Actica acquires Gemba Advantage to boost tech capabilities

Sovereign Capital Partners has announced that Actica, a technology transformation and cybersecurity services provider, has acquired Gemba Advantage, a business specialising in software and data engineering.

Gemba Advantage focuses on delivering digital solutions, particularly for UK public sector entities with stringent security and integrity requirements. The acquisition will allow Actica to leverage Gemba's expertise, enhancing its capabilities in designing, building, and maintaining critical systems for government clients.

This move aligns with Actica's strategy of expanding its technology offerings to organisations that play a significant role in protecting the UK and its citizens.

Founded in 2020, Gemba Advantage has gained recognition for delivering secure, scalable, and sustainable technology solutions in complex operational environments. The company employs over 70 specialists in application, infrastructure, and data, many of whom possess high-level security clearances. Gemba maintains strong strategic positions on several long-term contracts with public sector departments and agencies, and also serves private sector clients such as BAE Systems.

This acquisition marks Actica's second under Sovereign's investment, following the addition of Ntegra, a digital engineering firm, in August 2024.

Dr Mike Murphy, Group CEO of Actica, stated: "We are excited to announce the second acquisition of our Buy & Build journey with Sovereign Capital Partners. In August we added Ntegra to the Actica Group, and now the addition of the high-quality engineering team at Gemba Advantage will further enhance the Group's offerings in the areas of delivery of highly secure systems covering business apps, development and operations, cloud-based solutions, and data analytics. Gemba will further enable us to offer our clients a wider range of services, complementing our current offerings in the advisory, architecture, cyber and data areas."

Gemba Advantage's CEO and Co-founder, Dave Mann, commented: "I am delighted that the acquisition of Gemba Advantage by Actica is now complete. This partnership represents an exciting new chapter for our team and our clients. We were drawn to Actica by their passion in their customers' mission, exemplary delivery reputation and their people-focused culture, attributes we hold so dear at Gemba. By joining forces, we will be able to combine our strengths with Actica's to deliver even more value to our customers. The future is bright and we cannot wait to get started!"

Jeremy Morgan, Partner, and Emma Flin, Investment Director at Sovereign Capital Partners, added: "This is an exciting and hugely significant acquisition for Actica and exemplifies our commitment to investing in high-growth companies as part of our Buy & Build strategy. Gemba has an outstanding reputation in the market, with a highly talented and experienced management team. By bringing Gemba's strengths in software and data engineering into the fold, Actica will not only enhance its service offering but also unlock new avenues for growth, positioning the Group for long-term success."

Sovereign is a specialist investor focused on partnering with talented management teams and high-quality businesses, in specific service-based sectors, to deliver accelerated growth both in the UK and internationally. Actica is an independent firm providing business and technical services to the UK public sector and related organisations, specialising in the design, procurement and delivery of digital services and associated business change activities. Gemba Advantage makes high-impact software that is secure, scalable and sustainable. The company's experience and expertise allows us to succeed inside and alongside customers' exacting operational environments.