Sandberg Capital acquires a minority stake in Czech group Daktela, a leading provider of Cloud Contact Centre Software for Customer Care
Slovak private equity company Sandberg Capital has acquired a minority stake in Daktela, the leader in the Czech market for technological solutions for communication with customers. It is the second significant investment by Sandberg Capital from the newly created fund launched in January this year.
LONDON and PRAGUE, June 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandberg Capital, through the Sandberg Investment Fund II, acquired a stake in the fast-growing Czech technology company Daktela, which focuses on providing complete solutions for contact centers and communication with customers. Following the investment, the majority stake in the company remains with the founders – David Hájek and Richard Baar. Both will continue to manage the company together with the existing management team.
"In the area of customer communication, companies have to improve and expand their services constantly. The segment of communication solutions has great potential and, therefore, we consider it our mutual challenge to face the changes that will shape the market in the future. We are looking forward to cooperating with David and Richard in further development of the company," said Michal Rybovič, partner at Sandberg Capital.
He also emphasized that Sandberg Capital has been active in the field of telecommunications for a long time and recognizes that there is great space for further growth for quality solutions, such as those developed by Daktela.
A success story from the Czech Republic
Daktela has created a modern cloud solution suitable both for small businesses as well as large call centers. It has been operating in the Czech market since 2005 and, from the original solution for telephone exchanges, it has gradually expanded to include other communication channels (e.g. mail, SMS, web chat, whatsapp, messenger and others). The result is an 'all-in-one' product for the efficient management and administration of communication between companies and their customers. The solution is used by customers ranging from e-commerce companies and travel agencies to energy companies and call centers.
Three years ago, Daktela decided to expand its product offering to foreign markets resulting in successful business branches in Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and the United Kingdom. Moreover, it has attracted customers from all around the world, including in Mexico, Vietnam and the Philippines. During this period, Daktela's staff has grown by 350 % to a total of 80 people today. At the same time, the company has created a completely new partner program that will help it significantly in further foreign expansion.
"Thanks to the cooperation with Sandberg Capital and their experience in expansion, management and telecommunications, within five years we want to become number one provider in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) market for contact center software and customer care. We aim to be one of the major players in the Western markets as well. We firmly believe that together we can fulfil these visions and have presence all over the world," said Richard Baar, CEO of Daktela, who noted that the entry of Sandberg Capital marks the beginning of a new era for Daktela.
The fact that Sandberg has significant experience in the field of telecommunications should help the company to meet its ambitious goals. Sandberg Capital's portfolio includes, for example, the telco operator SWAN – a long time business partner of Daktela.
Same visions with a new investor
Daktela decided to bring in an investment partner at the beginning of the last year. "We were surprised by the great interest among investors. In a very short time, we had several offers on the table. From the beginning, however, Sandberg's offer and overall approach resonated with us. The negotiations were very constructive. The personal aspect was very important for us and with Sandberg we immediately understood each other. We consider this to be the key for future cooperation. From the very first meeting, it was clear that our visions of where Daktela should go in the future were the same," said David Hájek, one of the founders of Daktela, who is currently focusing on further expansion into foreign markets.
Martin Skaba, the investment manager who managed the entire acquisition process on behalf of Sandberg Capital, confirmed that they were attracted to Daktela because of both a well-established national and multi-national team of experts, with an almost family-like atmosphere, and the product itself.
"Daktela brings a world-class solution to its clients. The product can be easily modified according to individual needs of each customer. It is this flexibility and excellent references regarding the product that have convinced us of the great potential of the company."
During the acquisition, Daktela was represented by the transaction advisory company VICF and the law firm CEE Attorneys. Sandberg Capital cooperated with financial advisors from PWC and with the law firm Kocián Šolc Balaštík.
The parties have agreed that the value and details of the transaction will not be disclosed.
About the Daktela Group
Daktela Group was founded in 2005. Last year, despite the coronavirus pandemic, it experienced rapid growth. The total consolidated turnover increased to almost EUR 7 million and its EBITDA exceeded EUR 1.9 million. Daktela provides services to more than 850 customers across Europe, including leading e-commerce players such as Notino, Rohlík, Mall, Muziker and call center outsourcing providers such as Conectart and Paradigma. Daktela also provides its services via its partner network throughout Europe. Its main partners include T-Mobile Czech Republic, SWAN in Slovakia and E R Associates globally. Several other interesting projects also run on Daktela technologies, including 'Smart Quarantine' in the Czech Republic, where the call center technology is used every month by several thousand operators to track contacts during the pandemic. Daktela's product also advanced to the finals of the 'IT Product of the Year 2021' competition of the Computer World magazine.
About Sandberg Capital
Sandberg Capital is private equity management company operating on the Slovak market since 2014. It focuses on investments in small and medium-sized companies in Slovakia and the CEE region. Daktela transaction represents second acquisition into their second fund with volume of committed capital amounting to 109 million EUR. The new fund was established only in January this year and was invested in primarily by institutional investors, including one of the largest European investors - the European Investment Fund. In its first fund, Sandberg Capital manages assets worth more than 250 million EUR in the fields of IT, telecommunications, agriculture, education and retail. It creates and manages domestic and foreign alternative investment funds with permission from the National Bank of Slovakia.
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