Fortra
Infrastructure and cybersecurity management solutions
Year of Investment
2019
Sector(s)
Technology
Status
Current
Subsector
Infrastructure and cybersecurity management solutions
Website
fortra.com(Link opens in new window)Headquarters
Eden Prairie, MN
Team
Fortra is a leading global provider of integrated cybersecurity solutions focused on security and compliance, systems and network management, and business intelligence. The company serves more than 17,000 organizations globally, providing their IT departments with software and services that encrypt and secure data, monitor and automate processes, and enable access to information. Founded in 1982, Fortra serves customers ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 organizations.
Investment Summary
Charlesbank's Technology Opportunities team invested in Fortra (then HelpSystems) in 2019, as part of a new investor group that joined existing investors, management and employees. The company is focused on organic and acquisitive growth, as well as expansion into additional markets.
The Charlesbank team has been a terrific partner to us as we’ve executed on our vison of creating a leading cybersecurity platform. We tremendously value their judgment, deep cyber expertise and network, strategic support in sourcing and evaluating M&A, and above all, their engagement and approach to partnership.”
Kate Bolseth, Fortra CEO
Robust M&A Program
With the support of Charlesbank, Fortra has built a substantial M&A engine, nearly tripling the scale of the business through 15+ strategic acquisitions during our hold. These acquisitions have largely been in the cybersecurity vertical, enhancing the company’s overall revenue and growth profile and creating a scaled, strategic business today.
Investment in R&D
Charlesbank has supported meaningful R&D investment in the business to enhance Fortra’s product capabilities and integrate acquired products into complementary solution suites that create a unified experience for the end user. These solution suites have enabled robust cross-sell throughout Fortra’s existing customer base.
Strategic Investment
Charlesbank's Technology Opportunities team completed a partial recapitalization in 2021. This enabled Charlesbank to receive partial liquidity ~18 months after its initial investment, with meaningful rollover to participate in future value creation at Fortra.
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