Dive Brief:
- New York-based Acture Solutions acquired Connecticut-based Digital BackOffice, merging two managed IT services providers that support educational and government entities, the companies announced last week.
- The deal closed in the second quarter of 2026 for an undisclosed sum. Stonepeak Credit helped finance the acquisition with an investment Acture announced in March.
- With the addition of Digital BackOffice, Acture grows its presence in highly regulated industries. “Digital BackOffice has built an outstanding reputation as a trusted technology partner to K-12 school districts and municipalities across Connecticut and beyond,” Acture CEO Gabriel Stacy said in the announcement. “Their technical expertise, customer-first culture and long-tenured relationships make them an exceptional fit for Acture.”
Dive Insight:
MSPs in highly regulated industries are well-positioned to provide more than IT support, according to Alec Buchenic, VP of Martinwolf, which advised Digital BackOffice in the acquisition process.
Schools shoulder a heavy cybersecurity burden. A Barracuda Networks study found that the average educational institution receives 1,200 phishing emails per day.
“They need a partner that can strengthen their security and compliance posture, whether that means protecting student data, meeting HIPAA obligations or satisfying cyber insurance requirements,” Buchenic said in an email. “For MSPs, that means making security a core part of the offering rather than an add-on, delivering the documentation and reporting these customers are held to and building enough scale to invest in specialized talent and tools.”
The need for specialization is driving MSP consolidation, Buchenic said.
“Districts are supporting more devices, more connected classrooms and more cloud applications than ever, while remaining frequent targets for ransomware,” Buchenic said. “Most are doing this with lean internal IT teams and budgets tied to annual cycles and programs like E-Rate. That favors providers who understand how districts operate and can deliver connectivity, network infrastructure and security from a single trusted partner.”
Born as Advanced Corporate Networking in 1991, Digital BackOffice brings a telecom and networking pedigree to Acture. The firm provides leased fiber connectivity and has installed and managed wide area networks for municipalities such as Norwalk, Connecticut. The company partners closely with networking vendor Extreme Networks.
“That lets Acture deliver the connectivity layer alongside managed IT and cybersecurity, so customers get more from one provider,” Buchenic said.
Founded in 1984, Acture has expanded under new ownership and financial support over the last decade. The company grew its revenue 174% over the last three years, according to the Inc. 5,000.
Stacy left the private equity market to acquire Acture in 2019 and become its CEO. The MSP went on to buy Computer Systems Integrators in 2024, a firm with deep roots in K-12 schools. Stacey vowed to purchase more IT services firms at the time and earlier this year announced funding from Stonepeak and the acquisition of Artilus, a cybersecurity-focused MSP.
