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MSP Deal: Private Equity Firm HKW Acquires MSP Franchisor CMIT Solutions, Franchisee HTW

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Private equity firm HKW has purchased MSP franchisor CMIT Solutions and HTW, its largest franchisee, for an undisclosed sum.

This is technology M&A deal number nine that MSSP Alert and sister site ChannelE2E have covered so far in 2023.

HKW, founded in 1903, is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company has 41 employees listed on LinkedIn. HKW's areas of expertise include buyouts and special situation investments.

CMIT, founded in 1996, is based in Austin, Texas. The company has 395 employees listed on LinkedIn. CMIT's areas of expertise include managed services, networking and security.

What the CMIT Solutions, HTW Acquisitions Mean for HKW

HKW will use CMIT and HTW to "serve multi-location accounts and large enterprise customers," the company said. Together, CMIT and HTW's team of IT and security professionals will provide these customers with solutions for large and complex projects. In addition, they will share resources that enable CMIT's franchisees to support customers in need of specialized expertise.

Furthermore, HTW founder Jason Arabian will join CMIT as its chief strategy officer. Arabian will support CMIT as it looks to further accelerate its growth after surpassing $100 million in revenue in 2022.

HKW Looks to Expand Its Technology Portfolio

Along with CMIT and HTW, HKW's technology portfolio includes talent intelligence platform company Draup and pipeline engineering software provider Technical Toolboxes. HKW continues to explore technology investment opportunities in security and other areas. It is looking to invest in technology companies with annual recurring revenue between $5 million and $75 million.

Meanwhile, HKW is poised to "build scale to meet the growing demand for technology and security services in the coming years," HKW Partner Daniel Kim said. As such, HKW may continue to explore new opportunities to invest in MSPs and cybersecurity companies.

Dan Kobialka

Dan Kobialka is senior contributing editor, MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E. He covers IT security, IT service provider business strategies and partner programs. Dan holds a M.A. in Print and Multimedia Journalism from Emerson College and a B.A. in English from Bridgewater State University. In his free time, Dan enjoys jogging, traveling, playing sports, touring breweries and watching football.