Canada-based Versaterm Public Safety said it has bought the California-based company, which launched in 2015 and has been featured on the GovTech 100 list of top companies selling technology to state and local governments.
Versaterm did not disclose what it paid for SPIDR.
Versaterm sells computer-aided dispatch, records management, mobile data, field reporting, citizen engagement and related technology to first responder agencies. The company said it has some 65,000 police, fire and EMT clients across North America.
Technology from SPIDR, meanwhile, enables law enforcement professionals to communicate via text messages, emails and mobile surveys to members of the community, including 911 callers and crime victims.
The acquisition brings together all those software capabilities under one roof and gives Versaterm clients access to the SPIDR communication platform.
“Offering direct messaging and follow-up surveys for enhanced community engagement and interaction is ground-breaking and certainly SPIDR Tech has perfected it,” said Versaterm CEO Warren Loomis in the press release announcing the deal. “We are excited to extend our public safety ecosystem with SPIDR Tech to better serve citizens and the larger community.”
Police officers guided development of the technology, according to the two companies, which in turn strengthens the appeal of SPIDR’s technology.
“We founded SPIDR Tech after serving as police officers and recognizing the growing need and opportunity to leverage digital communications to strengthen our relationship with citizens during emergency situations,” said Rahul Sidhu, CEO of SPIDR Tech, in the statement. “Becoming part of the Versaterm family will further accelerate the adoption of our software solution that has proven to be a critical tool for police to keep community members informed from the moment they call 9-1-1.”
This new acquisition stands as the latest expansion effort for Versaterm as law enforcement and other first responder agencies become more digital and mobile to keep up with citizen demands and to better perform emergency duties. Versaterm recently bought such companies as Adashi Systems, eJust Systems and TechVoice to bolster the company’s public safety offerings.
More technology providers are trying, like Versaterm, to offer more of a one-stop shopping experience for local and state emergency agencies. Earlier in July, for instance, RapidSOS, a New York-based startup, launched a digital portal that serves as an access point for clients to connect with emergency response software providers.
These deals come amid an ongoing increase in Next-Generation 911 technology in the U.S. According to Frost & Sullivan, investment in that area of public safety will hit $1.07 billion in 2026, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 7.6 percent.
