AMPAREX, the market leader in software for audiologists, and IPRO, the market leader in software for opticians, will now collaborate more closely under the umbrella of their new owner, FLEX Capital. This recently revealed development has already been completed.
With this, the Berlin-based investment company FLEX Capital is laying the foundation for a software group catering to ‘other service providers’ in the healthcare sector. Through strategic investments in technology and products, the goal is to provide customers with by far the best offering in their respective segments.
The group will focus on modern cloud solutions, which will replace the traditional usage and licensing models for server-based systems. Cloud computing provides resources and applications over the internet. While initially met with scepticism in the midsize sector, nobody seriously doubts today that it will serve as the foundation for crucial future technologies in many fields. Particularly in complex industries like audiology and optical care, with their diverse array of market participants, the cloud presents a unique opportunity for efficiently harnessing optimization potentials.
The companies supported by FLEX achieve additional growth through targeted investments in technology and product. The company, whose founders and investors are themselves midsize software entrepreneurs, focuses on companies headquartered in German-speaking regions. Value is generated not through ‘cost cutting’, but through revenue growth and leveraging the scale effects typical of software companies.
The management of IPRO welcomes the sales decision of the former parent company Haag-Streit, especially considering the clear strategic direction of the new owners. ‘IPRO has every reason to thank Haag-Streit for over 30 years during which they have accompanied and supported our success story and rise to market leadership,’ explains Managing Director Martin Himmelsbach. ‘The partners at FLEX are experienced IT entrepreneurs who aim to align their companies with new requirements and attract new customers; our employees, users, and partners will benefit from this.’ Co-Managing Director Alexander Schröder adds, ‘My focus is on making IPRO quickly more modern and agile; FLEX’s clear commitment to the cloud, along with their expertise and resources, will support us in this endeavour.
The market for audiology has been marked by increasing concentration and branching for several years, and this development also affects software providers,” says AMPAREX Managing Director Stephan Förderung. “In audiology, this process is well advanced, while in optometry, it is still ahead.” Eventually, one provider will dominate the market. “Offering the best product alone is not enough; you also need strong partners by your side to compete successfully. With our new owner, FLEX, the necessary resources for our growth are available, from financial means to professional support at all levels.” Through the acquisition of IPRO and AMPAREX, FLEX also gains 60 years of market experience. “Now, the goal is to combine the strengths of both companies to become even more competitive overall,” Förderung explains. “We are looking forward to the collaborative partnership with IPRO and FLEX.
FLEX aims to achieve the goal of providing an almost perfect IT solution for all ‘other service providers’ in the healthcare market. IPRO and AMPAREX form the nucleus of this strategy. ‘Both companies shine with a market-leading position and complement each other perfectly in their strengths. IPRO with its strong market presence and deep industry knowledge in optics, AMPAREX with profound expertise in the areas of cloud computing and acoustics,’ says Christoph Jost, Founder & Managing Partner at FLEX. ‘For the customers of both software companies, this means that they will benefit from each other’s strengths in the future and will always receive the best possible solutions through continuous investments in technology and product aligned with customer needs.’ In the coming weeks and months, the managing directors, with the support of FLEX, will work on the joint strategy to achieve the envisioned goal.
- “IPRO has every reason to thank Haag-Streit for over 30 years during which they have accompanied and supported our success story and rise to market leadership. The partners at FLEX are experienced IT entrepreneurs who aim to align their companies with new requirements and attract new customers; our employees, users, and partners will benefit from this.” Martin Himmelsbach, Managing Director of IPRO GmbH
- “The market for audiology has been marked by increasing consolidation and branching for several years, and this trend also affects software providers. In audiology, this process is well advanced, while in optometry, it is still ahead. However, offering the best product alone is not sufficient; one also requires strong partners by their side to thrive in the competition. With our new owner, FLEX, the necessary resources for our growth are available, from financial means to professional support at all levels. Now, the goal is to synergize the strengths of both companies to become even more competitive as a whole. We are excited about the collaborative partnership with IPRO and FLEX.” Stephan Förderung, Managing Director of Amparex GmbH
- “We see the opportunity in the field of software for other healthcare service providers to provide by far the best offering for users through targeted investments in technology and product. To achieve this, we have established a software group that, with Amparex and IPRO as its first members, has been able to secure the clear market leaders in the fields of acoustics and optics, respectively. We are very excited about the constructive collaboration with the existing management teams.” Christoph Jost, Managing Partner at FLEX Capital
About AMPAREX
AMPAREX offers hearing care professionals, therapists, and opticians a complete range of solutions, from software solutions to support and data center operations, all under one roof and proudly made in Germany. Since 2005, the universal cloud solution AMPAREX has been available for healthcare service providers.
About IPRO
For over three decades, IPRO has been diligently working to provide opticians and hearing care professionals with the best software, support, and service, achieving great success. The concrete benefit to the users has always been and continues to be the central focus. Those who have IPRO by their side master digital challenges with excellence.
