Irish MSP Version 1 expands in UK with Evoco acquisition

AWS and Microsoft partner makes its 13th acquisition by adding Hull-based Evoco to the business

Irish MSP Version 1 expands in UK with Evoco acquisition

Dublin-based IT services provider Version 1 has expanded in the UK through the acquisition of service design and digital transformation specialist Evoco.

The acquisition is the AWS and Microsoft partner's 13th and follows the recent purchase of fellow Belfast firm Neueda in June.

Hull-based Evoco boasts a headcount of 41 and is led by five directors - John Dunnet, Chris Hewitt, Peter Stansbury, Steve Walton, and Enda McCormack - with a particular focus on the public sector.

"This acquisition brings a team with advanced service design and digital transformation expertise to help our customers navigate the many challenges of the increasingly complex digital environments they operate in," Tom O'Connor, CEO of Version 1 said.

"Version 1 is growing rapidly across the UK public sector with customers such as National Highways, Ofgem, Ordnance Survey, Home Office, and Harrow Council to name a few. This latest acquisition further consolidates our position as a market-leader in delivering digital transformation across the UK public sector and further afield.

"We are excited about the opportunity to help illuminate a way forward for our customers across both public and private sectors alike with specialist service design expertise and digital transformation capabilities to drive significant business benefits for them."

The full Evoco team will remain with the business following the merger and become an "integral part" of Versions 1's growth plans, the company said.

Version 1 has also recently announced the creation of 200 new jobs along with a new Accelerate Academy and tech hub in Newcastle.

The business now employs more than 2,000 people, has more than 500 customers and is projecting total revenues to surpass €200m this year.

John Dunnet from the Evoco leadership team said: "The team at Evoco is delighted to be joining Version 1, a rapidly growing technology and digital transformation organisation that shares the same values as we do, including our relentless focus on impactful customer outcomes and excellence in delivery.

"We see the acquisition as being hugely positive in enabling our growth ambitions, helping to accelerate digital transformation in the UK public sector market, and bringing our specialist service design expertise to Version 1's existing customers."