Venture capitalists to acquire CompTIA's brand and products

Global investment firms HIG Capital and Thoma Bravo have announced plans to acquire CompTIA's IT certification and training business, to turn the well-known technology industry association into a for-profit enterprise.

The deal is expected to close in early 2025 and is subject to regulatory approval,

It will separate CompTIA's certification operations from its nonprofit membership organisation, which will continue to serve the IT industry independently.

CompTIA serves the US$5 trillion global IT ecosystem, having awarded more than 3.5 million vendor-neutral certifications to technology professionals worldwide.

The organisation provides education and training across various technology sectors, including cybersecurity, cloud computing and technical support.

"We are thrilled to be joining forces with two leading, experienced investors in the technology space, whose expertise and resources will allow us to expand our impact on the global IT industry," Todd Thibodeaux, president and chief executive officer at CompTIA said.

The company maintains partnerships with thousands of academic institutions, nonprofits and job corps centres globally, focusing on developing new technology talent.

"Global education is continually evolving to become more skills-based, and CompTIA is powering that shift with partnerships spanning academic institutions, private enterprises, government entities, and training delivery partners," Matt Hankins, managing director at HIG said.

The acquisition aims to accelerate CompTIA's product development and service expansion while maintaining its position as the leading provider of IT certifications and training.

"The technology landscape is evolving quickly, and it is more important than ever that IT professionals have the skills needed to solve not only today's challenges, but also those expected to emerge in the future," said AJ Rohde, senior partner at Thoma Bravo.

The transaction will enable CompTIA's nonprofit association to expand its industry service while making new commitments to charitable impact, according to Scott Barlow, vice chair of CompTIA's board.