THE INTEGRATOR: CIRRUS NETWORKS
Who are they?
Cirrus Networks is a Perth integrator that started in 2012. It racked up $6 million of revenue in its first year and has been profitable since December, according to the Australian Financial Review. Cirrus has many vendor relationships on its books, including Apple, Dell, iiNet, Microsoft, NetApp, NextDC, Symantec and VMware. The company this year announced its promotion to Elite status in Juniper Networks’ partner programme.
Why should I care?
In an interview with Fairfax Media last month, co-founder and chief executive Frank Richmond said Cirrus Networks had shortlisted three junior mining companies for a reverse takeover. Cirrus is seeking to emulate the success of Bulletproof Group in transforming a struggling public mining firm into a technology outfit.
Richmond also said that the integrator would like to expand operations into the eastern states via acquisitions. A future public listing would raise capital to fund this strategy.
What do they say?
“We have looked at a number of paths to market but a backdoor listing seems to be the easiest route,” Richmond told Fairfax Media. “There are lots of stagnant shell companies in Perth with shareholders that are eager to see the directors do something more for them.”
When will they float?
When the three shortlisted targets are narrowed to one winner.
THE DARK HORSE: CLOUD LANDS DIGITAL FORTRESS
Who are they?
A startup founded in December 2013 by Ross Smith, a former co-founder of Australian broadband wholesaler Request DSL. Based in Perth, Cloud Lands has venture capital backing but hadn’t launched services yet at the time of writing, nor had it revealed any service provider partners' names. On the technology side, the company's services will be hosted on a VCE Vblock platform, which uses Cisco, EMC and VMware technology. Chief technology officer is Greg Pennefather, another Request DSL co-founder.
Why should I care?
The Perth outfit could be destined for the ASX if a potential acquisition by listed mining exploration company Resource Star goes ahead. A mere seven months after Cloud Lands started, Resource Star acquired an option to purchase the company. Meanwhile, Cloud Lands is aiming high, promising services from a Perth data centre and plans for services from data centres on the east coast. Most interestingly, a "world leading global multibillion dollar" networking and computing hardware vendor has signed a memoranda of understanding. Cloud Lands promises an impressive pedigree, but had not revealed names at the time of writing.
What do they say?
"The SME market is the holy grail, if you like, because it is so large. But because it's so granular it is very difficult to crack it. That's where we're looking to go," Pennefather told CRN.
"Our view is that the large cloud service providers offer a premium platform but little in the way of service or support to mid-size companies and SMEs, whereas those providers that do offer support tend to have lower end platforms," said Resource Star chairman Andrew Bell.
When will they float?
If Resource Star exercises its option to acquire the company, the acquisition could be complete by 17 November.
THE DATA CENTRE OPERATOR: ADX MANAGEMENT
Who are they?
ADX Management is a new entity formed to set up two new data centres: one in Brisbane, one in Melbourne. The Victorian facility, which cost $26 million to acquire, should be pretty well known to Melbournites – it's the former Fairfax printing plant on the main route to Tullamarine Airport.
ADX is floating via backdoor listing through an acquisition of IM Medical, a firm that originally listed in 1996 and was historically involved in radiology.
Why should I care?
The anchor tenant for ADX is another new company, called Ascalon, which is set to take a 20-year lease for the entire Stage 1 of the Melbourne facility. Perhaps the name is unknown, but its carries some serious data centre credentials. The men behind Ascalon are Jon Eaves and Andrew Hardy.
Eaves sold his data centre business to Vocus Communications in 2010 and has continued to operate hosting and co-location outfit Indigo. His partner in Ascalon, Andrew Hardy, co-founded Harbour MSP, which he built up to revenues of circa $40 million when it was sold to Japanese telco giant NTT Communications, which also owns Dimension Data.
Harbour MSP was an anchor tenant for NextDC Melbourne; now, ADX is looking to ramp up some competition against NextDC as the newest Australian-owned facility provider.
What do they say?
"ADX intends to offer data centre facilities and solutions to cloud computing service providers, telecommunications and information technology providers, and corporate and government departments generally," according to a statement to the sharemarket.
When will they float?
The acquisition is set to complete in late November.
THE 3D PRINT MAKER: 3D GROUP
Who are they?
First registered in March 2014, this Melbourne start-up has designed and manufactured a fused filament fabrication printer - which unlike hobby 3D printers, is about as tall as a standing adult. The company has plans for industrial grade printers, a print bureau, online 3D print marketplace and a retail kiosk, according to a heads of agreement Oz Brewing has to acquire the company. According to the announcement, the company expects its initial revenue to come from manufacture and sale of large print envelope printers and bureau services to product development, architecture, healthcare and education sectors.
Why should I care?
CRN has reported on several partnerships with technology and mining companies, but far fewer with beer brewers. Oz Brewing Limited makes and distributes Mad Monk beer through a joint venture with Ironbark Brewery in the Swan Valley. Meanwhile, 3d Group has announced an agreement with ASX listed Kibaran Resources to establish a joint venture company to explore and develop the application of graphite and graphene in 3D printing. The company believes its online marketplace and education programs hold "global potential".
What do they say?
"We're very young and very ambitious," said director Frank Pertile in this interview at the 3D Printing Expo 2014. "We're priced quite aggressively... but 3D Group is a much broader company than just the printer… we see this as a genuine opportunity to reinvigorate manufacturing in Australia."
When will they float?
If certain conditions are met under its heads of agreement with 3D Group, Oz Brewing will acquire the company. The proposed timetable will see a prospectus lodged on 31 October and the company reinstated to trade on the ASX on 12 December.
THE FAILED ATTEMPT: CLOUD CENTRAL
Who are they?
CloudCentral was founded by Kristoffer Sheather, who created the company's "Cloud in a Box". He had previously worked as a software developer and frameworks architect in the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations as well as founding a consultancy called Dotnet. The company's official history starts in 2009 and in the past has been able to boast of having the Australian Government Department of Finance as a customer. The company operates a wholesale partner program. Vendor partners include Citrix, Equinix and NextDC. Sitting on the advisory board is Domenic Carosa, who was behind mp3.com.au and was the founder of Destra.
Why should I care?
The company had been making all sorts of positive announcements in the leadup to its planned reverse listing in June. Last year Sheather said the company flagged plans to open an office in each state where it had a data centre, as well as expanding its reach via with NextDC and Equinix to seven data centres. In March CloudCentral announced plans to list on the ASX through a reverse takeover with Dromana Estate Limited. New partners Infinite Networks, cloud broker OOKI and Simple ID and Standard Computers were announced in April. Also in April, CloudCentral acquired US vendor DEY Storage Systems.
What do they say?
"It's a massive opportunity," said Sheather about the acquisition of DEY Storage Systems. "We will be able to sell an integrated cloud system at up to half the price of the legacy incumbent competitors."
"This is the year we are experiencing rapid expansion from the early adopter stage to customers now moving specific workloads to the cloud and leveraging the cloud model for backup and disaster recovery."
When will they float?
CloudCentral's reverse listing hit a major stumbling block in July when Dromana announced the acquisition had been terminated. The listing was originally expected by 14 June.
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