Author: dcconsult_admin

The Civica Group, an international market leader in business-critical software applications, digital solutions and managed services, has announced that Civica UK Limited, the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, has acquired master data management specialist VisionWare Limited.

Based in Glasgow, and with operations in the UK and the USA, VisionWare is a provider of innovative master data management (MDM) solutions for local & regional government and healthcare. Its products and services deliver to organisations a complete, single view of their customers, enabling more efficient data-driven processes and intelligent automation. The company has been recognised as an innovator by Bloor Research and included in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for MDM of customer data solutions.

In keeping with Group strategy, VisionWare adds customer-relevant technology and expertise which is complementary across Civica’s leading family of business-critical software and services for the public sector. It also builds on the recent launch of Civica’s Digital division and strengthens the company’s capability to accelerate transformation of public services through digital technology and automation.

Master data is a fundamental enabler for digital business platforms. VisionWare’s MDM solutions allow customers to break down the silos that hold data and create a single view, whether of citizens, patients or members, underpinned by smart matching technology to synthesise data across multiple systems.

VisionWare customers include North Lanarkshire Council, which won a 2017 digital engagement award for its customer portal project, Mecklenburg County, BUPA and Premera Blue Cross, the largest health plan in the Pacific Northwest. In the UK the two companies are already working together as part of Civica’s strategic partnership at Hull City Council.

In addition to a significant presence in the UK and Asia Pacific, Civica is active in both the USA and Canada also. The Group is eager to develop opportunities in this market and is committed to supporting North American customers.

Wayne Story, Civica Group CEO, said, “I am delighted to welcome VisionWare to the Group. The public sector faces major change, while emerging technologies as part of a broader digital revolution are also driving a massive shift. Together we have a stronger capability to help customers extract maximum business value from their data, with the opportunity to expand further on the current activities of both companies and to capitalise on key opportunities from digital engagement to machine learning.”

Gordon Cooper, VisionWare founder and CEO, said, “All organisations are dealing with exploding volumes of data and recognise the enormous value locked away in fragmented data assets which can help to deliver a better customer experience and greater efficiency. Master data management solutions have an increasingly important role to play, and we are excited about our increased ability to grow and expand as part of the Civica Group.”

WARACLE, the Dundee technology business has taken a significant minority stake in augmented reality (AR) start-up Mozenix as it pushes revenue past the £10 million mark.

Waracle, which has been part of the Exception Group since 2016, plans to use the technology developed by fellow Dundee business Mozenix to allow it offer clients a wider suite of products. Mozenix was formed by Waracle co-founder Michael Romilly following the Exception acquisition. His brother, David Romilly is business development director at Waracle.

“We’re beginning to see significant demand from our customers to use AR and we’re always on the look-out for emerging technologies that will grow our expertise across digital products,” said David Romilly. AR technology is already being deployed across a number of industry sectors including retail, construction and oil and gas. Mozenix is currently working with Aberdeen-based Return To Scene (R2S), developing mobile AR apps that help to solve complex process efficiency challenges within the oil and gas sector. Mr Romilly said he expected Waracle’s turnover to be between £10.5m and £11m for 2017, up more than 50% on last year. Staff numbers have grown to 125, with the company opening a Glasgow office last year.

Waracle has also made an investment in blockchain startup Wallet Services.

“We’ve grown a lot, won a couple of financial services clients and we’re now looking at broadening our spread of capabilities, specifically around emerging technology, so now we can work across AR, blockchain, Internet of Things and voice,” said Mr Romilly.

Martin Burke, chairman of Exception and Waracle, has also become chairman of Mozenix.

Michael Romilly said: “the investment and support we’ll get from Waracle and Exception is going to be invaluable as we grow our company and AR offering.”

www.mozenix.com

A synthetic biology company with ambitions to become a word leader in the engineering of biology to produce fast, sensitive, reliable and easy to use diagnostic devices has raised almost £500,000 in funding. DC Consulting assisted with securing the finance into Penicuik-based Biotangents, which was led by Kelvin Capital and supported by Scottish Investment Bank, the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise. The cash injection will be used to further develop the company’s exciting Moduleic SensingTM technology, which will be exploited in the $4bn+ veterinary diagnostics market as a product for pen-side point of care use by vets to provide timely diagnosis and improve livestock welfare and profitability.

The company expects to launch their first products in the UK in 2019, before expanding into EU and US markets by building relationships with key commercial partners to generate market share. As well as further developing the technology, the funding secured will also allow the company compare Moduleic SensingTM to the current gold standard PCR tests for BVD and Johne’s (yielding minimum viable product (MVP), a validated laboratory-based test) and design the prototype pen-side device. The next stage is to conclude partnerships to access existing sample handling, results imaging and data reporting solutions, test in the field with veterinary partners, and launch in early 2019.

