Lou DiFruscio to Succeed Matt Jones to Lead Next Phase of Rapid Growth

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Blancco Technology Group (“Blancco” or the “Company”), the industry standard in data erasure and mobile lifecycle solutions, today announced that Lou DiFruscio has been named Chief Executive Officer of Blancco, succeeding Matt Jones who will remain as an advisor to the Company and its Board of Directors after more than six years at the Company’s helm.

Mr. DiFrusciohas more than three decades of experience driving efficient growth across a number of software platforms and most recently served as CRO at Invicti Security, which has over 3,500 customers in 115 countries.Prior to Invicti, he served in various sales roles at SmartBear Software,including as CRO, and over the course of his tenure, helped SmartBear more than triple revenue to over $200 million through organic and inorganic initiatives.

“Blancco is the gold standard in secure data erasure and diagnostic software, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining this incredible team and embarking on this next chapter of growth alongside them,” said Mr. DiFruscio. “As customers of all sizes embrace the circular economy, I’m committed to furthering our mission tohelp them reduce risk, increase efficiencies, and improve sustainability with market-leading products and services, while continuing to foster the core values that make Blancco an exceptional place to work for our global team. The Company has an extremely bright future, and I am humbled and eager to be a part of it.”

Mr. Jones originally joined Blancco as CEO in 2018 and helped scale the Company over the last six years, establishing Blancco as the leader in its core markets. “I am proud of all the team has accomplished over the years, and I am confident that Blancco is well-positioned to sustain its leadership position and continue to drive innovation,” said Matt Jones. “I feel honored to have served as Blancco’s CEO and been part of the best team in the business. I look forward to seeing the Blancco team’s future successes as they continue their journey.”

“We are excited to have the opportunity to partner with Lou in driving the Company’s next phase of growth. His experience in scaling high growth businesses will certainly be an asset to Blancco as the Company continues to execute on its growth strategy,” said Mark Ties, Chairman of Blancco’s Board of Directors. “On behalf of the full team, I want to thank Matt for his contributions to the Company over the past six years and his role in making Blancco the clear industry leader.”

About Blancco Technology Group

A carbon-neutral supplier, Blancco Technology Group provides organizations with secure, compliant, and automated solutions that accelerate the transition to the circular economy. Each year, tens of millions of Blancco erasures allow top-tier organizations to protect end-of-life data against unauthorized access, safely redeploy data storage assets, and firmly comply with increased data protection and privacy requirements. Our precise device diagnostics help move used IT assets confidently into the circular economy, enabling enterprises, IT asset disposition (ITAD) vendors and recyclers, and mobile industry stakeholders to operate more sustainably. Globally approved, recommended and certified by governing and industry bodies around the world, Blancco is the industry standard in data erasure and mobile lifecycle solutions. With 40+ patented or patent-pending ideas, we continue to grow the number of innovative solutions global companies can rely on to accelerate operations, secure their data, and grow their businesses. Read more about us at blancco.com.

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Four tech scale up companies announced as winners of the Unicorn Kingdom Pathfinder Awards (UKPA) across innovative categories such as AI and cyber security.Programme aims to nurture the world’s most talented scale ups within the UK’s tech ecosystem and help them establish a base in the UK economy.The UK has more unicorns than France and Germany combined and continues to be a prime destination for tech businesses from across the world.

LONDON, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Four innovative tech scale up businesses tackling challenges from connecting cancer patients to clinical trials, to improving IT systems’ resistance to cyber-attacks, have been announced as winners of the Unicorn Kingdom Pathfinder Awards (UKPA) – DBT’s largest global awards for tech scale up companies. 

The awards, hosted by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), provide a unique opportunity to unearth the most promising businesses in tech and builds on the success of the UK’s Tech Rocketship Awards in 2023, which resulted in £67.4 million investment into the UK.  

The government is focused on transforming the UK into even more of a magnet for investors and global businesses of all shapes and sizes. The awards serve as a reminder that the UK is the place to do business, helping to advance further opportunities for investment and growth.

Finalists were drawn from four categories: AI, Cyber Security, Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) technology and Digital Trade Solutions.  

