Derby software firm eyes Brussels expansion

Jonathan Horley and Stephen Akers

A Derby Microsoft licensing firm says it is looking at opening an office in Europe after reporting a surge in overseas sales.

ValueLicensing, based in St Mary’s Wharf, says its growth in EU sales has been down to an economic migration of a different kind, as businesses powered by Microsoft begin to move to the cloud, freeing up nearly €1bn per year of licences back into the pre-owned market.

Jonathan Horley, founder and managing director, said “We buy and sell pre-owned Microsoft software licenses at a significant discount, supplying licenses for Microsoft Office, Windows Server, SQL Server and many others to thousands of businesses across the UK and Europe, saving them millions of pounds.

“We acquire the licenses from companies that have moved to a cloud-based subscription service or become insolvent.”

“What we’re seeing now is a change of attitudes to the pre-owned software opportunity here in the UK but especially within the wider EU and we are looking at how we can get closer to the market and how we can serve them best. The logical step would be an office overseas and Brussels would be a great location.“

ValueLicensing’s purchaser manager Stephen Akers added: “While we do very well here in the UK, there is perhaps something of a stigma attached to second-hand licenses here. There is absolutely no reason why this should be the case. Second-hand is less of a stigma in Europe. The high level of transactions we have completed in the EU just goes to show that second-hand licenses are an attractive, cost-effective option for many businesses.

“UK and indeed European firms are potentially wasting millions of pounds and euros by not considering selling perpetual licences when they don’t need them. Don’t let that asset go to waste.”

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