Academia Ltd. and all subsidiaries, has been acquired in majority by Strive Capital, a capital investment company owned by Andrew Harman, the former founder of Annodata.

The acquisition will allow the Academia Group to continue its impressive year-on-year growth whilst expanding and diversifying into additional markets and services. This will also allow Academia to fast track investment into M&A plans and future developments into its existing service propositions. 

The investment aligns with Strive’s strategy, with Academia becoming the cornerstone and foundation for future acquisitions. It also builds on Andrew’s 25 years in the IT industry, having spearheaded the successful growth and sale of Annodata Ltd in 2016.

Commenting on the acquisition, Mike Bacon, Academia Group CEO says, “Academia has worked incredibly hard to provide the very best levels of service and competitive pricing for its customers, which in turn has been solidified by their loyalty to us for almost two decades.

“As we move into the next stage of our development, our customers, along with our staff and wider stakeholders, can be confident the additional resources and wealth of experience, provided by the team at Strive Capital, will enhance our capabilities further. We will be able to offer a wider range of services and establish a secure platform.”

Bacon continued, “I would like to personally thank all our stakeholders, for supporting Academia so far. We look forward to an exciting future ahead.”

Commenting on the announcement, Andrew Harman, founder of Strive Capital says, “I have been reviewing a number of investment opportunities over the past year and feel there is a gap in the market for a consolidated technological offering. Academia has excellent heritage in providing IT services, particularly to thousands of schools, colleges and universities across the UK and has a very strong and experienced management team. Having acquired a major shareholding in the company, I’m excited to be back in the technology sector and I look forward to working with the team and supporting the business on the next stage of its growth. I’m very passionate about the technology sector and together I feel we can make a significant impact in the market.”