22.12.2025 16:17:15 EET
Gofore has today signed an agreement to acquire the entire share capital of the German digital transformation consulting company Esentri AG. Esentri is a growing IT consulting firm specialising in business-driven digital transformation. Its main customer sectors are finance and insurance services, manufacturing industry, and public administration. The company currently employs 110 experts and has customers in Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
Key points of the acquisition
- Gofore has today made an agreement to acquire the entire share capital of Esentri AG. Esentri’s enterprise value is 10 million euros. The acquisition is expected to be closed latest on 2 January 2026.
- The acquisition implements Gofore’s strategy to grow in its chosen customer sectors through acquisitions and is an important step in Gofore’s growth path in German-speaking Europe (DACH region).
- Gofore’s DACH region size, customer portfolio, expertise, and delivery capacity will grow to over 200 experts and approximately 25 million euros in net sales. With the acquisition, Gofore will be present in all German-speaking countries in Europe.
- The acquisition strengthens Gofore’s position, particularly as a partner for the finance and the public sector and supports industrial business in the DACH region.
- Brings in large new customers that fit Gofore’s strategy as well as cross-selling opportunities, which will make the DACH region’s customer portfolio an even better platform for future growth.
- Expands Gofore’s DACH offering particularly in management consulting, cloud services, and data and AI expertise, where Gofore sees growing demand.
Esentri’s customers include e.g. the financing company Mercator Leasing, travel insurance company ERV Reiseversicherung, industrial gear manufacturer SEW Eurodrive, pump and valve manufacturer KSB, the Liechtenstein Office of Information Technology, German health insurance company KKH, and Swiss railway company Rhätische Bahn.
“Expansion in German-speaking Europe is one of the key sources of growth in our strategy. Our goal is to build an organisation and practices in the DACH region that can support locally growing business and to expand in the area also through acquisitions. The Esentri acquisition is an important and anticipated step on this path. The demand for expertise in the digital society continues to grow in German-speaking Europe, and together with Esentri, we are better prepared to win even larger public tenders in all countries of the region. The deal also strengthens our expertise in industry, finance, and other service sectors”, says Gofore’s CEO Mikael Nylund.
“For the Esentri group, this acquisition is a meaningful milestone and the right step at exactly the right time. With Gofore, we join a partner whose values and targets align deeply with our own, forming a stronger European force for human-centric digital transformation. Customers today seek partners who can guide true transformation and navigate complexity with clarity. Together, we are uniquely positioned to deliver exactly that — united by a shared vision for a sustainable and future-minded Europe”, comments Esentri’s CEO Robert Szilinski.
More details on the acquisition
Strategic rationale
Esentri is both a strategic acquisition that adds new expertise and a complementary acquisition. It fits well for expanding business in a market where the size and expertise of a potential partner is important and often a criterion for access to tenders. The acquisition brings Gofore DACH significant new customers that fit Gofore’s strategy, making the DACH region’s customer portfolio an even better growth platform for even larger accounts.
Esentri has complementary expertise and clients in both the Digital Society and Intelligent Industry sectors to Gofore’s offering. Esentri complements Gofore’s expertise especially in management consulting, as well as in data and AI, cloud and software development, and IoT. Esentri also brings additional public sector experience and clients, which improves Gofore’s chances of success in public tenders in German-speaking Europe.
The acquisition grows the number of employees in the DACH region and Gofore’s geographical operating area. Esentri operates in Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg near the borders of Switzerland and France, where most of its experts are located. Additionally, Esentri has offices and customers in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Gofore’s current DACH business is mainly located in Bavaria and Austria. Baden-Württemberg is one of Germany’s largest and economically well-developed states, with both a good potential client base and workforce. Switzerland is also an attractive market for Gofore, one where local presence is important.
One of Esentri’s special expertise areas is consulting and implementing the digital green transition, where data-driven management is key, especially for Gofore’s Intelligent Industry clients. Since the beginning of this year, the Esentri group has included Impact Strategies, an independent company providing management consulting and digital services related to sustainability. Its services include strategic change consulting as well as consulting, analysis, and technology expertise related to sustainability, such as resource efficiency, circular economy, emissions accounting, and emissions reduction programs, as well as solutions related to ensuring regulatory compliance.
Esentri’s high-quality, similar expertise to Gofore’s team and human-centered culture make it and Gofore DACH very compatible, and the integration of the companies is expected to be smooth.
Implementation of the acquisition
Gofore Oyj has today signed an agreement to acquire the entire share capital of Esentri AG. Esentri’s enterprise value is 10 million euros. The purchase price consists of a debt-free business price of 10.0 million euros and net cash and working capital adjustments, which net approximately 1.7 million euros. The deal is expected to be completed on 2 January 2026, at which point the entire share capital of Esentri will transfer to Gofore’s ownership, and the company’s major shareholders will become shareholders of Gofore.
Gofore will pay 30 percent of the 10 million euro purchase price in shares and 70 percent in cash, and 100 percent in cash to the minority sellers. A Board decision has been made today regarding the directed issue for the share portion of the payment, and a separate stock exchange release has been issued.
The sellers have a possibility of an additional price over two years, by which Gofore will pay a maximum of 5.0 million euros in cash if growth and profitability targets are met. The sellers, including executive personnel, will continue in their current positions. Of the company’s founders, Robert Szilinski will continue in a shared CEO role and as sales director, Frank Szilinski as technology director, and Mario Herb as lead programmer. Michael Krebs will continue as CEO of the Swiss and Liechtenstein companies.
In 2024, Esentri’s net sales were 13.9 million euros and its EBITDA was 1.2 million euros, 8.6% of net sales. The figures are in accordance with local accounting standards. Esentri and the Gofore DACH organisation will be integrated in 2026, and Esentri’s figures will be reported as part of the Gofore group starting from 2 January 2026.
For more information:
Mikael Nylund, CEO, Gofore Oyj
t. 040 540 2280
mikael.nylund@gofore.com
