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With IKB Equity Finance GmbH joining the circle of shareholders, visionapp AG expands its investor base and underpins its expansion course. The investment of the Düsseldorf-based IKB in visionapp, the internationally established IT solution provider headquartered in Eschborn near Frankfurt, Germany, confirms the attractiveness of the visionapp product portfolio, which is focused on the currently highly demanded IT services and products related to application delivery, primarily for the business world. Strongly committed to innovation, visionapp focuses on new technologies and strategies, and recently publicly outlined its strategies on virtualization and SaaS (Software as a Service).
“With IKB Group, we are happy to have won one of the biggest German investors in the SME sector,” said Jan Zirn, member of the visionapp AG Executive Board. His colleague Jörg Krick added: “With IKB Equity Finance on board, we are now in a position to implement our expansion projects much faster.”
The agreement between IKB Equity Finance and visionapp AG was concluded mid-June 2008. The investment involves a share in the seven-figure Euro range. “We consider 'Software as a Service' a very exciting topic and believe visionapp is very well positioned in this field,” said Roland Eschmann, Managing Director of IKB Equity Finance. Christian Schaumkell, Investment Director of IKB Equity Finance added: “We see a large potential in the company and wish to support the visionapp team in achieving their goals even faster.”
More specifically, the expansion in the North American and British markets as well as the extension of the hosting activities under the “VIVIO” brand are among the company’s top priorities. Recently set up in London, the British subsidiary (visionapp Ltd.) has already had enormous customer successes. More recently, visionapp has founded a subsidiary in the US for the North American market (visionapp NA Inc.), with negotiations for the acquisition of the California-based iQurious Corp. in their final stage. These two subsidiaries will increase visionapp’s employee base by approximately 15 percent.
On the organizational level, visionapp AG has also strengthened their position by winning Prof. Dr. Matthias Hartmann as third member of the Supervisory Board in June 2008. As professor for Production, Logistics and Information Management at the Berlin School of Technology and Economics as well managing partner at Takticum Consulting GmbH, Berlin, Prof. Dr. Hartmann ideally complements the visionapp Supervisory Board. Composed of three members, the board is headed by Prof. Andreas Creutzmann, professor for Company Evaluation and Value-based Management at the SRH Academy in Calw and Chairman of the IVA Valuation & Advisory AG Executive Board. The Deputy Chairman is Norbert Thurner, Sales Director South-West for SME customers at Deutsche Telekom.
About IKB Equity Finance GmbH
Headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, IKB Equity Finance GmbH invests in SMEs, primarily acquiring minority shares, through its IKB Equity Capital Fund I GmbH & CO. KG fund. The company’s investment strategy essentially includes growth capital, shareholder buy-outs, after-turnaround investments and occasional MBO minority shares.
