“ADT and SDI are the perfect match; two companies dedicated to providing business owners with peace-of-mind knowing their greatest investment is monitored and more secure. Cybercrime is a real threat to the livelihood of small businesses across the country. It is imperative that we provide our customers with a complete suite of solutions to help ensure every point of entry, whether physical or digital, is protected.”
– Michael Keen, Vice President, ADT Cybersecurity
“Together with ADT, we’ll now be able to extend our reach to give new and existing small business customers the network security that is needed to operate in today’s world.”
– Larry Cecchini, SDI Owner & now Vice President / General Manager, ADT Cybersecurity Small Business
Transaction Overview
- On August 2nd, 2018, The ADT Corporation ("ADT") announced it has acquired Secure Designs Inc. ("SDI")
- Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, SDI provides effective, high-value managed Internet security services for micro, small and mid-sized businesses. As ADT Cybersecurity, the company will design, implement, monitor, and manage network defense systems, including firewall services and intrusion prevention, helping protect small business networks from a diverse and challenging set of global cyber threats
- Founded in 1999 and located at 301 Elm Street in downtown Greensboro, Secure Designs had become over the course of its 18-year history one of the country's fastest growing MSSPs (Managed Security Service Providers). The company is a seven-time winner of the prestigious "Inc. 5000" award, the definitive ranking of America's fastest-growing, privately held companies
- Larry Cecchini, who had worked at the company since 2002 and became CEO in 2011, joined ADT as Vice President and General Manager of ADT Cybersecurity Small Business following the acquisition
- The acquisition closed in early August 2018. Effective immediately, SDI began using the ADT Cybersecurity name. All 30 employees of SDI migrated to ADT's payroll
- ADT Inc. (NYSE: ADT) is the leading provider of monitored security and interactive home and business automation solutions in the United States and Canada, headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida with approximately 17,500 employees
- Terms of the transaction were not disclosed
Transaction Significance
- With SDI's resources and technology, ADT will now be able to provide real-time insights to Internet risks and behaviors, coupled with bundled solutions to improve small business performance. Best of all, solutions are customizable to suit the needs of a historically underserved customer segment
- ADT Cybersecurity services for small business will now include customization, installation, monitoring, and management of enterprise-grade firewalls. This multi-layered security approach provides active perimeter defense, vulnerability scanning and secure remote access to help eliminate data loss
- As part of ADT Cybersecurity, the combined entity leverages Secure Designs' unique brand of expertise as a national "Master MSSP" offering high-value, enterprise-level managed internet security at affordable prices to those who need it most: America's Small Businesses
- The acquisition launches an enhanced multi-level security service "stack" aimed specifically at the SMB and "Micro-SMB" market, introducing a new, comprehensive ADT Cybersecurity offering for Small Business including Advanced Zero-Day threat protection, SIEM (Security and Event Management), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), and immediate data backup and restoration to combat advanced and persistent cyberthreats
- ADT had been offering advanced, integrated solutions for several years as part of their Commercial and National Account services. ADT Cybersecurity for Commercial and National Accounts was officially introduced in 2017, leveraging the 24/7/365 capabilities of ADT's Network Operations Centers (NOC) in Delaware and Security Operations Center (SOC) in Phoenix
Momentum Cyber's Role
- Momentum Cyber served as exclusive strategic Cybersecurity advisor to ADT
If you’re navigating a critical inflection point in cybersecurity growth, M&A, or capital strategy, Momentum Cyber brings unmatched sector expertise and senior-level advisory to every engagement. Let us advise you today and help you maximize value with confidence in an increasingly complex cyber landscape.