Episerver was founded in 1994 in Stockholm, Sweden, by Mikael Runhem. Then known as Elektropost Stockholm AB, the company focused on internet-based electronic mail. Elektropost Stockholm AB expanded to provide technology for building websites and introduced the first version of the EPiServer CMS platform in 1997. The first live installation of Episerver was at Scandinavian Leisure Group in the spring of 1998.[2]
In 2002, the first version of EPiServer CMS that was based on Microsoft’s .NET Framework, EPiServer CMS 4.0, was launched. In 2006, Mikael Runhem changed the company’s name to EPiServer AB. In 2007, the second .NET-based version of EPiServer CMS was launched, version 5.[citation needed]
In 2010, the company was owned by a group of investors, including Amadeus Capital, Martin Bjäringer, Monterro Holdings, Northzone Ventures, Mikael Runhem and family and employees. In November 2010, this group sold the company to IK Investment Partners.[3]
IK Partners, through the IK 2007 Fund, acquired a majority stake in December 2010.[4] The platform was later sold to Accel-KKR, a technology-focused private equity investment firm.[5][6] Accel-KKR had also recently purchased Ektron, a Nashua, New Hampshire-based CMS company.[7]
In January 2015, Episerver and Ektron merged.[8][9] Two former executives from KANA Software, CEO Mark Duffell and CMO James Norwood, were appointed President and CEO and Executive Vice President Strategy and CMO of Episerver, respectively. Martin Henricson, CEO of the former Episerver business assumed the role of Executive Chairman for the merged entity.[10]
The company combined its software into the Episerver Digital Experience Cloud,[11] and in June 2015, Episerver launched the first major release of its platform following the Ektron merger.[12]
In November 2015, the company rebranded itself, changing EPiServer to Episerver, and including the shortened name “Epi”.[13]
In August 2016, Episerver acquired Peerius, a London UK-based commerce personalization company. The brand now is fully integrated as EpiPersonalization into the Episerver Platform. Former Peerius CEO Roger Brown left the company.[14]
In September 2018, Episerver was sold to Insight Venture Partners for $1.16 billion.[15]
In December 2019, Alexander Atzberger, former President of Customer Experience at SAP, joined Episerver as the company's new CEO.[16]
In October 2020, Episerver acquired Optimizely, a digital experimentation company.[17][18]
In January 2021, Episerver announced that they were rebranding as "Optimizely".[19]
Mergers and acquisitions
March 1, 2012: Episerver acquired Mediachase, an e-commerce and collaboration software solutions[buzzword] provider.[20]
May 8, 2012: Episerver acquired 200OK AB, a Swedish enterprise search solutions[buzzword] provider.[21]
May 6, 2013: Episerver acquired Swedish search provider, Euroling.[22]
January 27, 2015: Episerver merged with Ektron, a New Hampshire-based CMS company.[23]
August 31, 2016: Episerver acquired London-based Peerius, an omnichannel commerce personalization engine.[24]
October 1, 2016 Episerver acquired Berlin-based Optivo, an email-marketing automation service provider.[25]
September, 2018 Episerver was acquired by Insight Venture Partners in a transaction valuing Episerver at $1.16 billion.
November 18, 2019 Episerver acquired idio.io, a content intelligence software provider.[26]
December 16, 2019 Episerver acquired Insite Software, a B2B Ecommerce provider.
September 3, 2020 Episerver acquired Optimizely, a B2B A/B testing solution.[27][28]
↑ "Insight Venture Partners Invests in Episerver". ACCEL KKR. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2023. Episerver, the company transforming digital experiences, today announced it has reached a definitive agreement to be acquired by Insight Venture Partners, a New York based global private equity firm focused on high-growth investments in the technology sector, in a transaction valuing Episerver at USD $1.16 billion.
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