By Nick Hedley
Chicago-based private equity firm Thoma Bravo has made a bid
for London-listed cybersecurity company Darktrace, which has a market
capitalization of £3.8 billion (US$ 4.5 billion) as of 19 August.
Darktrace said in a statement that it was in early-stage
discussions with Thoma Bravo regarding a possible cash offer for all its
shares. “Discussions are at a preliminary stage and there can be no certainty
that any offer will be made, nor as to the terms of any such offer.”
Thoma Bravo has until September 12 to announce whether it
will make a firm offer.
The private equity investor, which focuses mainly on
software and technology companies, had $114 billion in assets under management
at the end of March.
Darktrace, which uses artificial intelligence and machine
learning to detect and take action against cyber threats, said it had received
“a number of preliminary and conditional proposals.”
The company was founded in 2013 by British intelligence
agencies and mathematicians from the University of Cambridge. It employs 2,000
people and has 7,400 customers.
