AVG to boost its mobile & IT services with Level Platforms
The firm best know for its anti-virus and Internet security software AVG is finally going to acquire the company that has since 2003 leveraged deep managed expertise in remote monitoring and management, LPI Level Platforms.
AVG is best known to consumers for its security and privacy software, but it has purchased several companies so it can quickly expand into other services that focus on small and medium-sized businesses. Notably, in August 2011, it acquired Germany-based TuneUp so it could be a major player in the PC optimization and performance space. Just three weeks ago, it took a bigger step into privacy by purchasing web privacy firm PrivacyChoice.
Now the company has acquired Ottawa, Canada-based Level Platforms, which has a powerful remote monitoring and management platform. This software, delivered via the cloud and accessible in a browser, monitors and manages a company’s local and cloud IT infrastructure and applications. This includes accessing and managing mobile devices deployed on your business’ systems.
“We’re growing the portfolio of products for the SMB space,” AVG COO John Giamatteo told VentureBeat. “[Level Systems’] product portfolio fits in nicely with our CloudCare service.”
Giamatteo said AVG was so interested in Level Platforms because its software-as-a-service is incredibly sticky with businesses and has an 80 percent retention rate each year with customers.Giamatteo also said that Level Platforms didn’t have the global reach that AVG does and that it could be powerful to bring Level Platforms to businesses globally.
“They are quite strong in North America, but we want to give them global reach,” he said. “We want to offer a full suite across all platforms, all devices, and all markets and [Level Platforms] will help.”Giamatteo would not reveal the terms of the deal but described the acquisition as “medium-sized.” He said PrivacyChoice was “small,” while TuneUp was “large.”
Level Platforms has more than 100 employees in an office in Ottawa. That office will remain, but it will transition to become Amsterdam-based AVG’s first office in Canada. Giamatteo wouldn’t explicitly say if there would be any staff layoffs, but he did expect there to be some “synergies,” which is code for at least a few reductions.
AVG expects the purchase of Level Platforms will close by the end of June.
Credit: VentureBeat
