Digital deal for PE backed Actica

Software and data engineering business Gemba Advantage has been bought by private equity backed cybersecurity firm Actica.

Cheltenham-based Gemba Advantage builds and maintains software and helps deliver digital transformation for clients in the private sector, including BAE Systems, the aerospace, defence, and information security group, and the UK public sector such as the Government. It holds strong strategic positions on several multi-year contracts with its clients.

The business was founded in Cheltenham by Dave Mann, Shelley Wood and Edd Savage in 2020 and employs over 70 people most of whom are application, infrastructure, and data specialists with high-level security clearance.

Actica, is a Guildford-based specialist provider of digital transformation, cybersecurity and technical consultancy services backed by private equity buy and build specialist Sovereign Capital Partners. This is Actica’s second acquisition since Sovereign’s investment in 2022, and follows the addition of Ntegra, a digital engineering practice, in August 2024.

Its core client base is in the public sector including central and local government, emergency services and non-departmental public bodies which have largely trailed the private sector in terms of digital transformation. A recent KPMG report found that only a fifth rate their digital transformation efforts at present to have been a success.
One of the main barriers is a lack of digital skills which creates opportunities for third parties like Actica whose turnover rose 34 per cent year-on-year to £39. 3million according to its latest results.

“The addition of the high-quality engineering team at Gemba Advantage will further enhance the group’s offerings in the areas of delivery of highly secure systems covering business apps, development and operations, cloud-based solutions, and data analytics,” said Dr Mike Murphy, Group CEO of Actica. “Gemba will further enable us to offer our clients a wider range of services, complementing our current offerings in the advisory, architecture, cyber and data areas."

Find out more about private equity and bolt-on deals in our report

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