We Close Deals – Carlsquare advises IKOR on the investment by Ufenau Capital

Despite the ongoing concerns about health in the Corona pandemic, we are pleased to announce that Carlsquare has completed its 22nd successful transaction in the IT and Business Services segment in the last 24 months. Ufenau Capital has acquired a stake in IKOR, headquartered in Hamburg.

As a technology consultancy and integration specialist, IKOR supports the change in the course of advancing automation and digitalisation processes at development and commercial banks, insurance and industrial companies. As a developer of SAP applications, IKOR fills the gaps in the SAP standard and is also one of Europe’s leading consulting firms for the optimisation and development of Guidewire solutions. Through nearshoring of individual software development, the company can rely on an extended circle of highly skilled IT experts.

IKOR was founded 20 years ago and employs over 200 highly qualified employees at six locations in Germany, Austria, Serbia and Poland. Together with the current management team, which continues to hold a significant stake in the company, the market-leading position will be strengthened and further expanded through acquisitions in the coming years.

Ufenau Capital Partners is a privately-owned Swiss Investor Group headquartered at the Lake Zurich which advises private investors, family offices and institutional investors with their investments in private equity. Ufenau Capital Partners is focused on investments in service companies in German-speaking Europe and invests in the Education & Lifestyle, Business Services, Healthcare and Financial Services sectors.

“The goal is to build a group of highly competent technology companies that complement each other and strengthen our position in the platform integration field. In Ufenau, we have found an experienced and reliable partner who does not lose sight of our long-term goals, even in a turbulent overall market, and who will enable us to achieve this vision,” explains Lars Ackermann, CEO of IKOR.

“IKOR is a rapidly growing company that is characterised by its unique corporate culture and the existing know-how of its highly qualified employees. The fragmented market in this environment is ideally suited for a buy-and-build strategy to support organic growth,” adds Ralf Flore, Managing Partner at Ufenau.

“As with other of our clients in IT and business services, IKOR has a very resilient customer and service portfolio. As in 2008/09, we are confident that a positive M&A activity in this segment will accompany us through 2020.” says Michael Moritz, Managing Partner at Carlsquare.

Carlsquare acted as exclusive financial advisor to IKOR, thus once again underlining its performance in the IT services sector with the 22nd transaction in the past 24 months.