Over 180 Technology M&A Transactions since 1998
50+ Years of Operational Expertise Across Managing Partners
Charlotte, NC; December 18, 2006 - DecisionPoint International, a boutique investment bank providing merger and acquisition services to middle-market services and technology clients, announced today that its client, The Strata Group ("Strata") has reached an agreement to be acquired by Ariston Global Partners, L.L.C. ("Ariston"), a portfolio company of Spire Capital Partners, L.P., ("Spire").
Strata, based in St. Louis, Missouri, provides software applications for web-based self-care to both service providers and their customers. Strata's customer self-service ("CSS") solutions are deployed in traditional and next generation networks serving both commercial and consumer market applications. Strata serves a global customer base and distributes its products through a direct sales force as well as through OEM channel partnerships.
Ariston was formed to acquire, develop and operate communications services companies including software, billing, customer care/resource management, provisioning, outsourced services and other tool set companies required by hardware providers and communications carriers. Target clients of such companies include telecommunications carriers, wireless/wireline service providers, cable MSOs, VOIP service providers, communications hardware manufacturers and others.
Ariston was established in the second quarter of 2006 with the acquisition of Telesciences, Inc. Telesciences provides software solutions to communications service providers for mediation and CSS. Telesciences also has a global presence with communications customers in multiple countries in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. "Strata and Telesciences both offer superior software product applications to communications service providers around the world," commented Steve Dubnik, Co-CEO of Ariston Global. "The acquisition of Strata continues Ariston's strategy of acquiring companies to offer a suite of best of class next generation software applications to communication companies globally."
About The Strata Group
The Strata Group is a global leader in subscriber web-based self care for traditional and next generation communications service providers and their subscribers. Strata's C3C application is a modular OSS solution designed to enhance the service provider's network offering to their subscribers. C3C provides service providers with a secure and partitioned web-enabled access to network management data and services. This enables a service provider to readily allow subscribers to manage their own set of communication services such as IP Centrex, VoIP, Multimedia services, and traditional TDM services. C3C is integrated with a variety of softswitches, multimedia servers, and TDM switches, as well as provides support for Media Gateways. C3C assists service providers to take control of their networks, reduce costs, improve productivity, and increase customer satisfaction retention. For more information, please visit the web site at www.stratagroup.com.
About Ariston Global Partners, L.L.C.
Ariston Global will acquire, make majority investments, develop, and operate communications services companies including software, customer care, system integration, provisioning, solution/hardware testing, outsourced services, and other tools needed by equipment providers and communications carriers. Target customers will include telecommunications carriers, wireless/wireline service providers, cable MSOs, VOIP service providers, communications hardware manufacturers and others. For more information, please visit the web site at www.aristonglobal.com.
About Spire Capital Partners, L.P.
Spire Capital Partners, L.P. is a private equity firm founded in 2000 with more than $350 million of capital under management. Spire partners with exceptional management teams to invest in middle market buyouts, recapitalizations, industry consolidations and growth equity investments in the media, communications, information services and business services industries. Spire typically invests between $15 million and $30 million in companies with enterprise values from $25 million to $250 million. Since its founding, Spire has successfully made investments in approximately 30 portfolio companies. The firm is headquartered in New York. For more information, please visit the web site at www.spirecapital.com.
About DecisionPoint
DecisionPoint is a global leader in M&A advisory services for middle-market technology companies in the services, software, and communication sectors. For additional information on DecisionPoint, visit www.DecisionPointINT.com.
For further information, contact: Doug Ellis, Managing Partner; (704) 916-9070; DEllis@DecisionPointINT.com.