Calligo CEO opens up on expanding into the US and closing tenth acquisition

CEO of data services MSP opens up on ambition to democratise data for mid-market businesses

Calligo has expanded its footprint into the US market after acquiring data analytics partner Decisive Data.

Based in Redmond, Washington and a neighbour to Microsoft's global headquarters, Decisive Data is a data analytics firm offering data services including analytics process automation and data visualisation.

The acquisition means Calligo now has a team of 50 staff in the US, adding to its international footprint which now comprises around 230 employees globally.

Speaking to CRN, Calligo CEO Julian Box said he has been looking for a base in the US for several years, and acquiring Decisive Data will enable further expansion into the States through both M&A and organic growth.

Decisive Data is Calligo's tenth acquisition in the last four and a half years and its fifth in the last 13 months.

"We have a strategy to accelerate growth in the US. I would be surprised if we didn't do another acquisition in the US at some point; so it certainly is a big focus for us. With the team we've got at Decisive, we're going to invest in a bigger sales team and apply our marketing capabilities to it, so we do expect to drive growth beyond what Decisive would've done naturally themselves," he said.

"We already have US clients, but I think it's true in that you can only do so much if you're not in the jurisdiction. I don't think we'd be where we are in Canada if we hadn't done the acquisitions. It is not just about the fact you're acquiring clients, it's that you are physically there as well; so it is a big benefit."

Box added that Decisive Data conducts around 80 per cent of its business remotely, which means the business is geared up for post-Covid business and will also be able to support Calligo's customers outside of the US.

Calligo's Data Insights division will be expanded into new locations over the years, according to Box. This part of the business is set to be the main M&A engine behind Calligo over the next few years.

"For us that's where we're moving to and is really our focus over the next two or three years Our acquisitions are all going to be focused on the data and delivering data services capabilities and less about the technology piece," he said.

"I know this is quite a bold statement, but we're very keen to democratise data insight and bring that price point and ease of use down because we think the opportunity is huge there.

"That ability to tap into a dataset and that insight is very appealing to a mid-tier business. Right now the big companies are paying the big wages to get the data scientists and the big infrastructure to invest in machine learning and that data insight, so it's difficult for the mid-tier and smaller guys to get in on that."