(Read the Dutch version here)



Software Improvement Group (SIG) acquires EXIN


Together, SIG and EXIN will assess the full spectrum of people, processes and technology to get software right for a healthier digital world


July 1, 2021, Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Software Improvement Group (SIG), the independent global authority on software assurance, announced today that it has acquired EXIN, a leading independent exam and certification institute for IT professionals. EXIN adds the certification of people to SIG’s long-standing services for assessing and certifying software technology and development processes. With this acquisition, organizations worldwide will be able to leverage objective assessments and certification of people, processes and technology for reliable IT from a single, independent partner.

Luc Brandts, CEO, SIG: “With a history dating back to 1984, having certified over two million people in 162 countries, we’re excited to have such a high-quality institute like EXIN become part of Software Improvement Group. Combined with our expertise in assessing and certifying software code and development processes, we now cover the trifecta of people, process and technology. EXIN’s focus on high-quality assessments and certifications will further strengthen our unique position as an independent company in the field of software assurance. We believe the new combination of SIG and EXIN truly helps to get software and skills right for a healthier digital world.“

Modern society is becoming ever-more reliant on software technologies and its developers. Companies struggle to fully understand the software they rely on, or to utilize it in ways that allows them to make fact-based decisions to reduce risk, cut costs, speed up time to market and accelerate digital transformation.

Bernd Taselaar, CEO, EXIN: “SIG and EXIN unite the customer, business, and technology by independently validating the knowledge and skills of professionals, as well as the quality and risks hidden in software applications and development processes. At EXIN, we see this acquisition to be a natural fit. Both of our organizations take a fact-based approach in our respective assessments and certification processes, and we share the same company values of integrity, independence, high quality and respect. Together, we have a strong presence on all continents, serving our clients anywhere at any time. We want to thank our partners and clients as well as the EXIN team for their continued loyalty and trust to make the combination of SIG and EXIN a success.“




About EXIN
EXIN is a leading independent exam and certification institute, having certified millions of professionals in the digital domain. EXIN has over 1000 accredited partners in more than165 countries worldwide. EXIN’s flexible and innovative services enable candidates to take exams worldwide in a wide range of languages.

EXIN enables digital transformation by assessing and validating competences. EXIN offers a broad range of current and in-demand certifications that cover a broad spectrum of specialisms in IT, including Service Management (such as VeriSM™, SIAM™, ITSM), Agile (Agile Scrum, DevOps, Lean IT), and Security (Information Security Management, Privacy & Data Protection based on GDPR, Cybersecurity) as well as Data Center Management.

About SIG
Software Improvement Group (SIG) helps organizations trust the technology they depend on. We combine our intelligent technology with our human expertise to dig deep into the build quality of enterprise software and architecture – measuring, monitoring, and benchmarking it against the world’s largest software analysis database.

The SIG software analysis laboratory is the only one in the world accredited according to ISO/IEC 17025 for software quality analysis. Founded in 2000, SIG is headquartered in Amsterdam, with offices in New York, Copenhagen, Antwerp and Frankfurt.

Learn more: www.softwareimprovementgroup.com



(Dutch version)



Software Improvement Group (SIG) neemt EXIN over


SIG en EXIN gaan gezamenlijk het volledige spectrum van mensen, processen en technologie evalueren voor een gezondere digitale wereld


1 juli 2021, Amsterdam - Software Improvement Group (SIG), de onafhankelijke wereldwijde autoriteit op het gebied van software assurance, kondigde vandaag aan dat het EXIN heeft overgenomen, een toonaangevend onafhankelijk examen- en certificeringsinstituut voor IT-professionals. Hierdoor voegt EXIN de certificering van mensen toe aan SIG's reeds lang bestaande dienstverlening voor het beoordelen en certificeren van softwaretechnologie en ontwikkelingsprocessen. Met deze overname kunnen organisaties wereldwijd terecht bij één onafhankelijke partner voor objectieve beoordelingen en certificering van mensen, processen en technologie voor de ontwikkeling van betrouwbare IT.

Luc Brandts, CEO van SIG: "Met een geschiedenis die teruggaat tot 1984 en het certificeren van meer dan twee miljoen mensen in 162 landen, zijn we verheugd dat zo'n hoogwaardig instituut als EXIN deel gaat uitmaken van Software Improvement Group. In combinatie met onze expertise in het beoordelen en certificeren van softwarecode en ontwikkelingsprocessen, bestrijken we nu de driehoek van mensen, processen en technologie. EXIN's focus op hoogwaardige beoordeling van competenties en certificeringen zal onze unieke positie als onafhankelijke organisatie op het gebied van software assurance verder versterken. Wij geloven dat de nieuwe combinatie van SIG en EXIN echt helpt om software en vaardigheden op orde te krijgen voor een gezondere digitale wereld."

De moderne samenleving wordt steeds afhankelijker van softwaretechnologieën en de ontwikkelaars ervan. Bedrijven worstelen met het volledig begrijpen van de software waar ze op vertrouwen, of met het gebruik ervan op een manier die hen in staat stelt om op feiten gebaseerde beslissingen te nemen om risico's te verminderen, kosten te besparen,  time-to-market te versnellen en digitale transformatie te bevorderen.

