Commify, the Nottingham-based business messaging solutions firm, has expanded in the US market with the acquisition of Tennessee-based Text Request.
The acquisition is Commify’s 18th since 2013, its second in 2024 under ECI’s backing, and its second in the US market which it entered in 2022.
Text Request, founded in 2014, is a software as a service (SaaS) platform that provides a plug and play texting service including conversational and customer engagement messaging solutions to small and medium sized businesses across the US.
The business has scaled rapidly, growing at 60% per year from 2021 to 2024 to reach approaching $15 million ARR and $20 million total revenue, serving over 7,500 business customers, with a team of 40 based in Chattanooga.
“I’m delighted to be making this major announcement today,” said Richard Hanscott, CEO of Commify. “The US market is an exciting and significant opportunity for Commify.
“Text Request is highly complementary to our existing US business, doubles our scale to well over $30 million revenue and transforms our future position within this market. We can’t wait to get started with the team in Chattanooga to continue to grow together in the years to come.”
“We are proud of Text Request and our team’s accomplishments over the last ten years,” said Text Request co-founder and CEO Brian Elrod. “We’ve hit milestones that very few bootstrapped tech companies achieve, and we’re especially proud of what a tech exit like this means for our local startup community.
“More importantly, Text Request is staying in Chattanooga and will become an integral part of a global messaging leader. Commify aligns perfectly with the Text Request culture and is a great acquirer for continuing our vision. We welcome the Commify team to Chattanooga.”
Paul Burton, Chief Strategy Officer of Commify, added: “We’ve been impressed by the Text Request team for many years so it’s great to finally be joining forces. They’ve scaled up a class-leading platform enabling conversational customer care use cases for businesses of all sizes, taken to market by an experienced local team.
“This is our largest ever acquisition and takes Commify to over 400 team members and approaching €200 million revenue – we are very much open for business for global acquisitions with ECI’s continued backing.”
Text Request was advised by PEAK Technology Partners as exclusive financial advisor and Greenberg Traurig as legal counsel. Commify was advised by Grant Thornton for financial and tax due diligence, EY for tax structuring and Squire Patton Boggs as legal counsel.
