GP Bullhound advises Origo on its sale to iPipeline

GP Bullhound has acted as exclusive financial adviser to Origo and its shareholders on the company’s sale to iPipeline, a leading global provider of digital solutions for the life insurance and financial services industry and a business unit of Roper Technologies (Nasdaq: ROP).

Origo is the UK’s trusted connectivity layer for financial services, enabling secure data exchange between providers, advisers and platforms. Through services spanning transfers, digital identity and adviser connectivity — including Unipass Identity — Origo removes friction from complex, fragmented processes and has become critical infrastructure for the UK wealth and retirement market.

Origo is also the architect and technology developer behind the UK Pensions Dashboard Programme, the largest pensions technology project ever undertaken by the UK Government which will give every citizen visibility of their State, workplace and personal pension savings.

During Vespa Capital’s ownership, revenue and EBITDA grew substantially (EBITDA grew more than sevenfold), supported by significant investment across product, commercial and finance capabilities and the launch of multiple high growth software solutions.

The acquisition expands iPipeline’s presence in the UK wealth and retirement market and strengthens its ability to help customers navigate the manual processes and disconnected systems that continue to challenge financial services organisations worldwide. Origo and Unipass will continue as iPipeline brands, with services remaining available, connected and partner-friendly.

The transaction reflects the accelerating consolidation of financial infrastructure and connectivity software, as insurance, retirement and wealth management converge and firms seek technology that simplifies interactions across products, partners and channels.

Anthony Rafferty, Chief Executive Officer at Origo commented “Origo has always focused on making it easier for firms to connect and work together. Joining iPipeline allows us to build on that mission while maintaining the transparent, collaborative approach our customers value. GP Bullhound, as deep sector specialists with global access to key, senior executives and investors, ran a focused, perfectly executed process and operated as our trusted investment banking partner throughout.”

Khidhr Shafiq, Partner at Vespa Capital commented “Origo occupies a unique position in the pensions and lifetime savings industry as the trusted provider of its critical digital infrastructure., We are proud to have supported the business and its management team through this transformational phase of growth. GP Bullhound’s sector knowledge and execution were instrumental in delivering an excellent outcome.”

Matt Stamp, Partner at GP Bullhound commented “Origo is genuinely critical infrastructure for the UK wealth and retirement ecosystem, and this transaction brings together two businesses with a shared commitment to trusted connectivity. We are delighted to have advised Origo and its shareholders on this landmark transaction, which further cements GP Bullhound’s position as a leading adviser across wealth & pension technology and the broader FinTech infrastructure software space.”

The transaction builds on GP Bullhound’s track record in fintech and adjacent sectors, where the firm has advised on more than 250 transactions, including recent deals such as the sales of MSO and Quanthouse by IRESS, the sale of Third Financial to Nucleus, Bowmark on its acquisition of Cubelogic, Epiris on its acquisition of Winterflood Business Services and Admiral Group plc on its acquisition of Flock.

Advisers to Origo and Vespa Capital on the transaction included DLA Piper, Oliver Wyman, EY and SeedCloud.

About Origo
Origo is the UK’s trusted provider of connectivity and data exchange services for the financial services industry, enabling secure, accurate interaction between providers, advisers and platforms. Its services span transfers, digital identity through Unipass, and adviser connectivity, helping firms exchange information efficiently and reduce friction across complex financial ecosystems. For more information, visit origo.com.

About iPipeline
iPipeline® is a leading global provider of digital solutions for the life insurance and financial services industry. For decades, iPipeline has helped carriers, distributors, advisers and financial institutions digitise and streamline critical business processes, connecting people, processes and data across the insurance and wealth value chain. For more information, visit ipipeline.com.

About Vespa Capital
Vespa Capital is a UK lower mid-market private equity investor supporting recapitalisations and MBOs of privately-owned businesses with enterprise values between £10m – £70m. The firm backs niche and differentiated UK businesses which exhibit resilient characteristics and growth potential. For more information, visit vespacapital.com.

About GP Bullhound
GP Bullhound is a leading technology advisory firm, providing transaction advice to the world’s best entrepreneurs. Founded in 1999, the firm has 10 offices across Europe, the US, and Asia. Learn more at gpbullhound.com.

Enquiries
For enquiries, please contact:
Matt Stamp, Partner at GP Bullhound
matt.stamp@gpbullhound.com | +44 775 349 7157