Deal announcement

goetzpartners advised the Cygna Labs Group

06. February 2023

goetzpartners advised the Cygna Labs Group on the acquisition of NCC Group‘s DDI business division

The highly specialized software developer and leading provider of DDI, cloud security, and compliance technology Cygna Labs Group GmbH ("Cygna Labs"), a portfolio company of INVISION and VR Equitypartner, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire NCC Group’s DDI business. The acquisition includes the purchase of the DDI Guard™ product, the portfolio of DDI customers, and NCC Group’s team of DDI experts. The acquisition establishes Cygna Labs’ presence in the UK and further strengthens its intellectual property through the acquisition of DDI Guard.

The worldwide DDI market remains a resilient aspect of the broader network infrastructure industry. This is a key acquisition for Cygna Labs as it establishes its UK presence and expands its team of highly specialized DDI experts who will serve many large UK-based and global enterprise organizations. The addition of DDI Guard to its intellectual property will ensure a seamless integration for NCC Group customers while strengthening its team to help better serve its global client base.

Alexander Haecker, CEO, Cygna Labs Group GmbH, said: “Bringing together Cygna Labs’ innovative spirit and the power of our global footprint with the expertise of the NCC Group’s DDI team will benefit our existing and new customers. The team from NCC will become part of the N3K team, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cygna Labs Group. We are committed to ensuring streamlined processes, agility, and the tools needed to enhance our independent full DDI-managed service offering.”

Christian Ehrenthal, CEO, Cygna Labs Corp., said: “As we continue our trajectory towards expanding our reach to the UK market, this acquisition not only brings us closer to fulfilling our mission of providing a seamless approach to security and compliance solutions but extends our market presence, a key objective for Cygna Labs. We are thrilled to expand our product portfolio and, in turn, provide our customers with the best in DDI services and support.”

goetzpartners acted as exclusive M&A advisor to Cygna Labs and its shareholders INVISION and VR Equitypartner, further underlining our competence as advisor in the software sector.

About Cygna Labs
Cygna Labs is a software developer and one of the top three global DDI vendors. Many Fortune 100 customers rely on Cygna Labs’ DDI products and services, in addition to its industry-leading security and compliance solutions, to detect and proactively mitigate data security threats, affordably pass compliance audits, and increase the productivity of their IT departments. Cygna Labs is a portfolio company of INVISION and VR Equitypartner.
Further information: https://cygnalabs.com/en/

About INVISION
INVISION is the leading address when it comes to tailored succession solutions and company and growth financing. As an equity investment company based in Switzerland and Germany, their focus is on SMEs in Europe, particularly in German-speaking Europe. INVISION has helped over 60 companies to bring their growth plans to fruition – particularly with regard to internationalisation, innovation, product development, strategic investments and digital transformation of business processes. INVISION is a trustworthy partner that ensures that the life’s work of entrepreneurs lives on and that business success stories continue to be made.
Further information: https://www.invision.ch/en/

About VR Equitypartner
VR Equitypartner is one of the leading private equity companies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The company supports family-owned SMEs in a target-driven manner and brings decades of experience in finding strategic solutions to complex financing issues. Investment initiatives include growth and expansion financing, corporate succession, and shareholder changes. VR Equitypartner offers majority and minority shareholdings as well as mezzanine financing. As a subsidiary of DZ BANK, Germany's leading cooperative bank, VR Equitypartner consistently puts the sustainability of corporate development ahead of short-term exit thinking. VR Equitypartner's portfolio currently comprises around 60 portfolio companies with an investment volume of EUR 400 million.
Further information: https://www.vrep.de/en/

About NCC Group
NCC Group is a global leader in cyber security and escrow services, trusted by over 14,000 customers worldwide to protect their most critical assets from the ever-changing threat landscape. With the company's knowledge, experience and global footprint, it is best placed to help organisations assess, develop and manage their cyber resilience posture. NCC Group has a significant market presence in North America, Europe and the UK, and a footprint in Asia Pacific with offices in Australia, Japan and Singapore.
Further information: https://www.nccgroup.com/us/

Deal Team

Adelin Trusculescu
Director
Email

Frieder Rieker
Analyst