Private Equity Firms Thoma Bravo, H.I.G. Acquiring CompTIA

Private equity giant Thoma Bravo and global alternative investment firm H.I.G. Capital are acquiring CompTIA, the nonprofit tech industry association.

The purchase includes CompTIA’s brand, IT certification and training business, and products. At closing, CompTIA, a nonprofit trade association, will operate as a for-profit company under Thoma Bravo and H.I.G. Its existing membership-based, nonprofit organization will separate and continue its mission of service to the IT industry.

The acquisition should close in early 2025 and is subject to customary regulatory approval. Thoma Bravo and H.I.G. didn’t disclose financial details of the acquisition.

Thoma Bravo's portfolio includes ConnectWise, Exabeam, Darktrace, Sophos and many more technology companies. H.I.G. has $65 billion of capital under management.

What CompTIA Offers Thoma Bravo, H.I.G.

CompTIA is a global provider of IT certifications and training, focused on promoting industry growth and skills development across the $5 trillion global IT ecosystem and its 38 million professionals. It provides education, training, certifications and market research across areas including cybersecurity, emerging technologies, networking, cloud computing and technical support.

As the largest vendor-neutral credentialing program for technology workers, CompTIA has awarded over 3.5 million globally recognized certifications to professionals across the full range of technology companies. It also maintains a global partner program, with thousands of academic institutions, nonprofits, job corps centers and other organizations, focused on developing and certifying the next generation of technology talent.

Todd Thibodeaux, CompTIA’s president and CEO, tells us the association will continue to provide a range of “impactful” member benefits, including education, research, events, the Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (ISAO) and global channel leadership communities.

“The biggest change will be an increased focus on charitable giving,” he said.

Increased Focus On Member Service

CompTIA  will now be able to focus exclusively on member service for the first time since the creation of the A+ certification, Thibodeaux said.

CompTIA's Todd Thibodeaux

“This should allow for an entire range of new options yet to be determined by the member leadership communities and association executive staff,” he said.

CompTIA will continue to advance the global IT industry and provide “impactful” benefits to help individuals and companies unlock their full potential, Thibodeaux said.

“This includes our membership communities, cybersecurity education and services, market research, events and education,” he said. “As we have done for decades, we will expand and evolve as the IT channel and industry change. The association will have ready access to substantially more resources, a greater focus on the needs of the channel and membership, and a renewed focus on growth of engagement among industry leaders.”

A.J. Rohde, senior partner at Thoma Bravo, said the technology landscape is evolving quickly, and it's 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.

“We view our investment in CompTIA as an important opportunity to capitalize on this growing need while investing in the development of the industry as a whole,” he said.

"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," said Matt Hankins, managing director at H.I.G. "CompTIA's educational training content and certifications are enabling people across the world to gain entry and advancement in the IT space to unlock personal earning potential."