Next Sparc, a Cleveland-based private capital group, recently announced that Ernst & Young LLP and other members of Ernst & Young Global Limited (EY) acquired the business of Next Sparc portfolio company Zilker Technology, a digital consultancy and system integrator focused on creating lasting and valuable customer experiences.
In the fall of 2018, Next Sparc made a minority investment in, and partnered with, Zilker because of their talented leadership, demonstrated growth, and global footprint with talent centers in the United States, Belgrade, and India. Since the investment, Zilker more than tripled the size of the company, growing to over 360 employees, while improving operating margins.
“Next Sparc engaged with us at an important inflection point of our journey,” said Rob Thomas, CEO and Co-Founder of Zilker Technology. “We had achieved good growth, but recognized the need for a strategic partner to give us experienced guidance to improve our operations, profitability, and accelerate growth. They also opened up a whole new network of talented people for us to draw upon as we grew.”
“Next Sparc prides itself on finding companies in the early growth stage and helping them implement keys to scale and continue growth,” said Len Pagon, Next Sparc Chairman. “The acquisition of Zilker by EY validates our assessment of Zilker’s talent and strategy. The Next Sparc team is proud to have had a small but impactful voice in their successful growth strategy and profitability optimization.”
Zilker offers EY engaging tech delivery capabilities with deep vertical expertise in consumer products, health care, financial services, energy, and utilities. The company focuses on data-driven, personalized customer experiences; global ecommerce, digital and cloud capabilities; and heavy-weight relationships that will contribute to the EY alliance ecosystem. According to EY, Zilker’s 360 employees in the United States, Canada, Serbia, and India will join the company’s Digital and Emerging Technologies group.
About Next Sparc
Next Sparc is a private capital group with a passion for helping growth-stage digital, e-Commerce, Mobile and SaaS-based businesses drive growth, and optimize results. Next Sparc consists of seasoned, hands-on partners looking to collaborate with emerging technology entrepreneurs while leveraging its deep operational experience, capital, and extensive resources.
About Zilker Technology
Zilker Technology is an expert Digital Consultancy and Systems Integrator that combines global consultancy experience with the agility of a start-up to provide customers of all sizes, industry, geography, and technology a competitive advantage. We leverage the availability of data to create customer experiences that increase loyalty and customer success.