Month after its launch, Interstellar Group strengthens itself with IT service provider DataByte
19-03-2021
__One month after its own launch, IT group Interstellar, a participation from the latest fund of Quadrum Capital QIF III, adds IT service provider DataByte from Steenbergen to the collection. __
The acquisition of this market leader in the southwest of the Netherlands is part of Interstellar's buy-and-build strategy. This is aimed at the ambition to grow into the most relevant IT group in the Netherlands, based on national coverage and the mission to serve customers at a high level in all aspects of their digital journey. Gert van Drie, investment manager Quadrum Capital: "With the addition of DataByte to the collection, Interstellar is strengthening itself in the southwest of the Netherlands and is taking new steps in its mission and ambition. Like all companies within the Interstellar collection, DataByte is characterized by a strong entrepreneurial mindset, which makes it a perfect match.
See press release below
PRESS RELEASE
Interstellar acquires IT giant DataByte one month after launch____
Almelo, the Netherlands, 18 March – One month after the launch of Interstellar, the group is adding IT service provider DataByte from Steenbergen to its collection. The acquisition is part of a buy-and-build strategy, which is designed to develop Interstellar into the most relevant IT group in the Netherlands and to provide high-level support to customers in all aspects of their digital journey.
DataByte was established in 1987 and has grown into a well-known IT player in the southwest of the Netherlands with offices in Steenbergen and Berkel & Rodenrijs. With 85 committed IT specialists, 450 customers and a strong anchoring in healthcare, manufacturing, business services and the SME segment, DataByte has been a well-known name in the region and beyond for more than 30 years. The IT service provider’s ambition is to double its annual turnover to 40 million euros and to increase the number of business locations in the southwest of the Netherlands from two to six.
DataByte’s management will stay on as the board of the Brabant-based company and participate in Interstellar. CEO John Heijnen sees the future as bright: ″In a rapidly changing market where technological developments follow one another at lightning speed, especially in the field of cybersecurity and the Cloud, we want to stay ahead together with our clients. This digital transition requires far-reaching measures. In collaboration with Interstellar, we are adding a wide range of high quality knowledge and IT specialisations. This will also enable us to continue to provide the very highest level of support to our clients during their digital journey in which adoption, security and innovation will become even more important in the coming decades. In this way, we are fulfilling our ambition to remain the most relevant IT service provider in the southwest of the Netherlands.″
__Giant leap by Interstellar __
It was announced in early February that six successful companies in the IT sector are joining forces under the Interstellar Group banner, creating a new large IT service provider with national coverage in the Netherlands. Interstellar comprises a collection of IT service providers Solimas, Exite ICT and CSN Groep and specialists in the field of cloud and security Fundaments, DataExpert and Pinewood. DataByte has therefore now been added to the list.
CEO Maarten van Montfoort: “DataByte is a reputable managed services provider (MSP) at the top end of the SME market and market leader in the wider region. We made it clear from the very start that we are pursuing a strong buy-and-build strategy, because we want to grow quickly into one of the larger players in the market. We can only build on our competitive advantage by attracting new talent and increasing our national coverage. We are very proud that DataByte wants to be part of this wonderful adventure.”
All companies within Interstellar Group are autonomous enterprises with their own quality, specialisation and identity. They together form one strong collection, with entrepreneurship as the core value. The exchange of knowledge and expertise is multidisciplinary or just tied to one theme, such as cloud and security. The three-member group management originates from the companies within the Interstellar collection, for which investment company Quadrum Capital laid the foundations in 2017 with an initial stake in the IT domain. Interstellar is part of Quadrum Investment Fund III, Quadrum Capital’s newest fund, and thus has the muscle to energetically expand its position as an IT group.
END OF PRESS RELEASE
__About Interstellar __
Interstellar is a collection of generalist and specialist IT companies. All companies are autonomous enterprises with their own quality, specialisation and identity. Together they form a strong collection for the multidisciplinary task that is the digital journey of small and medium-sized businesses nowadays. The group comprises generalist IT service providers (Solimas, Exite ICT and CSN Groep) as well as specialists in the field of cloud and security (Fundaments, DataExpert and Pinewood). Interstellar represents a total of more than 400 employees and an expected turnover of 100+ million euros. www.thisisinterstellar.com
