Northern Ireland consultancy business acquires spanish tech firm for undisclosed sum

Northern Ireland firm, OCO Global has acquired a spanish tech company Bizzyou to be incorporated into their new dedicated technology division.

The move by the Belfast business management consultancy is part of a wider strategy by the company to accelerate its digitisation of services to support international clients.

Bizzyou specialises in developing online platforms that enable business to business (B2B) engagement. The acquisition will support OCO’s delivery of international trade, investment and economic development services which rely upon connectivity and engagement between clients and stakeholders.

OCO plans to significantly enhance its offering through its Connect platform. Connect helps clients establish and nurture highly effective digital B2B communities, spanning geographies, industry sectors and programmes. The platform accelerates and multiplies business outcomes for clients such as export sales, investment attraction and economic growth.

The technology is already being used by a broad range of clients, including a series of major export programmes for the UK government, industry development organisations in Europe and the USA, and by Asean Access Match, a major business networking organisation in south-east Asia.

OCO’s Technology also offers Velociti, a business intelligence platform which combines multiple global data sources and AI to direct users to key decision makers in the most dynamic global companies.

Gareth Hagan, OCO Global’s CEO, said: “In the last decade, the way in which global business operates has become unrecognisable. Change is everywhere and shifts in global markets and industry sectors hugely increases the need for effective B2B engagement to drive the next wave of innovation, collaboration and commercial relationships.

“We have seen significant demand from clients and real open-mindedness to adopt smart solutions like Connect and Velociti, that support their digital transformation.

“We have been working with Bizzyou since 2022 to develop OCO Connect, one of the most sophisticated platforms available for the creation and management of online business communities. As we continue to expand our technology capabilities within both our existing and growing client base, it made strategic sense to incorporate Bizzyou’s expertise into a new and expanded dedicated technology team.”

OCO Connect is currently supporting a series of ‘Trade Corridors’ on behalf of the Department for Business & Trade to support UK exporters.

Robert Bol, previously Bizzyou’s CEO and now OCO’s Technology Solution architect, continued: “The acquisition of Bizzyou demonstrates OCO’s commitment to enhancing business development and engagement. OCO Connect promises a digital revolution in business interaction. Through partnerships with organisations such as DBT and Asean Access, we’ve already begun to create new, modern day trade corridors. Our aim is to empower membership organizations with the tools they require for seamless digital transformation, fostering global connectivity and innovation.”

Yeary Callero, formerly of Bizzyou and now OCO’s chief technology officer, added: “Joining OCO Global is an exhilarating new chapter for us. Our technology, now combined with OCO Global’s expansive reach and expertise, is set to redefine industry standards and accelerate digital transformation. We’re looking forward to helping OCO Global lead the charge in innovating business services for a digital-first world.”

OCO has a track record of successfully employing technology to deliver innovative services having previously developed online FDI intelligence and benchmarking tools. These were purchased by the Financial Times for its ‘fDi Intelligence’ business.