Business and Leadership

The Top 5 Investments of Thoma Bravo: Success Stories

Thoma Bravo story

For its capacity to identify and support winners, Thoma Bravo is a name that stands out in the worlds of venture capital and private equity. Thoma Bravo, established in 1980 by Carl Thoma and Orlando Bravo, has grown into a titan of the IT investment world, specializing on software and tech-enabled services. Thoma Bravo has made a name for itself through a string of remarkable investments. The company has a keen eye for aspiring business owners and a gift for encouraging growth. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at five of their best investments, exploring what each company does, how Thoma Bravo contributed to their success, and significant financial data.

Business SolarWinds


A significant supplier of effective and strong IT management software is SolarWinds. Businesses can manage, monitor, and secure their information technology infrastructure thanks to their technologies.

Thoma Bravo's Contribution: Thoma Bravo made a significant contribution to helping SolarWinds grow both its clientele and product line. They gave the business the resources it required to upgrade its software and survive in the cutthroat industry.

Financial Information: Thoma Bravo paid around $4.5 billion to take SolarWinds private in 2016. With a market price of more than $5 billion when SolarWinds went public once more in 2018, the investment turned out to be a great success.

SolarWinds was founded in 1999 by Donald and David Yonce.

Dynatrace

Software intelligence company Dynatrace focuses on application performance management and observability enabled by AI. Their platform helps companies to offer clients exceptional digital experiences.

Thoma Bravo's role: In order to support Dynatrace's transformation and innovation-focused emphasis, Thoma Bravo turned the company private in 2014. They contributed knowledge and resources to help Dynatrace become a market leader in the area of APM.

Financial details: Thoma Bravo spent approximately $2.5 billion on the deal. In 2019, Dynatrace went public with a market worth of over $4 billion after seeing significant growth and technology advancements.

Dynatrace was founded in 2005 by Bernd Greifeneder, Andreas Grabner, and Alois Reitbauer.

McAfee

The well-known cybersecurity company McAfee is primarily known for its antivirus software and all-inclusive cybersecurity solutions. They protect clients and businesses from online dangers.

Role of Thoma Bravo: In 2011, Thoma Bravo acquired the consumer division of McAfee, which later changed its name to Intel Security. Despite not being a full purchase, this partnership allowed Thoma Bravo to support and influence McAfee's consumer security offerings.

Financial data: It was calculated that the transaction was worth $3.1 billion. The remaining stake in McAfee was then acquired by Intel in 2014, making it one of the biggest technological acquisitions in history.

Founders: John McAfee founded McAfee in 1987. He was a pioneer in the cybersecurity industry.

Technology Blue Coat


A cybersecurity company called Blue Coat Systems specialized in providing web security and optimization solutions. Their products helped businesses optimize network traffic and defend against web-based assaults.

Thoma Bravo's Position: In 2015, Thoma Bravo acquired Blue Coat Systems after realizing the potential for growth in the cybersecurity industry. They assisted the business in expanding both its product line and its market share.

Financial data: The transaction's estimated value was $2.4 billion. After some time, Blue Coat Systems was incorporated into Symantec, a cybersecurity company that Broadcom purchased in 2019 for $10.7 billion.

Founders: In 1996, Dr. Zack Rinat founded Blue Coat Systems.

Barracuda

It is a networking firm called Barracuda Networks.
A cybersecurity and data protection company called Barracuda Networks offers cloud-enabled solutions to protect businesses from email threats, data breaches, and other security issues.

Role of Thoma Bravo: Barracuda Networks' promise in the field of cybersecurity was recognized by Thoma Bravo, who bought the company in 2017. They supported Barracuda's efforts to develop new products and grow.

Financial data: The transaction's estimated value was $1.6 billion. Thoma Bravo has successfully led Barracuda Networks, which has consistently increased its revenue.

Founders: Michael Perone and Dean Drako founded Barracuda Networks in 2003.

Conclusion

Thoma Bravo's remarkable record in venture capital and private equity investments shows their capacity to spot promising technological startups and play a significant role in their growth stories. Their resources and strategic support have helped businesses, ranging from SolarWinds to Barracuda Networks, to achieve new heights. The financial information pertaining to these transactions shows the significant profits made by Thoma Bravo's investors.

Given the way venture capital and private equity are continuing to alter the digital landscape, Thoma Bravo's track record should serve as motivation for anyone wishing to navigate the challenging world of private investing. The success stories of these five companies demonstrate the importance of effective communication between investors and founders for fostering innovation and creating long-term value in the technology sector. The accomplishments of Thoma Bravo are evidence of their commitment to encouraging development and innovation in the businesses they support.

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