Craft Brewery SaaS Startup Ekos Gets Acquired, Joining Forces With Fellow North Carolina Company
Next Glass acquires Charlotte-based Ekos, expanding its portfolio of craft beverage software tools connecting breweries, wineries, and distilleries.
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Ekos, the venture-backed SaaS startup for the craft beverage industry that was founded in 2014, has been acquired.
The Charlotte-based startup has been acquired by another North Carolina company, Next Glass, according to a press release out today.
Hypepotamus first covered Ekos in 2019, when the startup raised an $8 million Series A from Atlanta-based venture capital firm Noro-Moseley Partners. In 2021, Ekos raised its $21 million Series B round.
Since then, Ekos has grown to help breweries, distilleries, cideries, and wineries streamline inventory, production, sales, and accounting in one business management solution. It currently has over 1,200 active producers using its software.
Financial details of the acquisition were not immediately disclosed. But the two companies’ Charlotte operations will be consolidated at Next Glass’s local headquarters in the city, according to the Charlotte Business Journal.
"We have long admired Ekos as the market leader in craft beverage supply chain management software. Bringing their leading software, data, and B2B ordering platforms to Next Glass moves us closer to realizing our vision of seamlessly connecting beverage producers, retailers, and consumers globally," said Trace Smith, CEO, Next Glass.
Building In The Brewery World
The acquisition adds to Next Glass' growing empire of software tools, apps, and media assets for the craft brewery industry and its enthusiasts. And it is not the first Southeast acquisition for Next Glass, which launched in Charlotte in 2012 and is backed by Boston-based PSG Equity.
The company joined forces with Wilmington, North Carolina-based Untappd, the popular consumer app for beer enthusiasts, in 2016.
Charlotte-based brewery management software Ollie, Atlanta-based Oznr, and Raleigh-based Hop Culture are all part of Next Glass.
In conjunction with the most recent acquisition, Next Glass has also announced an immediate 2-year price freeze for existing Ekos customers.
"Joining forces with Next Glass marks an exciting new chapter for Ekos. Their deep industry expertise and shared commitment to innovation make them the ideal partner to accelerate our mission. We're proud of what we've built and look forward to what we'll accomplish together," said Kent Rowe, CEO of Ekos.
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Featured photo provided by Next Glass
