LEA Partners engages in strategic partnership with ORCA

  • Heinz Nießen, founder and sole shareholder of ORCA Software GmbH and ORCA-online GmbH, sells all shares to pass the companies on to the next generation
  • Together with the LEA portfolio companies PROJEKT PRO and SOFTTECH, ORCA will significantly advance its market leadership in the DACH region for commercial construction software and accelerate digitalization in the construction industry
  • A total of 15,000 customers will benefit from the exceptional expertise of over 250 employees in the future to further improve their planning processes and increase their economic success

 

Neubeuern/Karlsruhe, July 10, 2024: ORCA Software GmbH ("ORCA"), based in Neubeuern and a leading German software company in the construction industry, is undergoing a change of ownership. The founder and sole shareholder of ORCA Software GmbH and its sister company ORCA-online GmbH, Heinz Nießen, has sold all of his shares indirectly to funds managed by LEA Partners ("LEA") to pass the companies on to the next generation. "In LEA, we have found a strong, reliable partner to lead the ORCA Group into the future. Of course, it is difficult to pass your life's work on to new hands," says Heinz Nießen, who will also be stepping down as managing director, "but the LEA team is an optimal fit, both personally and professionally, to give ORCA the perfect support to continue the impressive growth path of recent years with the entire team."

LEA plans to continue the company at the Neubeuern headquarters with the existing management team. Closing of the purchase agreement, the terms of which the parties have agreed not to disclose, is expected for the end of August, latest.

The remaining managing director, Manfred Scholz, adds: "We are delighted for our entire team and our customers that LEA has a long-term approach to establishing ORCA even more strongly as a premium brand in the construction software sector and to continuously improving our portfolio of products and services."

In the future, ORCA, together with the existing LEA portfolio companies in the construction software sector, PROJEKT PRO (project management and controlling software) and SOFTTECH (tendering and visualization software), will be able to drive forward the expansion of market leadership in the DACH region for commercial construction software and to accelerate digitalization. In the future, the companies will be able to combine their expertise in commercial solutions and visualization software to make the construction industry more efficient and innovative. Customers will benefit from the exceptional expertise of over 250 employees to further improve their planning processes and increase their economic success.

Nils Berger, LEA Partners: "The digitalization of the construction industry is one of the most exciting and biggest tasks that has inspired LEA Partners for years. With over 30 years of experience as a market leader in the tendering, contracting and billing sector, ORCA is another important building block in achieving this goal of an ultimate market leader. By working together with PROJEKT PRO and SOFTTECH, we can expand and optimize our software product offering for different customer groups. We are very pleased to be able to accompany the ORCA team on their future path as a sparring partner and investor."

About ORCA Software GmbH

Founded in 1990, ORCA Software GmbH is a leading software company in the construction industry. More than 110 employees work at the Neubeuern headquarters near Rosenheim. The ORCA AVA and AUSSCHREIBEN.DE product brands primarily support architects, engineers, specialist planners and product manufacturers with intuitive tools that offer excellent data quality and planning reliability. As a well-connected partner, ORCA actively promotes the topics of BIM, digitalization and sustainability in the construction industry. Further information can be found at www.orca-software.com.

About LEA Partners

LEA Partners is an entrepreneurial-minded multi-stage private equity firm investing in technology companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. Founded in 2002, LEA Partners has advised on the investment in more than 70 companies. With a 30+ people strong team based in Karlsruhe, one of Europe's largest technology clusters, its mission is to fund and support ambitious founders and executives by leveraging them with practical, hands-on growth expertise to achieve market leadership. Visit www.leapartners.de to learn more.