CompTIA Sells Brand, Products to H.I.G. Capital and Thoma Bravo

H.I.G. Capital and Thoma Bravo signed an agreement to acquire the brand, IT certification and training business and products of the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).

CompTIA offers IT certification and training that is focused on promoting industry growth and skills development across the $5 trillion global IT ecosystem and its 38 million professionals. It provides education, training, certifications and market research across areas such as cybersecurity, emerging technology, networking, cloud computing and technical support.

As the largest vendor-neutral credentialing program for technology workers, CompTIA has awarded over 3.5 million globally recognized certifications to professionals across a range of technology companies. It also maintains a global partner program with thousands of academic institutions, nonprofits, job corps centers and other organizations, all focused on developing and certifying next-gen technology talent.

Following the closing of the transaction, CompTIA will operate as a for-profit company under H.I.G. and Thoma Bravo’s ownership. Its existing membership-based, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization will be separated from CompTIA and continue its mission of service to the IT industry.

“We are thrilled to be joining forces with two leading, experienced investors in the technology space, whose expertise and resources will allow us to expand our impact on the global IT industry,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO at CompTIA. “Through this transaction, we will be well-positioned to accelerate and expand the rollout of products and services to train the highly skilled workers of the future, and further strengthen our reputation across the industry as the leading provider of certifications and trainings.”

“The association’s board of directors is very excited to be working with H.I.G. Capital and Thoma Bravo in this transformational process for the association, and also for the CompTIA business,” said Tracy Pound, the chair of CompTIA’s Board.

“This transaction will allow the association to chart an expanded course of service to the global IT industry while making a substantial new commitment to charitable impact,” added Scott Barlow, vice chair of CompTIA’s Board.

“We are delighted to partner with Todd and the rest of the CompTIA team,” said Matthew Robinson, H.I.G.’s managing director. “We look forward to embarking together with management on CompTIA’s next phase of growth as a business fully dedicated to advancing the careers of IT professionals globally.”

“Global education is continually evolving to become more skills-based, and CompTIA is powering that shift with partnerships spanning academic institutions, private enterprises, government entities and training delivery partners,” said Matt Hankins, H.I.G. managing director. “CompTIA’s educational training content and certifications are enabling people across the world to gain entry and advancement in the IT space to unlock personal earning potential.”

“The technology landscape is evolving quickly, and it is more important than ever that IT professionals have the skills needed to solve not only today’s challenges, but also those expected to emerge in the future,” said A.J. Rohde, senior partner, Thoma Bravo. “We view our investment in CompTIA as an important opportunity to capitalize on this growing need while investing in the development of the industry as a whole.”

“CompTIA is a trusted name in IT, with significant partnerships across sectors and industries,” said George Jaber, principal with Thoma Bravo. “We look forward to working with CompTIA to invest in further developing its suite of industry-leading training and certification products, creating the next generation of resources that the industry needs while upholding CompTIA’s global reputation.”

The transaction is expected to close in early 2025 and is subject to customary regulatory approval.