The winners were announced yesterday at LinkedIn’s HQ in London, where the 10 finalists pitched to a leading panel of judges from the tech industry. They also heard from entrepreneur Alpesh B Patel OBE in a fireside chat, alongside panellists Envisionit Deep AI and Shopline – two successful businesses that have set up in the UK.  

The winners will also attend a roundtable at No10 to discuss their success at the awards and explore ways in which the UK can maintain its position as a premier destination to grow a business.  

Minister for Small Businesses Gareth Thomas said:  

“We have a thriving tech sector worth over $1 trillion, and our Pathfinder Awards are vital in encouraging more tech scale ups from around the world to do businesses here in the UK.  

“Not only does the UK have more unicorns than France and Germany combined, but our country continues to be a prime destination for tech businesses from across the world to come and succeed.”  

Winners of the UKPAs will receive a tailored growth programme to scale up their business in the UK, including support from leading industry and government sector specialists and expertise from DBT’s Global Entrepreneur Programme.   

Winners:  

AI: Massive Bio – an AI-driven platform connecting cancer patients to bio-pharmaceutical clinical trials. The primary goal is for individuals with cancer to be directed to clinical trials tailored almost precisely to their specific condition through accurate and rapid analysis.Cyber Security: CyLock- provides a simple solution to test IT systems’ resistance to cyber-attacks, facilitating ready-to-implement solutions for clients to overcome cybersecurity vulnerabilities.Digital Trade Solutions: Grubtech – empowering restaurants and grocery chains to adopt omnichannel capabilities without the burden of changing core solutions like point of sales.Connected and Automated Mobility: Bottobo – specialises in developing robotics solutions designed to streamline industrial processes and enhance operational efficiency. Mainly focusing autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and software platforms revolutionising the way warehouses and distribution centres fulfil orders.

Cagatay Culcuoglu, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Massive Bio said:

“It’s amazing to win the UKPA award for AI. The UK is a great place to expand globally and for business operations. We are looking forward to building our footprint in Commonwealth nations with the support of DBT and help cancer patients identify the right clinical trials.”

Diego Padovan, Chief Executive Officer at CyLock said:

“In cyber security, trust is something that is essential to provide your products. This kind of competition is crucial to building trust with our customers.”

Mohamed Hamedi, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Grubtech said:

“It’s great to have the UK as a base to accelerate our global expansion. Thank you to DBT for supporting us to open doors, remove barriers, and helping us to hit the ground running.”

Sancak Gülgen, Co-Founder of Bottobo said:

“We really appreciate the support from the UK government for startups and future unicorns. The most important part is that they have a clear plan for the future needs of the technology and focus for us.”

Increasing investment is a mission at the heart of this government. Britain is back and open for business, and our thriving tech sector, already worth $1.1 trillion, shows that the UK is the investment destination of choice.  

The UK is one of only three economies in the world with a trillion-dollar tech sector, closely behind the US and China, and we’re encouraging more tech scale ups to come to the UK and operate here.  

Our new Industrial Strategy will be international from the start, taking learnings from the best of what has been achieved globally. It will build on the UK’s strengths to support even more international businesses to thrive in our market. That’s why digital and tech is one of our growth sectors that will be a focus of the strategy.  

Full list of finalists:

AI:  

Massive Bio – An AI-driven platform connecting cancer patients to bio-pharmaceutical clinical trials. Pix Force – Specializes in developing artificial intelligence algorithms applied to computer vision.Westwell – One of the first companies in China to develop autonomous container trucks. Tessact – An AI Video Tech company which uses video recognition technologies built on advanced machine learning systems. 

Digital Trade Solutions: 

Gallarus Industry Solutions – Provides Intelligent Machine, IT & OT solutions that make smart decisions easy for customers. Grubtech – Empowers restaurants and grocery chains to adopt omnichannel capabilities without the burden of changing core solutions like point of sales. 

Connected & Automated Mobility (CAM):

MooVita – Curates smart mobility solutions to roadworthy autonomous vehicles for urban municipalities worldwide. Bottobo – Specializes in developing robotics solutions designed to streamline industrial processes and enhance operational efficiency. 

