Plixer, a computer network analytics provider based in Kennebunk, says it is poised for significant growth after being acquired by Battery Ventures, a technology-focused Boston investment firm.
Founded in 1999, Plixer has 54 employees and provides services to more than 3,000 customers in 108 countries, said Bob Noel, the company’s director of strategic relationships and marketing.
Concurrent with the Battery Ventures acquisition, Plixer is taking on an industry veteran as its new chief executive, Noel said. Jeff Lindholm, former senior vice president at technology firms Brocade Communications Systems, Arbor Networks and Juniper Networks, will take over as Plixer’s CEO this month, he said.
Noel would not disclose the terms of the Battery Ventures acquisition, but he said it will lead to significant growth for Plixer in the coming years, including the hiring of additional staff in Kennebunk. He said the specifics of the company’s growth plans are being worked out.
Plixer offers a product called Scrutinizer that conducts forensic analyses on a wide variety of network activity. Noel said the product allows customers to quickly troubleshoot problems such as a hack or security breach and return their networks to normal operation.
“With customers across 108 countries, Plixer has proven itself to be a leader in high-performance network traffic analytics for fast, efficient network and security incident response as well as enriched business intelligence,” Lindholm said in a statement. “Battery’s investment in Plixer will allow the company to further innovate and expand its product line, align with new technology partners, aggressively attract new clients and further enhance the value delivered to our existing customers.”
Founded in 1983, Battery Ventures has engaged in traditional venture capital investing as well as larger private equity deals and has raised over $6.9 billion since its inception, the statement said. The firm is now investing its latest funds with a combined capitalization of $1.25 billion. The company has offices in Boston, Silicon Valley, London and Tel Aviv.
Noel said Plixer’s founders, Mike Patterson and Marc Bilodeau, will continue to participate in the company as members of the corporate leadership team. Plixer will maintain its presence in Kennebunk and employees will see few changes, he said.
As for customers, they can expect to see future expansion in products and services offered by the company, Noel said.
“If anything, it will only improve their service over time,” he said.
J. Craig Anderson can be contacted at 791-6390 or at:
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