06 Jun 2024
ICON has advised DPOrganizer, a market leader in privacy management SaaS, on its acquisition by DataGuard, a specialist security and compliance automation SaaS provider.
Based in Stockholm, DPOrganizer provides privacy management solutions for privacy professionals and in-house data protection and compliance teams, helping clients in more than 20 countries build and run effective privacy programs, comply with regulation, and build trust with their customers and partners. DPOrganizer is a portfolio company of leading VCs Paladin, Industrifonden, Inbox, and Soläng.
Munich-based DataGuard, which is backed by One Peak and Morgan Stanley Capital, helps over 4,000 customers active in more than 50 countries build robust security and compliance management systems.
Integrating DPOrganizer’s capabilities will amplify DataGuard's offering by enhancing the unique system of record for its customers' security and compliance domain. Together with its comprehensive risk-first approach DataGuard has an asymmetric advantage as the world transitions into the era of AI-piloted security and compliance programs.
The acquisition expands DataGuard’s footprint particularly in the Nordic region and the UK, and strengthens the company’s market position across its core geographies of Europe and North America.
DPOrganizer Co-founder Egil Bergenlind, said: “DPOrganizer was built for and is loved by privacy and compliance professionals. By joining forces with DataGuard, we can add capabilities such as the AI copilot, asset management, risk and controls management, and numerous information security frameworks. We thereby enable customers to build the bridge between security and compliance, expert and non-expert, business and compliance people.
“Huge thanks to Eddie Harding and Florian Depner from ICON for all the hard work. Selling a company is a complex matter, even when both sides know from day one that joining forces makes all the sense in the world. Therefore I found it invaluable to be surrounded by experienced advisors, especially for me as a first time founder.”
ICON Director, Florian Depner commented: “We are thrilled to have advised Egil and his team on this important cross-border transaction in the privacy management space. This fits right into the emerging theme of the convergence of data privacy, compliance and infosecurity industries. As detailed in our recent cybersecurity industry report, we’ve observed a recent uptick in cybersecurity M&A activity and expect industry consolidation to continue at a fast pace.
“This deal, which sees two industry leaders joining forces, bolsters ICON’s continued advisory services for tech leaders across the Nordics, DACH and the rest of Europe.”