Aricent

Aricent

Type	Private
Industry	R&D Services
Founded	1991 (as Hughes Software Systems)
Headquarters	Redwood City, California
Key people	Frank Kern (CEO)
Products	Internet engineering
Number of employees	12000 [1]
Website	www.aricent.com

Aricent is a pure-play product engineering service firm. It develops software, provides technology services, and works with networking, telecom, software, semiconductor, Internet, and industrial companies.^[2] Aricent is headquartered in Redwood City, California, with operations in 9 countries worldwide;^[3] investors are KKR & Co. L.P. and Sequoia Capital.^[4] The company claims to employ 12,000 consultants, designers, and engineers at 19 locations worldwide.^[4]

History

Aricent is the successor to Hughes Software Systems, which was established in 1991, a subsidiary to Hughes Electronics. (KKR),^[5] and Sequoia Capital.^[6][7]

• 1991: Established as Hughes Software Systems (HSS) by KV Ramani in Nehru Place,New Delhi developing software solutions in the areas of VSAT-based networks for voice and data, cellular wireless telephony, packet switching, and multi-protocol routing.Pioneering in the development of Protocol Stacks.^[8] It acquired frog design for approximately $25 million.^[9]
• 2004: Flextronics bought HSS to form Flextronics Software Systems and merged with Future Software Communications headquartered in Chennai.^[10]
• 2005: Expanded development operations in Kiev, Kherson and Vinnytsia in the Ukraine; Randburg, South Africa; and Beijing, China. Was delisted from India's stock market in preparation for sale.
• 2006: Was acquired by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Sequoia Capital as part of a $900 million sales of software companies.^[11] The transaction represented the largest private equity buy-out in Indian history.^[12]
• 2007: Acquired Datalinx; launched service provider offerings.^[13]
• 2008: The Family Office, a multi-family office company with headquarters in Bahrain also joined in funding Aricent.^[14]
• 2011: Rebranded to Aricent Group.^[15]
• 2011: Opened engineering and development center for testing and wireless technologies in Vietnam^[16]
• 2013: Rebranded to Aricent.
• 2015: Acquired SmartPlay Technologies, a semiconductor service based firm for $180 million. As part of the deal, SmartPlay's 1,200-plus staff will join Aricent's staff.

Operations

• Aricent Redwood City Office
• Aricent Gurgaon Infotech Campus

See also

• Fortune India 500
• List of companies of India

References

1. "About Us" (Webpage). Aricent. Retrieved 2016-05-28.
2. http://www.aricent.com/news/zinnov-rates-aricent-global-rd-services-leader
3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-05-13. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
4. "About Us" Accessed J May 28, 2016
5. "KKR Current Investments". KKR. Archived from the original on 2006-08-25. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
6. "Aricent - Sequoia Capital". Sequoia Capital. Archived from the original on 10 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
7. "Aricent Debuts As Communications Software Pure Play". KKR. Archived from the original on 2006-10-31. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
8. url=http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/27/stories/2004082703941500.htm
9. "One Great Leap for Frog Design". BusinessWeek. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
10. url=http://www.greatlakes.edu.in/blog/kv-ramani-founder-future-software-pvt-ltd-and-ex-chairman-nasscom-on-entrepreneurship-and-successful-business-models
11. "Aricent - Sequoia Capital". Sequoia Capital. Archived from the original on 10 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
12. "Buyout deal by KKR is India's largest ever". International Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on 24 October 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-31.
13. http://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/aricent-buys-us-firm-in-global-market-quest/article1-247777.aspx
14. "Aricent Announces New Funding from KKR and The Family Office". Aricent. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-23.
15. "Rebranded to Aricent Group". Aricent. Retrieved 2011-05-21.
16. http://english.thesaigontimes.vn/Home/business/other/15411/