Hitachi Solutions America has acquired Capax Global, a Microsoft Azure cloud services partner in Chicago, Illinois. Hitachi now claims to be a Microsoft 'Super Partner' that can deliver business applications, modern workplace, data, artificial intelligence, infrastructure and IoT (Internet of Things) solutions on Azure.
Ahead of the deal, Capax Global was known as a:
- Gold Certified Microsoft Partner;
- member of Microsoft’s Inner Circle for Data and AI;
- member of both Microsoft’s Azure Application Development and Data Partner Advisory Councils;
- finalist for the Microsoft 2017 Data Platform Partner of the Year.
Capax Global has somewhere between 51 and 200 employees, according to LinkedIn, and the company's cloud expertise stretches back numerous years. For instance, the firm launched BI Accelerator offerings for Microsoft Power BI and Office 365 back in early 2015.
Capax Global, also has onsite and mobile IoT Labs -- which allow customers to brainstorm with engineers and data scientists on various IoT-related strategies. Overall, the company has worked with roughly 300 customer accounts on 500-plus solution architectures, Capax Global's website indicates.
Hitachi Solutions Acquires Capax Global: Executive Perspectives
Explaining the deal, Tom Galambos, president and COO at Hitachi Solutions America, said:
“The powerful combination of Hitachi Solutions and Capax Global will allow us to reach new and unprecedented levels of innovation. We are now a one-stop shop for complete Microsoft-based solutions for end-to-end digital transformation solutions. This is a rare achievement in the Microsoft ecosystem – making us a Microsoft ‘Super Partner.’ ”
Added Jerry Hawk, CEO and founder of Capax Global:
“Capax Global has consistently focused on delivering innovative and lasting solutions for our customers and staying at the forefront of the most exciting technologies. We are thrilled to become a part of Hitachi Solutions to broaden our capabilities, expand our scale and accelerate our ability to deliver world-class solutions.”
Capex Global will now operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi Solutions America.
Hitachi Solutions, part of the global Hitachi Group business, has subsidiaries in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, China, and Asia Pacific.
Rise of Microsoft Azure Expert MSPs?
We'll be watching to see if or how Hitachi Solutions positions itself in the Microsoft Azure Expert MSP partner program. Microsoft launched that particular initiative in mid-2018, countering Amazon Web Services' longstanding relationships with cloud-centric MSPs.
MSPs focused on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) now dominate ChannelE2E's list of the Top 100 Public Cloud MSPs.
Microsoft Azure Partner Acquisitions
Meanwhile, M&A activity involving Microsoft Azure partners appears strong. Sample deals include:
- November 2018: Pure Technology Group (PTG), a British IT services and solutions provider, acquired Keytech Managed Solutions, a Microsoft Gold partner.
- September 2018: AccountabilIT acquired ClearPointe Technologies, a Microsoft Azure-focused MSP specializing in cloud-based transformations, migrations, and managed services. WestView Capital Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm, funded the deal.
- August 2018: Global systems integrator Insight Enterprises acquired Microsoft partner Cardinal Solutions for application development services across mobile, web, analytics cloud services & more.
- August 2018: Onica acquired DevOps specialist TriNimbus Technologies, uniting two AWS Premier Consulting Partners.
- July 2018: EACS acquired Sentronex, a Microsoft and Cisco Systems partner in London.
- July 2018: Hitachi Vantara acquired AWS and Azure partner REAN Cloud LLC.
- April 2018: HP Enterprise acquired RedPixie, a Microsoft Azure-focused public cloud consulting, application development and migration services provider.
- April 2018: Reliam acquired Stratalux, essentially merging two MSPs focused on AWS.
- March 2018: Deloitte acquired API Talent, and AWS partner.
No doubt, more Microsoft cloud partner acquisitions are in the pipeline...
Additional insights from Joe Panettieri.