North West deal-doer leads software acquisitions
Leading global operator and long-term software investor Banyan Software has acquired two companies following the company’s recent investment in a dedicated and locally based UK and European team.
Former M&A director of THG Graham Carney leads UK and European acquisitions for the American software business from his base in the North West. He focuses on acquiring, building and growing successful enterprise software businesses, and has acquired two specialist software providers; Element34, headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland; and Clockwork IT, based in Coventry.
Element34’s flagship product, SBOX, allows enterprises to test the functionality of their web and mobile applications across multiple browsers and mobile devices at scale.
Customers include government organisations, global brand owners and several leading European banks and insurance companies.
Carney said: “It was clear to us that there is a wealth of opportunity to partner with leading B2B software businesses in the UK and Europe, which led Banyan to invest in a dedicated team on the ground earlier this year.
“Now, having closed two acquisitions within weeks of each other, this is a testament to the value that our locally based investment team can bring. We’re delighted to welcome Element34 and Clockwork IT to the Banyan group, and we’re excited to build on our acquisition strategy in 2023.”
Michael Palotas, co-founder of Element34, said: “We are delighted to be announcing this acquisition with Banyan, who we see as the ideal partner for Element34’s future success. Their unique ‘buy and hold for life’ strategy enables them to take a long-term view in order to maximise the potential for the company. Their team’s expertise in scaling B2B software businesses globally was evident from the outset and we’re truly excited to be working with them in the coming years.”
Founded in 2003, Clockwork IT delivers field service management software that helps maximise the efficiency and productivity of thousands of remote workers across the UK.
Their core platform, Total CTRL, includes dynamic scheduling tools, mobile app connectivity, an integrated CRM system and automated billing capabilities.
Steve Adams, founder of Clockwork IT, said: “It was paramount for me to find the right partner to support and drive Clockwork’s long-term success. We’re delighted to have found that in Banyan. The valuable insights and expertise that the team can bring is already clear to us, and we’re excited to be involved with the next chapter of Clockwork’s growth.”
Given the strong pipeline of enterprise software businesses throughout the UK and Europe, Banyan — one of North America’s fastest growing private companies and ranked 10th in Deloitte’s 2021 Technology Fast 500 — is accelerating plans to further expand its M&A team.
