Private equity firms H.I.G. Capital and Thoma Bravo have agreed to acquire CompTIA‘s brand, IT certification and training business and products.
According to a joint release published Monday, H.I.G. and Thoma Bravo will own and operate CompTIA as a for-profit company and expect the transaction to close in early 2025, subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.
The trade group’s membership-based nonprofit organization will continue to support the IT industry as a separate entity from CompTIA.
“Through this transaction, we will be well-positioned to accelerate and expand the rollout of products and services to train the highly skilled workers of the future, and further strengthen our reputation across the industry as the leading provider of certifications and trainings,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO at CompTIA.
Providing IT Certification and Training Support
CompTIA, which stands for the Computing Technology Industry Association, supports technology workers worldwide by providing comprehensive education, certifications, training and market research across several areas, such as cybersecurity, networking, cloud computing and emerging technologies.
The institution has awarded over 3.5 million certifications to professionals from various tech companies and runs a global partner program with nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and job corps centers to develop and certify tech professionals.
“We look forward to embarking together with management on CompTIA’s next phase of growth as a business fully dedicated to advancing the careers of IT professionals globally,” said Matthew Robinson, managing director at H.I.G.
Also commenting on the potential acquisition, George Jaber, principal at Thoma Bravo, remarked, “We look forward to working with CompTIA to invest in further developing its suite of industry-leading training and certification products, creating the next generation of resources that the industry needs while upholding CompTIA’s global reputation.”
Macquarie Capital, Ropes & Gray and Polsinelli are advising H.I.G. and Thoma Bravo on the transaction.
J.P. Morgan Securities and Husch Blackwell act as exclusive financial adviser and legal counsel, respectively, to CompTIA.