Cyber Security: 

CyLock – AI-powered B2B SaaS cybersecurity platform that analyses any IT system automatically and remotely without the need for technical knowledge, installation, configuration or maintenance. Cyberdes – Cyberdes provides AI meets semiconductors in the field of cyber security. 

Notes to Editors  

Full details of the awards can be found here: great.gov.uk/ukpa.More information on the Global Entrepreneur Programme can be found here: https://www.great.gov.uk/campaign-site/gep/The expert panel of judges included DBT Director of Investment John Edwards, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser Tim Kay, Co-Founder of Blue Lake VC Lyuba Guk, and Group Operations Director of Founders Forum Ellie Steel. 

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The 20 MSP Makes Annual List Recognizing Fastest Growing, Privately-Held, Dallas-Based Businesses

PLANO, Texas, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The 20 MSP, a leading provider of managed IT services, is pleased to announce its second appearance on the distinguished SMU Cox Dallas 100™ list, ranking sixteenth this year. This annual honor recognizes the one hundred fastest-growing privately held companies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, evaluated based on their growth and performance over the past three years. This year’s winners were revealed on Tuesday, November 12 at the Dallas 100™ Entrepreneur Awards Gala.

Presented by the Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship at the SMU COX School of Business, the Dallas 100™ celebrates the resolve and innovative spirit of area entrepreneurs, along with their contributions to job creation and the overall economic health of the region.

Collectively, the companies recognized by the Dallas 100™ have achieved an annual growth rate of 1000% from 2021 to 2023, while creating 29,510 new jobs in 2023 alone. The 20’s leadership team considers it a tremendous honor to be recognized alongside such high-achieving organizations.

“There’s no shortage of entrepreneurial talent in the DFW area, so to be included on such an exclusive and prestigious list is truly an honor,” shared Tim Conkle, The 20’s founder and CEO. “We’re a company with a national footprint, but we got our start here in Dallas – and it’s where our heart remains. That makes this recognition especially meaningful. I’m just proud of my team, as well as the incredible companies that call DFW their home. A huge thanks to the Caruth Institute and the Dallas 100™ sponsors for shining a light on this dynamic business community.”

This accolade comes as The 20 continues its national expansion, fueled by strategic acquisitions that have broadened the company’s service offerings while garnering significant industry attention. The 20’s unique M&A approach focuses on integrating MSPs from The 20’s membership-based growth platform, The 20 MSP Group. To date, The 20 has successfully completed thirty-six acquisitions, further solidifying its position as a leader in the managed IT services space.

As Conkle explained, The 20’s consolidation strategy seeks to amplify MSP owners’ talents, expertise, and unique insights. “We’re growing because our clients are growing – and their IT needs are multiplying,” said Conkle. “This is about building a powerhouse of knowledge and capabilities that make us all better – especially the businesses we serve.”

The 20 MSP is poised to continue its rapid expansion in the coming year, with a full pipeline of acquisition candidates and a continued commitment to organic growth.

For more information on the Dallas 100™ and the complete list of 2024 winners, visit the official site at: https://www.smu.edu/cox/centers-institutes/caruth-institute-for-entrepreneurship/dallas-100/previous-winners/2024-winners

About The 20 MSP

As a leading provider of managed IT services, The 20 MSP serves thousands of businesses nationwide, providing each one with white-glove service, secure and streamlined IT infrastructure, and 24/7/365 support. We believe in building lasting relationships with clients founded on trust, communication, and the delivery of high-value services for a fair and predictable price. Our clients’ success is our success, and we are committed to helping each and every organization we serve leverage technology to secure a competitive advantage and achieve new growth. To learn more, visit the20msp.com.

About The 20 MSP Group

The 20 MSP Group is an exclusive consortium for Managed Service Providers (MSP) aimed at dominating and revolutionizing the IT industry with its standardized all-in-one approach. The 20’s robust RMM, PSA, and documentation platform ensures superior service for its MSPs’ clients utilizing their completely US-based Help Desk and Network Operations Center. Extending beyond proven tools and processes, The 20 touts a proven sales model, a community of industry-leading MSPs, and ultimate scalability. To learn more, visit the20.com.

Media Contact

Crystal Conkle, The 20, 9724610880, info@the20.com, https://www.the20msp.com 

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