In partnership with Waterland Private Equity (“Waterland”), software development provider GOD (Gesellschaft für Organisation und Datenverarbeitung mbH), is planning to accelerate its growth. The company, based in Lower Saxony, is a leading provider of customized enterprise IT and software solutions, with a special focus on companies with complex supply chains and production processes. The company’s service portfolio is to be expanded through targeted acquisitions as part of a buy-&-build strategy. The shareholders Igor Krahne, Ralf Holland and Dr. Thomas Wolenski will remain on the management team and lead the company operationally, holding significant minority stakes.

GOD has been developing and operating customized enterprise IT and software solutions since 1985. The service provider, headquartered in Braunschweig, with branches in Hamburg, Ingolstadt, Wolfsburg and Wroclaw (Poland), specializes in companies with complex IT projects. With its staff of more than 400 employees, GOD supports large as well as medium-sized enterprises in the development and operation of customized software, from requirement management to architecture and project management. Its range of services also includes modern cloud and edge computing services, as well as SAP consulting.

GOD will continue to support ambitious companies in their digitalization efforts through customized development and expand its already advanced product portfolio. In addition, the company aims to access new regional markets through adding additional locations. The IT and software market continues to grow rapidly due to the advance of digitalization: Germany’s industry association for the information technology and telecommunications sector Bitkom expects revenues in these markets to grow to EUR 174.4 billion in 2021 just and around 20,000 new jobs to be created, just in Germany.

Igor Krahne, Managing Partner of GOD, says: "The IT and software sector is constantly reinventing itself. This calls for both a broad product range on the one hand and a high degree of specialization on the other. Waterland's experience in the tech sector has convinced us that we have the right partner on board: This further confirms our plan to lead the digital transformation together with our clients."

Dr. Gregor Hengst, Principal at Waterland, added: "We are impressed at how GOD's team is consistently growing in the area of complex software solutions. The company is benefiting from demand trends driven by digitalization, cloud computing as well as agile and IoT development. We look forward to further accelerating this growth, among other measures also through acquisitions."

Waterland has extensive experience in digitalization and the IT and telecommunications sectors. Waterland's portfolio in these areas includes Serrala (financial automation and payment software), Skaylink (managed cloud services), Enreach (unified communications), netgo group (IT services) and netrics (enterprise IT).

Waterland was advised by Boston Consulting Group (Commercial), Hengeler Mueller (Legal), Ernst & Young (Financial) and GCA Altium (Debt).

The transaction is subject to approval by the relevant competition authorities.