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Khoros and Vista Equity Partners
Khoros was formed in 2019 from the merger of Spredfast and Lithium Technologies under Vista Equity Partners, building on decades of combined expertise from each company.
About the partnership
Spredfast and Lithium Technologies both possessed deep expertise in social customer care and social media marketing. Lithium Technologies and Spredfast were founded in 2001 and 2008, respectively. Lithium acquired brand tracker Scout Labs in 2010, digital customer service group Social Dynamix in 2012, and influencer ranker Klout in 2014, before being acquired by Vista in 2018. Spredfast acquired social brand platform Mass Relevance in 2014 and data-focused marketing company Shoutlet in 2016, before being acquired by Vista in 2018 for merger with Lithium.
Why Spredfast and Lithium Technologies?
Both companies advanced clients’ missions with the creation of powerful analytics tools for their platforms. Lithium was recognized as early as 2012 as a leading technology company by the Wall Street Journal. In 2015, Lithium’s alliance with Microsoft integrated its social tools into Microsoft Dynamics CRM technology and Spredfast/Mass Relevance picked up an Emmy award in Technology & Engineering for interactive social media innovations for broadcast television. In 2017, both companies made CRM analyst and commentator Paul Greenberg’s annual watch list of companies creating the most impact for clients.
Recent partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions
In October 2021, Khoros announced an expanded collaboration with Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS). The integration of Amazon Connect provides Khoros artificial intelligence (AI)-powered customer contact center platform with broader omnichannel digital solutions. These now include: voice capabilities along with chat, messaging, Short Message Service (SMS), social and email. This integration means client customers can engage when they want and on the platform they most prefer, a necessity in today’s marketplace.
In 2021, Khoros, backed by Vista, acquired Topbox, an innovator in customer service software. The addition of Topbox’s powerful artificial intelligence analytics to Khoros’s omnichannel platform will help clients retain customers by providing real-time solutions. Also in 2021, Khoros acquired a conversational design platform, Flow.ai. This acquisition represents another step forward in delivering on their commitment to provide innovative, scalable, and automated ways to improve the customer experience.
Since joining the Vista portfolio, the Khoros platform continues to help companies to simplify the experience of managing multiple social media channels to engage the needs of customers, while providing insight and intelligence regarding those needs under one platform.
About Vista Equity Partners
Vista Equity Partners was founded in 2000 by CEO and Chairman, Robert F. Smith, an entrepreneur and engineer with a vision for the future of software and data technology. Vista, a leading investment firm world-wide, works with the best minds across the digital landscape. The Vista ecosystem of people and expertise, coupled with a flexible ever evolving strategy, provides companies like Khoros with more than a financial anchor. Vista is a champion of innovation at partner companies. It also encourages those companies to invest in and get involved with education and cultural initiatives on the ground, in the communities where they are located.
Supporting social responsibility at Khoros
Vista stands by Khoros’ values, which include a commitment to diversity and inclusion, as well as the Khoros Social Responsibility (KSR) Program. KSR offers Khoros software and services to women-owned and minority-owned businesses and nonprofits that would otherwise be financially unable to access cutting-edge digital technology to aid their growth. Khoros also pledged to commit 2% of its time and resources to deepen its understanding and expand its support of underrepresented communities.
- Advocates for the 2% solution believe that the investment Khoros makes will provide minority-owned businesses with the opportunity to create a regenerative wealth infrastructure which has the potential to become an engine of economic strength.
- Vista and Khoros are also participants in internX, a program supported by the Fund II Foundation, which provides paid-internship experiences and on-the-job learning to minority students.
Find out how the greater Vista community creates opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds and creates solutions that benefit everyone.
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