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Virtual IT Group signs definitive agreement to secure investment from The Riverside Company to accelerate growth

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SYDNEY, June 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Leading Australian IT Managed Service Provider, Virtual IT Group (VITG), has signed a definitive agreement to secure investment from global mid-market private equity firm The Riverside Company (Riverside) to bolster the platform and accelerate growth both organically and via M&A.

VITG provides comprehensive outsourced IT services including cloud, communications, business continuity, and cyber security to over 1,200 mostly mid- and increasingly large-size clients across Australia and globally.

Founded in 2015 by Christian Pacheco, it employs over 200 local staff and has a strong heritage in innovation and automation, partnering with the likes of Microsoft, Sophos, WatchGuard, and Kaseya.

VITG has expanded rapidly along Australia’s east coast including most recently into Victoria, targeting Australia’s 18,000+ middle market companies that contribute nearly one quarter of the country’s total income.

The $167 billion digital technology sector information is growing fast, expanding by 80 percent in just 5 years according to the Australian Trade & Investment Commission.

The spend on IT services in Australia is also currently estimated at $45 billion annually, growing at high-single digit rates as organisations invest heavily in critical areas such as security and cloud.

Riverside’s VITG investment alongside Christian Pacheco and the VITG team is another example of Riverside’s dedication to its Software, IT, and Business Services industry specialisation in Australia and New Zealand.

Through its global network, Riverside has invested in over 540 platforms and add-ons in these industries to date, including Energy Exemplar, a leading global provider of simulation software for energy markets and EventsAIR, a global events management software provider.

Christian Pacheco will continue as Managing Director of VITG, and will remain a significant shareholder, working with the VITG team to leverage Riverside’s support.

Christian Pacheco, Founder and Managing Director at VITG, said: “The VITG team is thrilled to be partnering with Riverside’s global team of specialists to take our business to the next level. We are pleased to find a like-minded partner who embraces our culture of collaboration and fostering lasting relationships, particularly in the M&A context where VITG has built a strong reputation in acquiring founder-led businesses. As a leading player in a consolidating IT services space, we are excited about what we can achieve together going forward – we are just getting started!”

Nicholas Pejnovic, Principal at Riverside, said: “Investing in high quality technology-oriented B2B businesses like VITG has been a priority for Riverside over many years. We bring access to a global network of experts to support the growth of these companies, which is one unique factor that Riverside offers its portfolio companies. We’re excited about Riverside’s investment in VITG and looking forward to partnering with such a high-calibre and ambitious management team.”

Kevin Xu, Principal at Riverside, said: “This partnership will allow VITG to increase focus on organic growth and continuously enhance the quality service clients are accustomed to, supported by VITG’s significant edge in automation. We will build out specialisations by industry and technical capability, and continue to execute on strategic add-ons.”

Riverside Principals Nicholas Pejnovic and Kevin Xu worked together alongside Vice President Jenny Guo and Analyst Dominique Ling on the deal for Riverside. 

Riverside was advised by Ad Astra Corporate Advisory and Herbert Smith Freehills. VITG was advised by Allier Capital and KPMG Law.

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Virtual IT Group is a leading Australian IT Managed Services provider focussed on simplifying complexity, driving economies of scale and securing IT environments for clients around the country.  Since its founding in 2015, VITG has grown to serve over 1,200 clients and over 25,000 workstations nationally across a variety of industries.

The Riverside Company is a global investment firm focused on being one of the leading private capital and credit options for business owners and portfolio companies at the smaller end of the middle market by seeking to fuel transformative growth and create lasting value. Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has made more than 1,000 investments. The firm’s international private equity and flexible capital portfolios include more than 140 companies. Riverside Australia invests in Australian and New Zealand-based companies with last twelve months (LTM) earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of up to AU$25 million.

Third Hemisphere is The Riverside Company’s PR firm in Australia

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SOURCE Riverside

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PolyAI partners with OpenTable to offer enterprise restaurants and diners reservation support using voice AI

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LONDON and NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — PolyAI, a pioneer in voice AI solutions for customer experience and service, today announced a partnership with OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant technology, expanding PolyAI’s guest-led voice assistants to enterprise restaurants. Locations that opt in will be able to take reservations over the phone, answer questions, gain visibility in customer trends, and deliver on-brand experiences – all while alleviating staff time and resources.

