Active Network acquires Starcite and launches cloud computing solution

January 9, 2012 Off By David

Grazed from CMW.  Author: PColston.

San Diego-based international provider of organisation-based cloud computing applications Active Network, has announced the acquisition of Starcite, the Philadelphia-based operator of corporate strategic meetings management system, for US$51.8m in cash and stock.

News of the acquisition comes as Active Network launches its Business Solutions Division designed to create an end-to-end global ecosystem for the events industry.

StarCite will be incorporated into the new division and Active Network anticipates StarCite giving it access to a vast online marketplace of the top hotels, destinations and venue suppliers worldwide…

“StarCite has built a solid reputation in the strategic meetings management market which is an excellent complement to the enterprise corporations and small and medium-sized businesses we already serve,” said JR Sherman, SVP and Senior General Manager of Active Network, Business Solutions. “Through this strategic acquisition, we’ll be in a position to offer our customers the industry’s most robust, fully-scalable technology platform and a broad range of solutions to successfully run events and meetings of all sizes, any level of complexity, and across all segments.”

Active Network says that rather than employing a patchwork of technologies and suppliers to manage their professional events, meeting planners and buyers can now benefit through the ability to leverage a single provider to “track every stage of the customer journey, gain greater access to business intelligence, and engage more deeply with their customers”.

Active Network says it is also helping the events industry move beyond a focus on meetings logistics and spend management to one that includes community engagement, which helps enable organisations to build lifetime value with their customers and employees.

The company’s Business Solutions division powers customers of all sizes—including small and medium-sized businesses, enterprise corporations, associations, tradeshows and expos—with a single technology suite for their entire event management needs.

The technology suite now includes ActiveWorks, Conference for large flagship conferences, RegOnline for attendee management solutions, StarCite SMM for strategic meetings management and event expense management, and the StarCite Supplier Marketplace to connect events with suppliers.
 
Active Network officially unveils its new Business Solutions division at a press conference 9 January, 2012 at the PCMA Convening Leaders show in San Diego.