Startups

Baltimore public safety software firm Adashi Systems has been acquired

Canada's Versaterm acquired the ETC-based company, which aims to help the first responders saving lives. Adashi's team and brand will remain.

In a deal that brings together two public safety software companies, Baltimore-based Adashi Systems has been acquired by Canada’s Versatermthe companies said this month.

With the acquisition, first responder-focused software company Adashi will remain a standalone brand, and all 16 members of its team will remain onboard. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Adashi, which is based out of Baltimore incubator ETC (Emerging Technology Centers), provides software to public safety agencies that are designed for first responders. This includes products that help first responders during incidents, as well as scheduling and workforce management. It counts more than 1,500 police and fire agencies as customers around the world. In a particularly harrowing example, its software was used in last year’s wildfires in Australia.

Versaterm, based in Ottawa, Canada, is a 40-year-old company that provides software across North America to more than 65,000 police, fire and EMS agencies. Backed by a late 2020 investment from San Francisco-based Banneker Partners, it makes computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems, records management systems and mobility solutions. This could be the first of multiple acquisitions, the company said.

“We’re excited to welcome team Adashi to the Versaterm family,” said Warren Loomis, CEO of Versaterm, in a statement. “This acquisition not only enables us to enhance the utility of our CAD platform but also expand Adashi’s market access and penetration. Our success has always been built on a relentless commitment to customer satisfaction, and the addition of Adashi’s solutions will deepen the value we provide to those sworn to serve.”

Adashi CEO Alex Menkes said the acquisition comes amid rising demand in the public safety market. The company expects to at least double its revenue in 2021 over last year. With Versaterm, the company will be able to expand its resources to meet that demand, while keeping its plans for growth in place.

“Versaterm prioritizes its customer relationships to the point that in the past 30 years, they’ve never lost a customer,” Menkes told Technical.ly. “We cannot make that claim, but see that as a worthy goal. Both companies share the same core values and have similar company cultures.”

Led by Menkes and company president Sanjay Kalasa, Adashi Systems was founded in 2004 to apply tech to challenges faced by hazmat teams, and expanded to wider public safety offerings. It found a home at ETC, standing as a stalwart member at the East Baltimore tech hub in recent years. Menkes said the team there has been “excellent” along the way. Menkes was also a graduate of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses program, and the company worked closely with the Baltimore City Fire Department as it sought input for development planning.

Before you go...

Please consider supporting Technical.ly to keep our independent journalism strong. Unlike most business-focused media outlets, we don’t have a paywall. Instead, we count on your personal and organizational support.

3 ways to support our work:
  • Contribute to the Journalism Fund. Charitable giving ensures our information remains free and accessible for residents to discover workforce programs and entrepreneurship pathways. This includes philanthropic grants and individual tax-deductible donations from readers like you.
  • Use our Preferred Partners. Our directory of vetted providers offers high-quality recommendations for services our readers need, and each referral supports our journalism.
  • Use our services. If you need entrepreneurs and tech leaders to buy your services, are seeking technologists to hire or want more professionals to know about your ecosystem, Technical.ly has the biggest and most engaged audience in the mid-Atlantic. We help companies tell their stories and answer big questions to meet and serve our community.
The journalism fund Preferred partners Our services
Engagement

Join our growing Slack community

Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today!

Trending

Trump may kill the CHIPS and Science Act. Here’s what that means for your community.

Despite big raises and contracts, a tech training giant lays off staffers and loses its CEO

14 tech community events to be thankful for in November

How 4 orgs give back to their local tech community

Technically Media