SOFTWARE & IT
Hardly any hardware works without software. Data and information must be processed and evaluated, machines must be programmed, controlled, and monitored and processes must be recorded and managed. Software has been developed to fulfill these necessities thereby making digitization possible in the first place.
Selected Sub-sectors:
> IT Services
> Cybersecurity
> Software Development
Since the software industry follows an "asset light" model and entry barriers are very low, the industry is extremely fragmented and saturated with innovation. Many applications have been developed over the last years and have significantly changed our everyday life. Despite the already high level of M&A activity, further increases can undoubtedly be expected as the sector is particularly popular with financial investors.
In the area of software, Aquin is specialized in industry-related technologies such as (M2M) communication solutions, control systems (such as PLC) and IT security. Aquin's successful transaction support in the areas of embedded systems/IoT and control software, combined with in-depth knowledge in the areas of automation and electronics, has provided Aquin with comprehensive M&A knowledge in the software sector and a holistic understanding of the industry in whole.
Through our Senior Advisor, Gerhard Schempp, contacts can be made in various directions to make a successful transaction possible.
SENIOR ADVISOR
SELECTED REFERENCES
Aquin Advises:![]() | On The Entry Of:![]() |

Key Terms
> | With effect from November 3, 2016, Osram acquired a minority stake of 47.5 percent in Tvilight B.V., a Dutch IoT software company specialized in sensor technology and light management software for smart city solutions. |
> | The M&A process was led by Aquin on behalf of Tvilight and its shareholders, Chintan Shah, the founder of Tvilight, and Ponooc B.V., a Dutch clean-tech investment fund. |
Strategic Logic
> | By taking a share in Tvilight, Osram responds to the growing demand for connected, energy-efficient and intelligent street lighting in cities. |
> | The partnership will allow Osram to tap into the knowledge and experience that Tvilight has acquired in connected street lighting networks. |

Tvilight
> | Tvilight, established in 2012, is a European IoT technology leader specializing in sensors, wireless controls and connected light management software for the outdoor environment. Its professional end-to-end street lighting control solutions provide a backbone for future smart city applications. |
> | With a team of 35+ people, working from offices in the Netherlands and India, it has an installed base of over 100 projects globally and has deployed thousands of intelligent devices in iconic cities and critical infrastructure. |
Ponooc
> | Ponooc is an investment fund of Pon Holdings, a Dutch family-owned conglomerate in the transportation sector, generating multibillion revenues and employing 13,000 people. The investment focus of Ponooc is on sustainable energy and mobility. |
Osram
> | Osram is one of the world`s leading lighting manufacturers. Its portfolio ranges from high-tech applications based on semiconductor technologies, such as infrared and laser applications, to intelligent networked lighting solutions in buildings and cities. |
> | As of the end of the fiscal year 2015, Osram employed around 33,000 people worldwide and achieved sales of almost 5.6 billion euros. |
Aquin Advises:![]() |
On The Entry Of:![]() |

Key Terms
> | With effect from November 3, 2016, Osram acquired a minority stake of 47.5 percent in Tvilight B.V., a Dutch IoT software company specialized in sensor technology and light management software for smart city solutions. |
> | The M&A process was led by Aquin on behalf of Tvilight and its shareholders, Chintan Shah, the founder of Tvilight, and Ponooc B.V., a Dutch clean-tech investment fund. |
Strategic Logic
> | By taking a share in Tvilight, Osram responds to the growing demand for connected, energy-efficient and intelligent street lighting in cities. |
> | The partnership will allow Osram to tap into the knowledge and experience that Tvilight has acquired in connected street lighting networks. |

Tvilight
> | Tvilight, established in 2012, is a European IoT technology leader specializing in sensors, wireless controls and connected light management software for the outdoor environment. Its professional end-to-end street lighting control solutions provide a backbone for future smart city applications. |
> | With a team of 35+ people, working from offices in the Netherlands and India, it has an installed base of over 100 projects globally and has deployed thousands of intelligent devices in iconic cities and critical infrastructure. |
Ponooc
> | Ponooc is an investment fund of Pon Holdings, a Dutch family-owned conglomerate in the transportation sector, generating multibillion revenues and employing 13,000 people. The investment focus of Ponooc is on sustainable energy and mobility. |
Osram
> | Osram is one of the world`s leading lighting manufacturers. Its portfolio ranges from high-tech applications based on semiconductor technologies, such as infrared and laser applications, to intelligent networked lighting solutions in buildings and cities. |
> | As of the end of the fiscal year 2015, Osram employed around 33,000 people worldwide and achieved sales of almost 5.6 billion euros. |
CONTACT
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Jürgen Kuttruff Vorstand ![]() ![]() |
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Thomas Grauvogl Principal ![]() ![]() |
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Philipp Neumann Associate ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
Jürgen Kuttruff Vorstand ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
Thomas Grauvogl Principal ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
Philipp Neumann Associate ![]() ![]() |