This alliance delivers PolyAI’s lifelike voice AI to help restaurants tackle challenges around staffing and provide consistent hospitality, even off premise. In a survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association, 62% of operators said their restaurants did not have enough employees to support existing demand. With onsite staff focused on in-house patrons, restaurant groups routinely miss between 30-60% of phone calls to their front of house (per PolyAI customer data) – meaning missed revenue opportunities and equally valuable customer touch points.

Never miss another call, thanks to PolyAI and OpenTable

With this strategic partnership, OpenTable’s global network of restaurants will be able to integrate PolyAI voice assistants, built using generative AI and spoken language technologies, to assist their diners in seamlessly booking and managing reservations over the phone, during and outside of operating hours.

“We know how tightly restaurants manage their guest experience and this can be even more complex for our partners doing business at scale,” said Susan Lee, Chief Strategy Officer at OpenTable. “We have, and continue to invest in, technology that pushes boundaries and enhances hospitality and our integration with PolyAI is a new way we can drive efficiencies for our restaurants, and diners.”

For larger operators, this partnership enables numerous iterations of voice assistants to cater to the unique needs of multi-location and multi-brand portfolios, while providing PolyAI’s proven enterprise-grade assurances around availability, security and data protection.

“We have extensive experience deploying voice assistants to hundreds of locations for some of the largest restaurant groups in the world, helping operators resolve up to 70% of calls over the phone without the need for additional staff,” said Michael Chen, VP of Strategic Alliances at PolyAI. “This strong connection with the restaurant industry started right from the earliest days of PolyAI. We’re thrilled to deepen that further and work with OpenTable to help even more restaurant operators attract more diners, streamline operations and maximise revenue.”

The journey starts at the Integration Marketplace

OpenTable restaurants will be able to request an integration with PolyAI via its Integration Marketplace, which powers 150+ integrations among the most widely used restaurant software. Beyond managing reservations over the phone, PolyAI’s guest-led voice assistants also offer operators a powerful new channel for implementing consistent brand experiences that can deliver greater personalisation, more proactive revenue and upsell as well as offer new ways of collecting diner feedback and tracking customer satisfaction.

About PolyAI

PolyAI is a leading provider of AI-powered voice assistants. Their customer-led voice assistants are used across industries within global companies where B2C conversations are crucial, like Whitbread, Greene King, Caesars Entertainment and FedEx. PolyAI’s award-winning voice assistants have earned renown for their ability to understand natural language and provide quick, accurate and helpful responses. Hear more about what they’re bringing to the market by visiting poly.ai

About OpenTable

OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant tech and part of Booking Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG), helps more than 60,000 restaurants worldwide fill 1.7 billion seats a year.  OpenTable’s world-class technology empowers restaurants to focus on what matters most – their team, their guests, and their bottom line – while enabling diners to discover and book the perfect restaurant for every occasion.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/polyai-partners-with-opentable-to-offer-enterprise-restaurants-and-diners-reservation-support-using-voice-ai-302254622.html

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VeriPark Receives Microsoft Business Applications 2024/2025 Inner Circle Award and Joins Partner Advisory Council

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LONDON, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — VeriPark, a Microsoft Solutions Partner in the Financial Services Industry, has been selected for the Business Applications 2024-2025 Microsoft Inner Circle and the Microsoft Financial Services Partner Advisory Council.

Participation within Inner Circle is based on sales achievements that rank VeriPark in the top echelon of Microsoft’s Business Applications global network of partners. Inner Circle members are known for performing at a high-level by delivering innovative solutions that help organizations excel.

Ozkan Erener, CEO VeriPark: “We are honored to once again be recognized by Microsoft for our commitment to driving digital transformation for our clients. Partnering closely with Microsoft allows us to harness the latest technologies to revolutionize the Financial Services Industry. This recognition highlights the success of our collaborative strategy and execution.”

VeriPark first joined Microsoft’s Inner Circle in 2011 and has since provided innovative solutions that help financial institutions achieve a competitive advantage. By leveraging Microsoft’s platform, VeriPark continues to offer unparalleled services and solutions to its clients.

“Partners achieving the Inner Circle demonstrate an exceptional impact helping customers accelerate their AI and digital transformation with Dynamics 365 and Power Platform,” said Peter Jensen, Microsoft Business Application Partner Strategy Lead. “Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program partners who achieve the Business Application Inner Circle distinction stand out for their deep AI, Cloud and Industry knowledge.”

