Global technology consultancy hedgehog lab has secured $7.7 million investment from BGF – one of the largest and most experienced growth capital investors in the UK and Ireland.
As part of the multi-million-pound deal, the business has announced the acquisition of York-based digital product consultancy Netsells in a move that will support the company’s ambitious growth plans.
Headquartered in Newcastle and with United States operations in Boston, Massachusetts, hedgehog lab works with a wide range of global brands, including AJ Bell, Aviva, Deliveroo and Tesco Bank. It provides businesses with cutting-edge mobile app and web development solutions and has grown rapidly since incorporating in 2007.
Netsells is a digital product consultancy working across web and mobile; it is ranked as one of England’s fastest-growing tech businesses.
The two companies will come together under the hedgehog lab brand and will be headed up by hedgehog lab’s current CEO Sarat Pediredla alongside a new executive board that includes ex-Accenture Song managing director and Karmarama founder Ben Bilboul.
Operating in the fast growth mobile and web development sector, BGF’s funding will enable the Group to further expand its service offering to enterprise clients and SMEs in both the UK and US.
Sarat Pediredla commented: “The acquisition of Netsells is a major milestone for us as a company. The combination of two firms with established and renowned capabilities will enhance our offering and growth prospects massively by bringing together some of the best talent in the industry and facilitating our continued expansion into new international markets.”
The deal was led by John Healey and James Baker, investors in BGF’s Yorkshire & North East team.
BGF’s John Healey said: “We are delighted to be supporting hedgehog lab on the next stage of its growth journey. The company has already established itself as a leading global digital product consultancy and the acquisition of Netsells will combine the talent and capability of two great teams, unlocking more opportunities in this exciting sector and positioning the business as a credible player of scale in the global digital marketplace.”
Patrick Richardson, hedgehog lab’s Managing Director of the Americas, stated: “Since founding the Americas operations eight years ago we have expanded our clients from California to Texas to Trinidad and Tobago. This acquisition positions us well from a global talent perspective. Hiring and in this case acquiring the best talent in the world allows us to design and develop world-class digital solutions for our clients.”
