London – Gamma Communications plc (“Gamma”), a leading provider of technology-enabled communications services across Europe, is pleased to announce its intention to acquire STARFACE Group GmbH (“STARFACE”), a renowned provider of IP telephony and cloud PBX solutions in Germany, from Maxburg, a leading private equity fund focused on technology-enabled businesses in the German-speaking region. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval.
Gamma has set itself the goal of becoming the leading challenger to the established telecommunications providers in the German cloud communications market and transforming the communications landscape for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with innovative, agile and customer-oriented solutions.
The acquisition positions Gamma as a market leader and makes the company one of the leading providers of cloud solutions in Germany. It accelerates the adoption of cloud solutions in a market with significantly lower cloud penetration than the UK. Gamma’s portfolio now offers complete coverage of the German SME market, supported by the extended ecosystem of the STARFACE Group’s extensive partner network, which also includes Austria and Switzerland.
Andrew Belshaw, CEO of Gamma
“This acquisition is a significant milestone for Gamma as we strengthen our position in the European cloud communications market. By combining STARFACE’s strong partner network and technical expertise with Gamma’s established connectivity solutions, we offer unparalleled value to our customers and partners. Together, we are not only strengthening our position in the German market, but also shaping the future of business communications for SMEs across Europe.”
Gerben Wijbenga, CEO of Central and Northern Europe at Gamma
“This is a significant step for Gamma as we expand our presence in the largest European market. The acquisition of STARFACE provides us with a fantastic opportunity to combine our strengths, deliver innovative communications solutions and transform the traditional telecoms industry in the DACH region. We are excited about the potential this partnership brings for our customers, partners and teams.”
Florian Buzin, CEO of STARFACE
“We are very excited to combine our strengths with Gamma, a company that shares our vision of providing SMEs with state-of-the-art communication solutions. This partnership builds on STARFACE’s tradition of innovation and channel excellence and opens up new opportunities for growth and collaboration. Together, we are in an excellent position to shape the next chapter of cloud communications in Germany and beyond.”
Moritz Greve, Partner at Maxburg
“We are delighted that our successful partnership with Florian and the STARFACE management team has now resulted in a transaction with Gamma. The team has done a great job building STARFACE into one of the leading cloud communications solution providers in the DACH region while quadrupling profitability, and we wish both teams continued success in becoming the leading competitive communications solution provider in Germany. Gamma is a perfect fit as the company brings shared values and a vision that ensures a great future for the group, its employees and its partners.”
With the acquisition of STARFACE, Gamma expands its comprehensive UCaaS portfolio and offers SMEs customized communication solutions with improved reliability, scalability and integrated disaster recovery. As part of its existing portfolio, Gamma already provides direct, digital and touchless sales channels as well as a strong partner network. STARFACE’s robust partner ecosystem will further complement and strengthen Gamma’s channel capabilities, ensuring greater flexibility and accessibility for organizations. Together, Gamma and STARFACE offer unparalleled agility and innovation, enabling SMBs to grow and succeed.
This move supports Gamma’s ambition to challenge the incumbents in the German market, drive cloud adoption and deliver future-proof innovation through its expanded portfolio. Gamma and STARFACE are now positioned to take a leading role in reshaping the communications landscape for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany. Further information will follow after regulatory approval.
Q Advisors, a global TMT investment banking boutique, acted as exclusive financial advisor to STARFACE and its shareholders in connection with this transaction.
About Gamma
Gamma is a leading provider of technology-based communications services across Europe. Gamma is admitted to trading on AIM and employs around 2,000 people. With a range of unified communications, mobile, security and connectivity services, Gamma provides robust and secure end-to-end enterprise communications solutions that enable businesses to communicate, collaborate and deliver a better customer experience.
Gamma’s vision is a better connected world where businesses, people and the environment benefit from smarter ways of working. Gamma’s primary market is the UK, where it provides network-based services to SMEs, the public sector and enterprises through an extensive network of trusted channel partners and direct sales and support capabilities. Gamma is expanding its presence in Europe and further developing its digital transformation-focused group of companies by offering services to its customers through a network of channel partners in Germany, Spain and Benelux.
About STARFACE Group
The STARFACE Group unites highly specialized and successful ICT companies that combine their know-how, vision and skills to revolutionize business communication. The group includes STARFACE GmbH (Karlsruhe), estos GmbH (Starnberg) and vio:networks GmbH (Berlin), which work together to make communication better, faster, more efficient and more user-friendly for companies of all sizes. They develop innovative products and solutions that work seamlessly on all common devices and operating systems, enabling truly unified communication.
About Maxburg
Maxburg is a Munich-based private equity fund with capital commitments of more than EUR 1 billion. Maxburg supports and invests in outstanding companies from the DACH region that are built and managed by strong founders, with a focus on software and IT, services and consumer goods (B2B and B2C). STARFACE is Maxburg’s fourth exit in the software sector, following successful investments in Maltego, KGS and Tenado.