an Amazon Managed Services Partner founded in 2014 by veterans in the cloud technology space. We help our customers adapt and transform their organizations by leveraging the power of the public cloud ecosystem through consulting, and next-generation managed services with a focus on Operational Excellence, Security, Reliability, and Application Optimization. We service global customers and have headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and offices in Norfolk, Virginia, Santiago, Chile, Bogota, Colombia and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“Joining forces with CloudHesive allows us to merge their cutting-edge technologies and service solutions with our Managed and Application Modernization Services,” said John Clendennen, CEO of Eplexity. “This powerful combination will provide unique, customized solutions for customers looking to modernize or transition to AWS environments.”

Strattam Capital first invested in CloudHesive in 2021 to enable CloudHesive to accelerate its pace of innovation while continuing to provide best-in-class services to its high-profile customer base. In addition, the investment provided CloudHesive with the resources to expand its operations and sales team, supporting customers in both the public sector and commercial space, and to pursue rapid geographic expansion.

Click here to learn more about CloudHesive. 

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27
Jan, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

South Florida-based PeakActivity acquires eCommerce software agency Lexima

Read Time 3 Minutes

PeakActivity, an eCommerce and technology services company based in Boynton Beach, recently acquired Lexima, an eCommerce software agency specializing in eCommerce platform technology implementations. PeakActivity’s  already robust technology and eCommerce capabilities will be further deepen their expertise with the acquisition of Lexima.

In 2019, Lexima was founded in Palm Beach County in 2019 just prior to the covid-19 pandemic by Lancey Lexima, a Graphic Designer turned Software Engineer who loved developing apps with amazing user experiences. The company grew quickly. By 2022, the company had a remote team with team members all across North America – from Canada to Tennessee to Florida. Lancey opened their headquarters right in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach.

Lancey  founded Lexima with an intent to build an agency that partners with brands to provide a quality development service. Lexima quickly garnered a reputation for its expertise in the headless eCommerce market, beginning with the Shopify platform and growing to include additional platform technologies, including BigCommerce, Vue.js, and Next.js. Having worked in software development for companies such as MDLIVE, 4Ocean, and MCNA Dental, Lancey began his journey with great experience and needed connections in the industry. Thanks to Lexima’s forethought and early success, the was able to attract the attention of such clients as 4ocean, The Genie Company, and Charleston Wine + Food.

“Joining forces with PeakActivity made perfect sense,” says Lexima Founder & CEO, Lancey Lexima. “We built the business from the ground up to engage with clients as a partner on their eCommerce journey. Through partnering with PeakActivity, we are able to deliver eCommerce excellence at scale.”

The coming together of PeakActivity and Lexima represents an alignment of values, as both organizations focus on ROI-driven user experiences & solutions focusing on four main areas of expertise: Modernization, Optimization, Innovation and Engineering.

More and more businesses seek eCommerce technologies that deliver fast and rich experiences for their customers, such as Shopify and BigCommerce. Lexima provides PeakActivity with another conduit to success thanks to its expertise on platforms that everyone knows of, but few are experts at. Adding Lexima’s talent, leadership, and experience to existing and future clients will allow them to drive better business outcomes and elevate business growth for today and tomorrow.

Since the acquisition, Lancey has stepped into the VP of Technology Solutions for PeakActivity. His role will be focused on leading the company’s eCommerce technology implementations. Lancey will be using tools such as Shopify and Big Commerce to support PeakActivity’s clients through their implementation process and ultimately overall growth.

“Leadership, expertise, and excellence drive everything we do here at PeakActivity,” says PeakActivity CEO, Manish B. Hirapara.

“Having Lexima as part of our team further strengthens our depth of expertise. With Lexima’s eCommerce experts onboard, PeakActivity is now even better positioned to provide value quickly, effectively, and at scale.”

Founded in Boynton Beach in 2012, PeakActivity has already expanded into 7 different countries across 4 continents and employing more than 250 people. Their diverse team believes that their collective experience binds them together, unifying their purpose and infusing and influencing everything—from what we create and develop, to what we believe and value.

PeackActivity recently celebrated their 10 year anniversary in 2022. The company’s background in corporate retail, combined it with their entrepreneurial spirit, enabled them to create a company that leverages the latest technologies to quickly anticipate clients’ needs, solve their business challenges, and enable their progress on their digital journey. Those same ingredients attracted companies such as CITY Furniture, one of America’s Top 20 furniture retailers based in Broward county who announced they took an equity stake in PeakActivity just last year. This news, along with the Lexima acquisition put PeakActivity

PeakActivity provides expert leadership, skilled resources, and growth programs to elevate eCommerce and technology outcomes. The company’s talented strategists, designers and engineers have launched some of the largest eCommerce initiatives using the latest in headless technology, site optimization, and machine learning-enabled solutions.

If you’re looking to elevate your eCommerce experience, we’re the proven partner to climb with. For more information, visit www.PeakActivity.com or contact Hello@PeakActivity.com.

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10
Feb, 2020

By Nikki Cabus

PC Lan Techs Acquired by ImageNet Consulting

Read Time 2 Minutes

PC LAN TECHS Acquired by ImageNet Consulting

We are thrilled to announce that PC LAN TECHS has been acquired by ImageNet Consulting, a leading nationwide provider of Managed Services and Office Technology with over 500 employees and local ownership.

In 2001, PC Lan Techs began helping businesses manage their IT services. Along the way, they solved a big problem for small businesses in becoming their IT Department. Eventually, PC Lan Techs became one of the top leading Managed Service Providers in Florida. It was then when helping small-to-medium businesses thrive in today’s complex digital economy became their mission.

This was also ImageNet Consulting’s mission. ImageNet Consulting is a 60-year-old, family-owned business specializing in office technology with 20 offices in 6 states, 7 of which are located in Florida. In addition to West Palm Beach, there are offices in Miami, Tampa, Sarasota, Orlando, Port St. Lucie, and Vero Beach. In addition to Managed IT, ImageNet is an industry leader in managed print solutions, document management, and electronic content management. They are also one of the nation’s largest authorized HP and Canon copy/print/scan solutions dealers. They are indeed a “one-stop-shop” for all office technology needs. https://www.imagenetconsulting.com/

Founder of PC Lan Techs, Johannes Csonka, is also the Founder and CEO of another organization called AV-Worx, which is a highly trusted specialist in Commercial Audio and Video Integration, with larger clients such as NASA.

Csonka made the decision last year for PC Lan Techs to join forces with a company as passionate about their client’s success as they are. ImageNet Consulting will take PC Lan Techs into the next chapter in their storybook. Moving forward, PC Lan Techs will slowly transition its name and services under the ImageNet Consulting Brand. The companies are extremely excited about what this acquisition brings to both customers and their employees. Stay tuned to see where the growth and innovation take them from here.

For more information visit https://www.pclantechs.com/about-us/news/  

 

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