Vodafone takes over Network analysis specialist RadioOpt

The leading network provider Vodafone GmbH acquires 100 percent of the shares in Dresden based RadioOpt GmbH, a specialist for crowd based analysis of network per-formance using smartphone applications.

RadioOpt, established in 2008, is THE partner for performance data at smartphone level. For this purpose, device and network dependent data on the availability and performance of mo-bile and WLAN networks are collected anonymously around the world. This raw data is ag-gregated and processed by means of big-data algorithms. Network operators use this infor-mation as an input for prioritization and steering during the rollout of new access technologies, as well as for the optimization of existing networks.

With RadioOpt‘s solutions, the growing need for information on the evermore complex be-havior of devices and apps in mobile networks is satisfied. This allows to optimize the perfor-mance of the networks, especially for smartphone users.

With the acquisition of the mobile analytics company, Vodafone is intensifying the optimiza-tion of its own networks as planned, but also increasing the speed of the rollout of new tech-nologies including the associated business models. At the same time RadioOpt, benefits from the enormous market access of the Vodafone Group.

The High-Tech Gründerfonds financed RadioOpt in 2009. Further financing was not neces-sary as the break-even was already achieved in 2011. The founders repaid the subordinated HTGF convertible loan including interest prematurely, leaving 85% of the shares to the founders.
As M&A advisor, Arno Nonnen from Dr. Schwarz-Schilling & Partners was involved.

Dr. Andreas Olmes, investment director and authorized representative of the High-Tech Gründerfonds, accompanied RadioOpt from the outset to the exit: “The attractive purchase price for RadioOpt combined with the unique market position reflects the high value of such big data companies for the industry. Thus, our mission of pushing technology-based startups worked very well. We are delighted that the RadioOpt team will remain in Dresden and will push the Dresden Telco startup scene with its experience. At the same time and with sincere condolences to his family we remember the founder and CEO, Dipl.-Ing. Johannes Hübner, who made all of this possible and passed away much too early in 2013. Thank you very much!”

About HTGF
High-Tech Gründerfonds invests in young, high potential high-tech start-ups. The seed financ-ing provided is designed to enable start-ups to take an idea through prototyping and to market launch. Typically, High-Tech Gründerfonds invests EUR 600,000 in the seed stage, with the potential for up to a total of EUR 2 million per portfolio company in follow-on financing. In-vestors in this public/private partnership include the Federal Ministry of Economics and Ener-gy, the KfW Banking Group, as well as strategic corporate investors including ALTANA, BASF, Bayer, B. Braun, Robert Bosch, CEWE, Daimler, Deutsche Post DHL, Deutsche Tel-ekom, Evonik, Lanxess, media + more venture Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, METRO, Qi-agen, RWE Innogy, SAP, Tengelmann and Carl Zeiss. High-Tech Gründerfonds has about EUR 576 million under management in two funds (EUR 272 million HTGF I, EUR 304 mil-lion HTGF II).

Contact:
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Dr. Andreas Olmes, Investment Director / Authorised Representative
Schlegelstr. 2
53113 Bonn
phone: +49.228.82300.108
info@htgf.de
www.high-tech-gruenderfonds.de