An overview of the week in deals in the Irish technology sector, including the completed acquisition of 3PAR by HP.
HP completes acquisition of 3PAR
HP has completed the acquisition of 3PAR, fully concluding its previous bidding war against Dell. The enterprise value was at $2.35bn or $33 per share.
3PAR offers a virtualised utility storage platform that allows its users to drive down cloud computing infrastructure, storage and management costs. It had been competing with companies such as IBM, EMC and Hitachi.
Dell initially made a bid for 3PAR to expand its own data storage portfolio. It offered $1.13bn. However, HP countered that offer, leading to a fast-paced bidding war to acquire the firm. The price rose to $33 per share and at that point, Dell gave in, letting HP purchase 3PAR.
3PAR will become part of the HP Converged Infrastructure portfolio, which integrates servers, storage, networking and management technologies. HP hopes that the acquisition will help it simplify data centre environments for clients.
Top Gear and Forza Motorsport join forces
Racing game Forza Motorsport and BBC car show Top Gear have teamed up, starting with the release of Forza Motorsport 3 Ultimate Collection in October.
The Forza Motorsport franchise and Top Gear will integrate the Top Gear brand into future versions of Forza Motorsport products.
It will mean the delivery of a number of co-promotions, fusing Forza Motorsport’’s digital automotive experiences and Top Gear’s irreverent approach to car reviews and entertainment.
Firms join forces to rethink waste water treatment
A new deal between US and Irish waste water specialists could see the firms dramatically change the sludge process, according to edie.net.
US multi-national Rockwell Automation, and Dublin-based firm, SCFI – who develop environmental technology solutions in the renewable energy field, wet waste processing and materials recovery – have made a deal on what they believe will “replace expensive and wasteful practices for disposing of waste water”.
FAI strikes €30m floodlights for broadband deal for 500 clubs
A US telecoms infrastructure company has struck a novel deal with the Football Association of Ireland that will see it provide funding for floodlights to local clubs in return for the ability to erect telecoms structures on the grounds of 500 clubs.
The innovative deal struck by US firm Shared Access and the FAI could extend to 500 football clubs across Ireland with a minimum investment of €30m.
The deal will result in world-class shared telecoms resources being located in urban and rural areas around Ireland, the Department of Communications said, welcoming the deal.
In a deal facilitated by the FAI, Shared Access will pay for and erect floodlights for local football clubs.
These floodlights will house state-of-the-art wireless antennas and where available fibre connections, enabling significantly enhanced broadband penetration and mobile phone coverage in the locality.
Where acquires LocalGinger for undisclosed amount
Start-up company LocalGinger, a provider of white label daily deals, has been acquired by location-based media company Where Inc.
Where will gain 10 employees from LocalGinger in the move and no financial details on the deal have been disclosed.
Where provides apps for all major mobile platforms, and has a location-based ad network that reaches around 50 million users.
LocalGinger focuses on secondary markets for its social commerce activities.
PFH enters partnership with Quest Software
Irish private technology and service provider PFH Technology Group has entered a partnership with Quest Software, which will see it become a service delivery provider of Quest’s Windows Management solutions.
“The addition of the Quest Software product range to our portfolio allows us to offer market-leading products and services to our customers, especially in the areas of management, compliance and auditing,” said Paul Hourican, managing director of PFH.
Quest’s Software helps companies’ IT departments reduce cost, complexity and risk within their Windows-based infrastructure.
PFH service offerings will lie in the delivery of Quest ActiveRoles Server, which manages, provisions, reprovisions and deprovisions users securely in Active Directory.
Altobridge and Gateway Communications join forces
An African-Irish alliance is set to offer African mobile network operators the combined use of their satellites and services.
Co Kerry GSM solutions company Altobridge, and Gateway Communications, a supplier of pan-African telecommunications services, have entered into a joint sales and marketing initiative – offering African mobile network operators (MNOs) the combined power of each company’s mobile/satellite solutions and services.
The companies, aiming to deliver cost-effective remote community mobile communications, secured the contract with support from Enterprise Ireland’s Africa market team.