Calnex Solutions today (29 March 2018) announced the acquisition of JAR Technologies headquartered in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The acquisition, which is for an undisclosed amount, increases the Calnex product portfolio to include JAR’s portfolio of multi-port, multi-user Network Emulators complementing Calnex’s existing Attero product line of network emulators.

JAR Technologies supplies the JAR:Emulate product range of scalable Network Emulators supporting interface rates from 100BT to 40GbE. The JAR:Emulate products are used in a wide variety of networks and applications including Mobile, WAN verification, Data Center relocation, Military/Security, Smart-Grid Utilities, Healthcare and Broadcast Communications as well as Video Conferencing Communications.

“SD-WAN, Cloud/OTT and Data Centers are hot new application areas for Network Emulation,” said Tommy Cook, CEO of Calnex Solutions. “These application areas require products with flexibility & high port count. The acquisition of JAR Technologies enables Calnex to effectively address these key applications as the JAR:Emulate product line provides this flexibility with its scalable, multi-port, multi-user platform.”

“The Calnex acquisition of JAR Technologies enables the JAR:Emulate product line to reach a much broader range of customers and applications,” said Ryan McAnlis, CEO of JAR Technologies.

More information on JAR Technologies is available on the Web at www.jaremulate.com.

About Calnex Solutions
Calnex Solutions is a leading provider of R&D test solutions for telecom synchronisation technologies. The company serves customers in more than 45 countries, including many of the largest telecom companies in the world. Information about Calnex is available on the Web at www.calnexsol.com.

About JAR Technologies
JAR Technologies is a leading provider of scalable Network Emulators for telecoms, IT, datacenter/cloud, video, SD-WAN and security applications. The products are also used in smart grid utilities, healthcare and many other applications. Information about JAR Technologies is available on the Web at www.jaremulate.com

DC Consulting assisted DB Group in securing a Regional Selective Assistance grant of £150,000 for DB Group, a business utility management firm looking to create up to 15 new jobs at the Linlithgow premises. The firm are looking to increase their customer base across the various sectors in which the operate. In order to achieve their UK growth ambitions, the company has a need to invest in their team and the grant funding secured will also assist them with purchasing their existing premises, representing a significant investment that secures the long term future of the company.

The Dundee-based software company aims to at least double its customer base again in the coming year as it opens its first overseas office in the US.

Scottish software firm Kumulos is aiming to double its business for the second year running as it opens its first office in its biggest export market of the United States. The Dundee-based company, whose management platform is used by mobile app developers around the world, is establishing a physical presence in Raleigh, North Carolina. Kumulos chief executive Mark Petrie said the decision follows a successful year for the company, which also recently completed a second-stage funding round raising a six-figure investment. “We are just off the back of a strong 12-month period,” he said. “We have doubled our customer base, and our monthly recurring revenues are up by 335 per cent. Our plan going forward is to repeat that in the coming year.”

About 40 per cent of Kumulos’ customers are based in North America, with others in a further 25 countries. Examples of some of its users include NS804 of Virgina, Princeton Digital in Sydney, Australia and Colombia’s Nativapps.

DC Consulting’s specialist tax term were delighted to assist a long established client with regard all aspects of setting up their EMI Option Scheme, which will play an instrumental part in the company’s continued growth.

Following on from a successful VCT investment in May 2012, Castle Leisure Group undertook a re-finance in August 2017 to secure the Exit of Venture Capitalist, Downing LLP from the current structure. This will enable the management team of Castle Leisure Group to drive value in the business over the medium term.

WooHa Brewing was set up in 2015 by Heather McDonald with the launch of its lager and porter. That was followed soon thereafter by a wheat beer and IPA. The two-year-old Moray firm has set its sights on expansion in the UK and abroad, which will be aided by this investment round of circa £0.75m.

WooHa Brewing has set up a new base at a site in Kinloss as it expands to meet growing demand for its beer from international markets. The move has already created four new jobs at WooHa Brewing. The 6.2 acre site which will become home to a new brewery, and was purchased with the aid of a £133,300 grant from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

Having reached production capacity at its previous site at Balmakeith Industrial Estate in Nairn, the new brewery will expand production capacity five-fold.

“HIE has been instrumental in our growth plans,” said McDonald, whose company has also received assistance in attending foreign trade shows and adapting its packaging for markets abroad.