We are pleased to announce we have supported Altia to acquire Aquila Intelligence Solutions Ltd (Aquila), a digital intelligence and investigation solution that supports and simplifies investigations.
The deal, which supports Altia to broaden its proposition further, represents the fourth acquisition for Altia following our investment in 2020.
Altia is a leading global provider of specialist intelligence and investigation software. The business, based in Nottingham and Glasgow, supports police forces and investigation teams to automate processes using technology, reducing time and money spent on investigations and improving prosecution rates.
Aquila develops complementary software for any organisation that conducts investigations, from volume and serious crime to fraud or regulatory breaches. Its products allow members of the public or partners to send evidence and intelligence overtly or anonymously and enable investigators to locate, capture and ingest data from the internet – including images, videos, web pages or documents.
Tom McGhee, co-founder of Aquila said: “This acquisition marks a significant milestone in our journey, and we are thrilled to join forces with a company that shares our vision and values. Together, we believe we can achieve even greater success and make a bigger impact in our industry.”
In addition to supporting M&A activity, our investment has also allowed the business to build out its senior team, with the appointments of a Chief Financial Officer and a Chief Revenue Officer announced last month, alongside maintaining its status as a great place to work.
Lauren Patterson has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer. With a strong background in commercial leadership and a passion for integrating people and technology, Lauren brings considerable expertise to the firm following roles in the software and technology industry.
James Grew has also joined Altia in the role of Chief Revenue Officer. James joins with a track record of propelling revenue growth and nurturing sales teams, this combined with a deep understanding of the technology landscape and the public sector means he is well-positioned to drive the company’s ongoing expansion.
The business has also been accredited as a Great Place to Work-Certified TM organisation for the second year running, reflecting Altia’s commitment to providing a supportive and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive at work.
Rob Sinclair, CEO of Altia, said: “We want to continue to create cutting-edge software that will transform the way the public and private sector tackle investigations. The addition of Lauren and James to the team, alongside the acquisition of Aquila, supports us toward these ambitious plans and helps us expand the Altia proposition further into the digital evidence market space.”
Allan Dunn, Director at NorthEdge, added: “We’re thrilled to support the continuous growth and success of Altia. Aquila represents Altia’s fourth strategic acquisition since we invested in the business and it’s fantastic to have played our part in helping the business to expand. The appointment of Lauren and James has brought additional leadership capabilities to the business and I look forward to working closely with them and the wider Altia team as we continue to build a better business, together.”
The acquisition of Aquila by Altia builds on the momentum in the wider NorthEdge portfolio, with a further eight bolt-on acquisitions completed to accelerate growth across the portfolio in the last twelve months.