AppDirect, a company known for its B2B subscription commerce platform, has acquired Broker Online Exchange (BOX), a retail energy network serving North America.
The move marks AppDirect’s entry into the energy procurement market. The AppDirect acquisition also comes amid growing electricity demands from businesses, driven in part by increased adoption of artificial intelligence and other power-intensive technologies. A recent report from Gartner estimates that electricity demand will rise 42% by 2035.
BOX works with more than 2,000 independent energy brokers and offers access to a range of electricity and gas suppliers across North America. Its My Service Cloud (MSC) platform provides tools for pricing, contract management, commissions tracking, and renewals.
About AppDirect’s acquisition of BOX
AppDirect said the integration of BOX’s tools and broker network into its platform will allow its technology advisors to offer energy services alongside IT and cloud solutions. AppDirect’s marketplace currently includes offerings in cloud software, telecommunications, hardware, mobility, and AI services.
“Businesses increasingly need both digital services and the energy to support them,” said Nicolas Desmarais, chairman and CEO of AppDirect. “Adding energy to our platform is part of meeting those needs.”
Arthur Gruen, CEO of BOX, said the acquisition will give BOX brokers access to AppDirect’s broader portfolio of technology services, allowing them to expand their client offerings.
BOX will continue to operate under its own name and maintain its current broker support model. The companies did not announce changes to service or operations.
The deal follows other recent acquisitions by AppDirect, including Builtfirst and Firstbase. The pending acquisition of vCom is also underway.
The companies did not disclose financial details of the BOX acquisition. A&D Global Advisors LLC and M&A Securities Group Inc. served as exclusive financial advisors to BOX.
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