Additionally, VeriPark’s selection for the Financial Services Partner Advisory Council highlights its role in shaping Microsoft’s financial services strategies and product roadmaps. As a PAC member, VeriPark will provide feedback on Microsoft’s financial services solutions and gain early insights into future roadmaps.

About VeriPark 

VeriPark is a global solutions provider enabling financial institutions to become digital leaders by placing Customer Experience at the core of digital transformation. VeriPark’s Intelligent Customer Experience suite delivers world class customer journeys on digital and assisted channels.

With its main offices located in the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, VeriPark helps financial institutions to enhance customer acquisition, retention and cross-sell capabilities. Their proven, secure, and scalable solutions cover Customer Engagement, Omni-Channel Delivery, Branch Automation, and Loan Origination. VeriPark collaborates with clients, crafting innovative technology strategies and solutions, that impact millions of people daily, bringing the promise of digital transformation to life.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/veripark-receives-microsoft-business-applications-20242025-inner-circle-award-and-joins-partner-advisory-council-302253197.html

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Huawei Updates FTTO 2.0 and Releases New Scenario-based Products, Driving Campus Networks to Wi-Fi 7 Era

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SHANGHAI, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — During HUAWEI CONNECT 2024, Huawei updated fiber to the office (FTTO) 2.0 and launched a series of new scenario-based products for industries such as education, healthcare, and hospitality. The next-generation green 10G all-optical network oriented to Wi-Fi 7 accelerates fiber-in copper-out and contributes to campus intelligence.

“In the Wi-Fi 7 era, Fiber-in Copper-out is a must for campus networks, and FTTO 2.0 commercial use is accelerating. Huawei is willing to work with customers and partners to seize opportunities in optical business, achieving a win-win future for campus intelligence.” noted Gavin Gu, President of Enterprise Optical Business Domain, Huawei.

Huawei’s FTTO 2.0 solution achieves a simplified architecture with the number of network layers cut from three to two, active to passive transition, 30% lower energy consumption, and 80% less cabling. Based on XGS-PON Pro and Wi-Fi 7 technologies, this solution supports 12.5G/25Gbps to rooms, 10Gbps to APs, and 2.5Gbps to desktops. The hard slicing technology enables multiple services to be carried over one network, reducing the TCO by 30%. This helps enterprises build green, ultra-broadband, and simplified campus networks.

At the session, Huawei released a selection of FTTO 2.0 products for various scenarios and industries.

In the education industry, Huawei launched the industry’s first high-density ultra-10G optical terminal Huawei OptiXstar P884E for smart classrooms. Meeting the requirements of high-density and high-bandwidth access scenarios, this product implements 12.5G/25Gbps to classrooms and 2.5Gbps to desktops. For dormitories, Huawei launched the industry’s first 8-port Wi-Fi 7 optical AP OptiXstar W617E, which supports unified wired and wireless access for a room with 8 students. For education metro networks, Huawei launched the edge optical gateway Huawei OptiXstar E853E. Supporting remote PON port deployment, closed-loop local service forwarding, and flexible configuration, the Huawei OptiXstar E853E meets the access requirements of all services in campuses such as primary schools and kindergartens.

For hospital wards, Huawei launched the industry’s first 10G ceiling-mounted Wi-Fi 7 optical AP Huawei OptiXstar W817C, whose seamless roaming technology enables mobile ward rounds.

For hotels, Huawei launched the next-generation three-in-one Wi-Fi 7 optical AP Huawei OptiXstar W827E-3, which supports unified access of wired, wireless, and telephone services so that one ONT can carry all services in each guest room over one fiber. In this way, it provides ultimate Wi-Fi 7 network experience at a lower cost and improves the positive feedback rate of guests.

For factory workshops, Huawei launched the small-sized industrial optical terminal Huawei OptiXstar T602E, which supports guide rail installation and fiber to the machine without extra cabinets, allowing for flexible capacity expansion. By helping to build a reliable and flexible advanced industrial network for smart factories, the product improves the quality and efficiency of factory production.

Huawei’s FTTO solution has been put into commercial use in more than 9000 campuses around the world. In addition, Huawei’s 50G POL solution that supports hard slicing has also been put into commercial use.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/huawei-updates-ftto-2-0-and-releases-new-scenario-based-products-driving-campus-networks-to-wi-fi-7-era-302255376.html

SOURCE Huawei

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