Convergence Partners’ primary strategy is to partner quality businesses where it believes that it can make a meaningful contribution to strategic development and growth to the benefit of all stakeholders. The entities in which Convergence Partners has invested are listed below.

CURRENT INVESTMENTS


Dimension Data Middle East and Africa

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in South Africa, Dimension Data is a specialist IT services and solution provider that helps clients plan, build and support their IT infrastructures. Dimension Data is the largest player in the corporate networking and IP based communications space in Africa.

Internet Solutions (through Dimension Data)

Internet Solutions is a high-end ISP which provides a full range of value-added and managed network services to its enterprise clients across Africa. The company has grown swiftly from a pure supplier of Internet access to a provider of next-generation services.

Plessey (through Dimension Data)

A leader in telecommunications infrastructure, Plessey provides best of breed end-to-end communications solutions and infrastructure services to the African ICT market place, including managed network solutions.

Vodacom

Vodacom is a leading African communications group providing mobile communications and related services to over 40 million customers. Vodacom is the market leader in mobile phone subscriptions in the South African market.

Seacom

Seacom is a full service provider of international fibre bandwidth through its undersea and terrestrial fibre network along the East Coast of Africa, linking Southern & Eastern Africa, Europe and South Asia. Seacom launched on 23 July 2009 as the first ever undersea fibre system along Africa’s East Coast.

FibreCo

Established in 2009 as a joint venture between Convergence Partners, Cell C, and Internet Solutions, FibreCo is deploying a state-of-the-art fully managed long-haul fibre optic terrestrial network across South Africa. Construction of the network will follow a three-phase approach and ultimately cover a total of  12,000km. The initial phase, a rollout of a 4,500km redundant core ring linking Gauteng, Cape Town and Durban to international cable landing stations, is due to be completed by the end of 2012.

FibreCo will offer a fully managed monitoring and maintenance service of the network on a 24/7 basis for its tenants. A range of additional value-added services will also be available, dependent on customer requirements.

Britehouse

Britehouse is a focused software applications holding company that, through its investments, provides expert development, customisation, integration, implementation and maintenance services in all major areas of the business applications space.

3Fifteen (through Britehouse)

3Fifteen, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, is one of the top Microsoft solutions providers in South Africa, providing customized application developments based on its clients’ core business requirements.

Britehouse Specialist SAP Division (through Britehouse)

Britehouse Specialist SAP Division was created through the merger of Pebbletree and One Arch and is now one of Africa’s leading SAP Application Specialists companies, focusing on strategic business consulting and developing business models.

Auto-Mate (through Britehouse)

Auto-Mate Dealer Management Systems provides world class computerised management services to the South African automotive industry. The Auto-Mate fully integrated software application is developed, distributed and supported by the company and includes all computerised aspects pertaining to managing a motor dealership.

Inala Technologies

Inala provides a comprehensive range of high-end telecommunications, broadcast, testing and measurement services and products across the African continent. Through its Distribution, Broadcast, Systems and Services divisions, Inala provides a comprehensive range of test and measurement equipment, monitoring systems, broadcast equipment and customized solutions to customers in the telecommunications (including fixed line and GSM) and broadcasting sectors across the African continent.

Comsol Wireless Solutions

Comsol deploys wireless communication infrastructure (including WiMAX) solutions for broadband data and voice applications, across the African continent, and manages wireless broadband networks on behalf of its clients.

Gemalto SA

Gemalto Southern Africa is the Sub-Saharan African subsidiary of the multinational Gemalto group, which provides secure personal devices, platforms and services to governments, organisations and businesses. Its activities range from the development of software applications through the design and production of secure personal devices such as smart cards, SIMs, e-passports and tokens, to the deployment of managed services for customers.

Integrat

Integrat is one of the largest aggregators of Wireless Applications Service Provider (WASP) activity in the South African market. Examples of the types of GSM Value Added Services (VAS) activities Integrat is involved in include bulk and premium SMS, mobile billing, multimedia messaging, mobile marketing, mobile tracking services. Integrat’s systems also enable mobile content such as music, ringtones, wallpaper, pictures and mobile business applications.

SkillPod Media

SkillPod is an innovative online casual gaming business. The company is focused on the customisation and delivery of online casual games to the advertising, traditional and online media industry, with significant focus on social networking in games, online multiplayer platforms and the emerging mobile gaming environment.

Convergence Wireless Networks (CWN)

CWN is a project development company investing in broadband wireless data networks, spectrum and licences across Africa. The company partners with other investees in the Convergence Partners stable to maximise the time to market advantage of these new disruptive players, as well as to reduce risk in the investments concerned. CWN is a 75:25 JV between Convergence Partners and Comsol. To date, CWN has invested in WiA in Tanzania and Intra in Mozambique (now IS Mozambique).

Convergence Border Management Solutions (CBMS)

CBMS provides and operates integrated solutions to governments to enhance border and passenger security in partnership with SITA (Societe Internationale de Telecommunications Aeronautique), the world’s leading specialist in air transport communication and IT solutions. In addition to security benefits, CBMS’ solutions also facilitate the efficient entry and flow of passengers at the ports of entry.

Nedbank (Eyethu Scheme)

Convergence Partners was invited by Nedbank to participate in its key customer scheme as part of Nedbank’s own transformation transaction. Nedbank is one of the four largest banking groups in South Africa.

BloodHound

Bloodhound is a managed technology solution and service company specialising in real-time visibility of onsite personnel, equipment and high-value assets to better manage productivity and safety using RFID, GSM and related technologies.

REALISED INVESTMENTS


New Dawn Satellite Co.

New Dawn was Africa’s first private sector communications satellite. New Dawn was a joint venture between Intelsat, the world’s leading provider of fixed satellite services, and a South African investor group led by Convergence Partners, to own and operate a communications satellite designed for and funded by Africa. The venture was conceptualised by Convergence Partners in early 2006, reached financial close in December 2009 was launched into orbit on 22 April 2011. Convergence Partners exited its stake in New Dawn in October 2012.

Telkom

Telkom is Africa’s largest largest integrated communications company, providing integrated communications solutions to an entire range of customers. Convergence Partners exited its stake in Telkom in May 2010.