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Glide

Glide is the UK’s leading provider of managed internet and digital media services to high-density accommodation. The partnership with Inflexion saw management build the UK’s largest private fibre network in UK through organic and acquisitive growth before Alinda Capital bought the business in 2020.

  • Sector

    Technology

  • Headquarters

    London, UK

  • Fund

    Buyout

  • Investment date

    October 2013 - June 2020

  • Status

    Realised

 

The company

Glide designs, installs and manages fibre networks required to deliver broadband connectivity together with other critical products and services to student accommodation, the private rental sector and small and medium sized enterprises. Inflexion’s investment has helped the company to build the UK’s leading fibre network in this specialist market reaching 100,000 premises and approximately 250,000 customers.

The Inflexion investment

In October 2013, management of Glide (then CableCom) were looking for an investor to help expand capacity and improve services, and chose Inflexion based on our technological expertise and M&A experience. We appointed a highly experienced Chairman from our network to work with the strong management team, and the partnership saw Glide develop into a unique national asset with a leading market position.  During the period of our investment, EBITDA increased by 160%.

The Inflexion difference

Inflexion used its experience in M&A to support the expansion of the business through two strategic high-growth acquisitions (i) Glide, which expanded the range of services provided and (ii) WarwickNet, which expanded the customer base into the business sector and provided access to a fibre network installation capability.  Following the acquisitions, the business was renamed Glide. 

We also supported significant investment into building a national network and market leading position with 250,000 kilometres of fibre and 250 fibre points of presence, passing 94,000 premises and reaching 250,000 customers.

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