Carlyle Group picks up NetMotion Wireless

Private equity firm The Carlyle Group purchased mobile performance and security software company NetMotion Wireless for an undisclosed sum and expects to expand the business’ international reach.
NetMotion focuses on enterprise mobility software designed to improve end-user experience, and provides analytics and diagnostics for performance visibility and management. It serves a number of enterprise verticals, including public safety, where it has been one of many vendors weighing in on the development of the national public safety broadband network known as FirstNet, and the challenges of ubiquitous coverage in tough network environments.
NetMotion had been acquired by private equity company Clearlake Capital in 2012. Clearlake sold the business to The Carlyle Group in a transaction expected to close in the third quarter of this year. NetMotion is based in Seattle, and has offices across North America as well as in Europe and Japan. It started in 2001 and claims 114 employees globally.
NetMotion expanded its operations in Japan earlier this year, and The Carlyle Group looks to have an eye on further international expansion for the company.
Michael Wand, managing director at The Carlyle Group and head of its Carlyle Europe Technology Partners team, said in a statement that “having worked with the CEO Christopher Kenessey before at a former portfolio company, we are confident that he and his team will be able to develop NetMotion into a next-generation mobile performance management solution provider with global scale.” Wand noted two Carlyle funds had contributed to the NetMotion deal to “[support] the transatlantic expansion growth plans of a mid-sized U.S. technology business that was looking for a partner with industry expertise and worldwide reach. One of the key growth regions for NetMotion is Europe, where the company has early customer successes and a market ready for disruption.”
“We see real opportunity to help this business scale internationally, capitalizing on the continuing global increase in mobile performance challenges in the enterprise,” said Brooke Coburn, managing director and co-head of Carlyle’s U.S. middle market investment team, in a statement.
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