After St. Joseph tech firm acquisition, Online Tech expands to KC
April 20, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
Ann Arbor-based Online Tech has acquired a St. Joseph, Mo. cloud firm, paving the way for its expansion into Kansas City.
The cloud security company announced Thursday that it purchased St. Joseph-based Echo Cloud, which provides colocation and cloud hosting services.
Echo Cloud CEO Bill Severn said he’s pleased to be joining the Online Tech team.
“I believe the values we hold match Online Tech’s very well, and I think this will be a great partnership moving forward,” Severn said in a release. “Online Tech has been a leader in compliance for many years,I’m pleased we can now offer HIPAA- or PCI-compliant data hosting to our existing customers here in Kansas City.”
Allowing for easier service management, Severn added that the companies will combine their existing services into Online Tech’s client platform. Wanting to tap the Kansas City market, Online Tech was interested in Echo Cloud for its ability to grow in the Midwest.
With offices in Michigan and Indiana, CEO of Online Tech CEO Yan Ness is excited to expand the firm’s product line.
“I’m very pleased with this deal,” Ness said in a release. “We really like the Kansas City market. There’s lots of demand that we think is underserved, and this is a great opportunity to provide companies in the area with our secure, compliant hybrid IT services.”
Severn, who declined to disclose the amount of the acquisition, will no longer serve as CEO for Echo Cloud, but will stay on the board of directors for Online Tech. The firm will maintain its offices in St. Joseph, Mo.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Trio of early stage Kansas City startups tapped to join K-State Accelerator focused on boosting Kansas economy
MANHATTAN, Kansas — Seven startups are expected to begin work this month within the K-State Accelerator, earning funds, training and resources to turn their concepts into successful Sunflower State ventures. Three of the selected companies hail from the Kansas City area, including dScribe AI; 4D Leaders; and Rebound Jerseys. The eight-week, virtual Center for Entrepreneurship…
KC’s FairWave coffee pours into the Carolinas with latest small-batch roaster acquisition
Joining Midwest-based coffee collective FairWave gives Black & White Coffee Roasters access to the enhanced equipment, resources and network needed to scale the North Carolina business to its potential — while staying true to its values, said Kyle Ramage. “It’s a natural progression that will allow us to build upon our existing foundation and reach…
DoorDash Accelerator opens applications to local businesses through KCMO partnership
Independently-owned brick-and-mortar businesses — think restaurants, flower shops, mom-and-pop supermarkets, and more across Kansas City — that partner with DoorDash for deliveries can now apply to join a new-to-KC entrepreneur-focused accelerator, Quinton Lucas announced Wednesday. Up to 10 local businesses are expected to be selected to receive mentorship, professional programming, and funding through the accelerator.…
Meet the winners: Pitch Black competition rewards founders’ vision with $60K in prizes
Founder Godfrey Riddle was overwhelmed with emotion Saturday, he said, after accepting the $30,000 grand prize at the Pitch Black Business Summit — a game-changing development for his sustainable, affordable housing venture, Civic Saint. “I’m feeling phenomenal. Shocked, relieved — just elated,” said Riddle, following the announcement of his win. “It’s crazy because when you…