Apex HCM (Apex), a leading cloud-based HCM software provider for payroll service bureaus (PSBs) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) firms, announced today that it has been acquired by IRIS Software Group (IRIS), a leading global software provider of accountancy and payroll solutions.
Founded in 2008 and backed by Serent Capital since 2016, Apex’s software is used by over 250 PSBs and CPA firms across the United States to provide payroll services to over 40,000 small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and 400,000 employees. Its all-in-one enterprise HCM suite enables PSBs and CPAs to serve their SMB clients with recruitment, onboarding, benefits administration, HR and time and attendance software from a cloud-native platform.
“As we’ve scaled, Serent has been a very strong partner for us and has helped us strengthen our core offerings, drive product innovation, and expand our go-to-market strategy,” shared Robert Digby, CEO of Apex. “We look forward to being part of the global, market-leading IRIS family.”
“It’s been rewarding to partner with the Apex team and help them grow by expanding the breadth of their offerings and strengthening their market-leading position in the Payroll Service Bureau and CPA markets,” added Kevin Frick, Partner at Serent Capital. “We are proud of all the product enhancements that were delivered over the last several years, helping Apex’s customers grow their businesses. We look forward to Apex’s continuing customer-centric growth and success.”
Elona Mortimer-Zhika, CEO of IRIS says, “We are delighted to welcome Apex to the IRIS family. This acquisition continues our successful journey providing leading software to PSBs and CPA firms – a market which IRIS has been serving for decades in the UK and we are rapidly expanding in the Americas region.”
The acquisition of Apex is a significant milestone in IRIS’ international growth. The combined business provides payroll solutions for over 130,000 SMBs and one million employees across the United States and Canada.
Disclaimer:
This publication is for informational purposes only, and nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any interest in any investment vehicle managed by Serent Capital or any company in which Serent Capital or its affiliates have invested. An offer or solicitation will be made only through a final private placement memorandum, subscription agreement and other related documents with respect to a particular investment opportunity and will be subject to the terms and conditions contained in such documents, including the qualifications necessary to become an investor. Serent Capital does not utilize its website to provide investment or other advice, and nothing contained herein constitutes a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. Information provided reflects Serent Capital’s views as of a particular time and are subject to change without notice. You should obtain relevant and specific professional advice before making any investment decision.
Executive endorsements of Serent Capital are for illustrative purposes, designed to attract business development contacts, and should not be construed as a client or investor testimonial of Serent Capital's investment advisory services. All such endorsements are from current or former portfolio company leadership about Serent Capital’s ability to provide services to their companies. Certain executives are also investors in Serent Capital’s investment vehicle(s), and as such, there is an inherent conflict in that those executives have an incentive to provide favorable reviews of Serent Capital’s business practices for the benefit of the investment vehicles that they hold a personal ownership interest in. Serent Capital has not, directly or indirectly, paid any compensation to such individuals for their endorsements.
Certain information on this Website may contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties and speak only as of the date on which they are made. The words “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “optimistic”, “intend”, “aim”, “will” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Serent Capital undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Past performance is not indicative of future results; no representation is being made that any investment or transaction will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those achieved in the past, or that significant losses will be avoided.