Bernd Taselaar, CEO, EXIN: "SIG en EXIN verenigen de klant, business en technologie door onafhankelijk de kennis en vaardigheden van professionals te valideren, evenals de kwaliteit en risico's die verborgen zitten in softwaretoepassingen en ontwikkelingsprocessen. Bij EXIN zien we deze overname als een natuurlijke stap. Onze beide organisaties hanteren een op feiten gebaseerde aanpak in onze wederzijdse beoordelings- en certificeringsprocessen. Daarnaast delen we dezelfde bedrijfswaarden van integriteit, onafhankelijkheid, hoge kwaliteit en respect. Samen zijn we sterk vertegenwoordigd op alle continenten en kunnen we onze klanten overal en altijd van dienst zijn. Wij willen onze partners en klanten alsook het EXIN-team bedanken voor hun doorlopende loyaliteit en vertrouwen om de combinatie van SIG en EXIN tot een succes te maken."




Over EXIN
EXIN is een toonaangevend onafhankelijk examen- en certificeringsinstituut, dat miljoenen professionals in het digitale domein heeft gecertificeerd. EXIN heeft meer dan 1000 geaccrediteerde partners in meer dan 165 landen wereldwijd. De flexibele en innovatieve diensten van EXIN stellen kandidaten in staat om wereldwijd examens af te leggen in een breed scala aan talen.

EXIN maakt digitale transformatie mogelijk door competenties te beoordelen en te valideren. EXIN biedt een breed scala aan actuele en veelgevraagde certificeringen die een breed spectrum aan specialismen in IT bestrijken, waaronder Service Management (zoals VeriSM™, SIAM™, ITSM), Agile (Agile Scrum, DevOps, Lean IT), en Security (Information Security Management, Privacy & Data Protection op basis van GDPR, Cybersecurity), evenals Data Center Management.

Over SIG
Software Improvement Group (SIG) helpt organisaties te vertrouwen op de technologie waar ze van afhankelijk zijn. Wij combineren onze intelligente technologie met onze menselijke expertise om diep te graven in de bouwkwaliteit van bedrijfssoftware en architectuur - door deze te meten, te monitoren en te benchmarken met 's werelds grootste database voor softwareanalyse.

Het softwareanalyse-laboratorium van SIG is als enige ter wereld geaccrediteerd volgens ISO/IEC 17025 voor het analyseren van softwarekwaliteit. SIG is opgericht in 2000 en heeft haar hoofdkantoor in Amsterdam, met kantoren in New York, Kopenhagen, Antwerpen en Frankfurt.

Voor meer informatie: www.softwareimprovementgroup.com

 
10.06.2024
Reading time: 2-3 minutes

SIG M&A Software Analysis Reveals Concerning Trends In Software Quality

NEW YORK, NY, USA, June 10, 2024

Software Improvement Group (SIG), the leading independent institute specializing in software health analysis, has significant concerns about the quality of software involved in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Out of 531 M&A-related software projects analyzed, SIG found that the average software quality scores were significantly below the market average. This implies that companies face two times lower development efficiency and a considerably higher risk of defects and vulnerabilities.

Key findings

  • Quality Scores Below Market Average: The study revealed that software involved in these transactions often lags behind industry standards, presenting substantial risks for acquirers.
  • High Technical Debt: On average, technical debt constitutes 31% of the total code volume, indicating severe underlying issues in software maintainability and scalability.
  • Informed Investment Decisions: Companies that utilized SIG’s software economics methodology were able to make strategic investments to mitigate these technical debt challenges effectively.

SIG possesses unparalleled expertise and resources to assess the build quality, scalability, and security of software assets. With the world’s largest software metrics database, encompassing an impressive 200 billion lines of code and 18,000 system inspections spanning over 300 technologies, SIG provides comprehensive evaluations that stand as a testament to our unwavering dedication to creating a healthier digital world.

Luc Brands, CEO of Software Improvement Group: “At SIG, we believe private equity firms are not as in control as they could and should be. Through software economics, we ensure thorough code analysis, benchmarking, architecture investigation, and cost modeling. This approach guarantees clarity regarding the true scalability of acquired assets.”

To further facilitate this conversation, Software Improvement Group and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) will be hosting a webinar titled “Software Economics for Private Equity: How to Evaluate the Quality and Value of Software Assets” on June 27th. The webinar will provide private equity companies with insights into the importance of software asset valuation. Private equity firms are invited to join the webinar to gain valuable knowledge and insights from industry experts.

In conclusion, software assets represent a significant opportunity for private equity firms to drive value creation. By embracing advanced software economics and leveraging SIG’s expertise, private equity firms can make informed decisions that maximize returns and mitigate risks in their software investments.

For more information about SIG and to register for the upcoming webinar, please visit Software Improvement Group’s webinar page.

For the full report, visit the benchmark report.

About SIG
Software Improvement Group (SIG) leads in traditional and AI software quality assurance, empowering businesses and governments worldwide to drive success with reliable and robust IT systems. Sigrid® – its software excellence platform – analyzes the world’s largest benchmark database of over 200 billion lines of code across more than 18,000 systems in 300+ technologies, and intelligently recommends the most crucial initiatives for organizations. SIG complies with multiple ISO/IEC standards, including ISO/IEC 27001 and 17025, and has co-developed ISO/IEC 5338, the new global standard for AI lifecycle management.
SIG was founded in 2000 and has offices in New York, Copenhagen, Brussels, and Frankfurt, and is headquartered in Amsterdam.

Sigrid®, together with expert consultants, and nearly 25 years of industry-leading research, position Software Improvement Group as the foremost authority on software excellence.

For more information, please visit Software Improvement Group’s website or social media channels.

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