Aussie retail tech firm snapped up by SAP giant

SAP integrator Accely has acquired a 51 percent stake in Australian developer Creative Computing.

Creative Computing, which has 12 staff and is based in the Sydney suburb of Crows Nest, develops the Control range of integrated point-of-sale software.

Accely, meanwhile, has more than 500 staff, with headquarters in Singapore and locations across Asia and in the UK.

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Bernie Hogan, founder of Creative Computers, told CRN that the deal was valued "in the millions".

He said his company's POS product was predominantly sold direct into the Australian market, but that the Accely deal should give it huge exposure, both domestically and internationally.

"They will be the channel partner. That is the primary benefit of the transaction. For an Indian company they're fairly small, about 500 people. They also have offices in the US, Middle East and are looking to establish themselves in Europe," Hogan told CRN.

"They will be doing implementations. Their main focus is product – which is our software – as well as Magento online stores, which all wraps around SAP."

Hogan will retain his active role in the business, while all future product design and leading edge development of Creative Computing's system will remain in Australia, although "it is possible that some future development requiring only a small amount of knowledge transfer will be performed in India".

"There are definitely no plans to reduce Australian staff. In fact we plan to expand the Australian staff as our international sales take off," said Hogan.

Accely chief executive Nilesh Shah said: "This is a strategic investment to expand our presence into the USA, Middle East, South East Asia, Indian subcontinent and European markets. Most of these regions are fiercely competitive, so it was important that we could offer a superior product like Control, and one that is also proven over 25 years."

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