There is a new development in the software sector. The Valoris group has just acquired Avencall SAS, a Lyon-based software provider in the workspace management market. Here is an analysis by the experts at AURIS Finance, a consultancy specialising in merger and acquisition transactions.
100,000 daily users. This is the number of users that Avencall claims are using its software. Known as XiVo, the software is a Unified Communications and Voice over IP (VoIP) solution designed to maximise call centre performance. The software can be customised to meet the specific needs of users. It is supported by a smartphone application. Avencall solutions are currently used on a daily basis by many companies in the public and private sectors and in a wide range of industries. These include LDC, France’s leading poultry producer, mutual insurer Groupama, and Opteven, Europe’s leading car assistance provider. Founded in 2009 by former employees of Alcatel Réseau Entreprises, Avencall has grown with the support of investment funds. In 2020, Avencall became a subsidiary of the Wisper Group, a company specialising in call centre software, which raised €12 million in the same year.
Joining the Valoris constellation
Under the control of the Wisper Group, Avencall is expanding. In January 2024, the company joined Valoris, a global giant specialising in the acquisition of software solutions. Created 25 years ago, Valoris made its debut in France with the acquisition of the Trapeze Group, a leader in public transport software. The group then expanded into other sectors, notably public administrations and call centres, while maintaining the same strategy: acquiring B2B technology companies that sell proprietary solutions by focusing on markets specific to certain sectors or geographical areas. Valoris is now present in 50 countries through 190 companies.
Constellation Software
Valoris has a unique business model. The group ‘acquires, strengthens and develops technology companies in vertical markets’. These acquisitions enable the group to create a ‘constellation of software companies’. Each acquired company is then strengthened in its market through organic growth initiatives such as project development and new products. Market consolidation is also achieved through complementary acquisitions. Under the Valoris umbrella, targeted companies are not destined to disappear: for the most part, they retain their historic trade names and continue to operate locally.
Several dozen acquisitions a year
In 2022 alone, Valoris made more than 30 new acquisitions in 14 countries. The acquisition criteria are broad, targeting B2B technology companies that market proprietary solutions. The vertical markets currently sought by Valoris are data management, public administration, IT service management, marketing management and risk management. Finally, the size and location of the target company is of little importance, as the group is already present in around fifty countries.
Our experts at your side
The creation of a ‘software constellation’ through successive acquisitions has given Valoris a significant presence in the business software market. Innovative companies offering niche solutions for a specific sector or type of customer are now targeted by potential buyers. Within AURIS Finance, we have a team dedicated to technology and engineering companies. We work with you in your search for financial partners and support you in your divestment and acquisition projects.
