MemberSuite acquires EventFarm

In July 2019, AMS platform MemberSuite acquired event management system EventFarm. Terms were not disclosed. Read the news story.

MemberSuite has raised over $15M in funding since 2016.

Personify acquires events management company a2z

In November 2018, Personify announced that it had acquired a2z, a leading events management technology company. Read the press release.

Personify’s current private equity firm, Pamlico, took over from Rubicon in September 2018, which likely gave Personify additional funding for more acquisitions.

Perbyte acquires Future Value Consulting

Aptify services partner Perbyte has acquired another Aptify services partner, Future Value Consulting. The press release is pasted below.
CHIGAGO, IL (November 1, 2018) – PerByte is pleased to announce its acquisition of Future Value Consulting effective November 1, 2018. Both companies have provided software consulting services to associations, non-profit organizations, and fundraising groups, focusing on organizations using Aptify, an Association Management System (AMS) by Community Brands. The acquisition combines the considerable Aptify expertise of the only two Registered Service Providers for the Aptify AMS
Future Value Consulting was founded in 2009 as Aptify’s first U.S-based services partner. Andrew Crane, founder and CEO of Future Value Consulting, will join PerByte as its Vice President of Professional Services. “Josh and his team have an excellent reputation within the Aptify Community,” says Crane. “We are excited to be joining forces and expect tremendous synergies as our two teams merge into one.” All Future Value Consulting employees have become full-time employees of PerByte.
PerByte has served the Aptify community since 2011. Josh Carlson will continue as President and CEO of PerByte. According to Carlson, “the PerByte and FVC teams have complementary strengths. Together, we will be able to provide our clients with unparalleled support and innovation.” The PerByte team now possesses over eighty years of combined Aptify-related experience, placing it in a preeminent position to support the software.

Community Brands acquires event tech ExpoLogic

In June 2018, Community Brands announced the acquisition of ExpoLogic, a leading event technology company, providing event registration, lead retrieval and trade show services. ExpoLogic has an estimated annual revenue of $10M.

This AMS has an inside track on blockchain tech

Thanks to last year’s acquisition of Wild Apricot, Personify is poised to lead the pack on blockchain technology in the AMS market. Why?

Dmitry Buterin, the founder of Wild Apricot happens to be the father of Vitalik Buterin, co-creator of Ethereum, which is widely acknowledged as the second most valuable cryptocurrency behind Bitcoin. Dmitry is a blockchain enthusiast, and left his position at Wild Apricot to pursue business ventures in blockchain.

And although the elder Buterin has moved on from his post at Wild Apricot, he still serves in an advisory role at Personify, and the Wild Apricot technical team remains highly interested in how blockchain could be applied to associations.

So if you’re curious to see how blockchain applications make their way into the association market, keep your eye on Wild Apricot and Personify.

One of 2017’s acquisitions has a curious twist

Ssshhhhh! There’s a secret about one of last year’s acquisitions in the association technology market. One that gives the acquiring company a significant advantage over its competitors on an emerging technology that many futurists predict will revolutionize the business world and transform society.

That emerging technology is called Blockchain, and I’ll reveal the secret connection (and the vendor that stands to benefit from it) during an Association Trends webinar next week, called Bitcoin, Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies: What are they and how will they affect your association?

The webinar will also cover:

  1. The basics of Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and blockchains
  2. Professions, industries, and institutions that are most likely to be disrupted by blockchain technology
  3. Current and planned blockchain applications that are likely to affect or compete with associations
  4. Examples of established associations that are embracing and researching how blockchain will affect their members
  5. Critical questions about blockchain that association executives should be discussing with their senior teams and boards of directors

My co-presenter is anti-money laundering expert Doug McCalmont, founder of BlocAlt Consulting, which specializes in helping nonprofit organizations leverage blockchains to achieve their missions.

Register for the webinar today.

Two acquisitions announced by Community Brands

In December 2017, Community Brands announced the “addition of 501 Auctions and Gesture to the company, and an agreement in principle to acquire GiveSmart.”

Association Technology M&A and Investment Visualization

I’m preparing for a couple of presentations on consolidation in the association technology sector (including at AMS Fest, November 13-14 in Washington, DC), and wanted to share this visualization in my slide deck of how technology companies are aligning, and which ones have taken investments. This isn’t a complete view of the activity, and covers about a two year period, but it should help you grasp the extent of the consolidation. If you’re reading this in your email inbox, download the images, or click through to see the visualization.