Sophora Unternehmerkapital has made a move into cybersecurity with the acquisition of Data-Sec GmbH, a provider of cybersecurity services and managed solutions based in March near Freiburg. At the same time, the firm has signed an agreement to acquire Munich-based indevis IT-Consulting and Solutions GmbH, with closing expected in June.

This marks the beginning of Sophora’s latest thematic platform, targeting the growing need for scalable, mission-critical IT security solutions. “Cybersecurity has become one of the defining infrastructure needs for European companies – not just for compliance, but for business continuity,” said Guntram Kieferle, Investment Partner at Sophora. “This is exactly the kind of opportunity we look for: well-defined value proposition, strong customer reputation, and clear potential to scale. Our goal is to help translate technical excellence into sustainable growth.”

Data-Sec, founded in 2009, brings deep capabilities in incident response, managed detection, and the implementation of security solutions, with a focus on regulated and critical environments. Founded in 1999, indevis is a long-standing managed security services provider (MSSP) with a strong offering in protection and managed detection solutions including a proprietary security operations centre (SOC). Together, the two businesses will form the foundation of a full-service cybersecurity group dedicated to supporting its base of over 1,000 customers in tackling an ever-increasing threat landscape and meeting regulatory compliance requirements.

As part of the transaction, Frank Puetz will assume the role of Group CEO. He emphasizes the joint ambition to establish a market leader: “Our shared vision is a cybersecurity platform that speaks the language of the Mittelstand – technically sophisticated, reliable, and built to grow with the needs of its customers.”

The founders of Data-Sec, Nicolai Landzettel and Moritz Freiherr von Schwerin will continue their management roles and play a central role in shaping the group’s future. “With indevis, we found a culturally and technically aligned partner,” they say. “This step allows us to offer a broader service portfolio to our clients – without compromising our identity. Sophora brings the entrepreneurial mindset and experience needed to help us scale without losing our DNA.”

The executive team will be completed by Jan Seitz as Group CFO, joining Frank Puetz, Nicolai Landzettel and Moritz Freiherr von Schwerin. With Sophora as a committed partner, the group will pursue a clear growth agenda – both organically and via M&A to expand its regional coverage and to further strengthen its service offering.

“This investment is fully aligned with our strategy: backing resilient B2B businesses, partnering with founders, and scaling through focused, thematic platforms,” adds Benjamin Hubner, Managing Partner at Sophora. “Cybersecurity will continue to be a major structural theme – and this platform offers the ideal foundation for long-term value creation in the sector.”

The Sophora team working on the transactions consisted of Guntram Kieferle, Benjamin Hubner, Jennifer Regehr, Niklas Ortlieb and Jonathan Mrohs.

Sophora was advised by Taylor Wessing (Legal), PwC (Structuring & Legal), Singular (Commercial), Houlihan Lokey (Debt Advisory), Goodwin Procter (Legal – Financing), and EbnerStolz (Financial & Tax).

About Data-Sec
Headquartered in March near Freiburg, Germany, Data-Sec GmbH has been a trusted partner for mid-sized enterprises in the DACH region since 2009. Specializing in comprehensive IT security solutions, Data-Sec offers services including incident response, managed detection and implementation of security solutions. The company is known for its pragmatic approach, technical expertise, and close customer relationships. Data-Sec serves clients across various industries, such as healthcare, energy, logistics, and manufacturing, ensuring they meet regulatory requirements and enhance their resilience against evolving cyber threats. For more information, visit www.data-sec.net.

About indevis
Founded in 1999 and based in Munich, Germany, indevis IT-Consulting and Solutions GmbH is a MSSP supporting mid-sized companies across the DACH region. indevis offers IT infrastructure protection solutions and managed detection services including areas such as network security, secure connectivity, and endpoint protection. The company works with leading global technology vendors and provides tailored solutions including consulting, implementation, and SOC services. indevis enables its customers to meet increasingly complex security and compliance demands while reducing internal IT burden. Its team of cybersecurity experts supports clients across industries such as manufacturing, public services, and healthcare. For more information, visit www.indevis.de.

About Sophora Unternehmerkapital
Sophora Unternehmerkapital, based in Munich, is an independent and owner-managed investment company with a focus on medium-sized companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Sophora consists of an interdisciplinary team of entrepreneurs with many years of experience in the investment business and as founders and managing directors of companies. As a value-creating partner of entrepreneurs and management teams of medium-sized companies, Sophora provides strategic and operational know-how as well as a comprehensive network of experts and flexible capital in order to jointly discover and develop potentials. For additional information about Sophora, please visit Sophora’s website at www.sophora.de/en.