An official merger has been made between Blackbaud and Convio. Blackbaud made it official after purchasing Convio for a whopping $325 million. Both companies are excited about what lies ahead in this endeavour. Below we’ve described how it all went down.
The Background
Blackbaud specializes in services and software that increase nonprofit organization efficiency. While Convio provides “constituent engagement solutions that enable nonprofit organizations to maximize the value of every relationship,” according to their website.
In layman’s terms, Blackbaud provides solutions for common nonprofit issues—such as raising more money online, engaging constituents and identifying key supporters. And Convio’s main goal is connecting people to your nonprofit’s cause.
The Obstacle
Shortly after the merger was announced, both companies began the long process of getting the merger approved. As with all mergers of this size, they were required to file a “Notification and Report Form” under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. An antitrust review was enacted, in this particular case, by the Justice Department to ensure that the merger wouldn’t stifle the competitive marketplace for nonprofit technology solutions.
The Outcome
The merger was approved by the Justice Department and it’s now official. Blackbaud and Convio want to assure customers that their combined efforts will only benefit their performance. Blackbaud identified 3 initiatives they intend to carry out in an effort to make the transition into the merger as easy as possible for their customers:
- Build and communicate an action plan to quickly deliver added value for our joint customers, —and clarifying contacts and responsibilities in the new organization.
- Focus on shorter-term product improvements that answer customer needs better than either of us could do separately.
- Incorporating customer feedback, we will define and communicate the vision for a combined product portfolio.
In a featured video discussing the merger, Marc Chardon, CEO of Blackbaud, stressed that their ultimate goal as a combined company remains the same—“providing great products and services to help our nonprofit customers meet the needs of an evermore challenging world.”
What are your thoughts on this merger? Do you think it was a wise move? Are there any possible negative effects that need to be addressed?
