Nuago co-founder Connor O’Rourke wasn’t actively looking to sell his business, but a fortuitous phone call earlier this year from the Adelaide-based company’s new owner Brennan came just at the right time.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” said co-founder O’Rourke, who was named in the 40 Under 40 list for 2023.

“We found the right match. It wasn’t something we were actively in the market for, but we always modelled that if we did want to become a larger entity that was Australian and able to compete nationally, we would want it to be Brennan.

“Fortuitously, we got a phone call out of the blue.”

Founded in 2016 by Connor and his brother Brendon, Nuago has grown from a startup funded by the re-financing of O’Rourke’s home to a company with 60 staff.

The new owner of the company is Brennan: a leading technology services provider with a national footprint.

The deal was formed in just a “few months”, and Connor said Brennan was the perfect fit.

“We play in the managed services and cyber security sphere quite a lot. Things are moving incredibly quickly, so in order to keep pace and stay on the leading edge for our clients, that requires maturity, investment, next-generation systems, the ability to provide size and scale and automation for these new clients that we find ourselves serving,” Connor said.

“We grew to being the biggest South Australian-owned MSP (managed service provider) and we found ourselves competing more and more often against the large national and international players.

“We needed to take it to that level to be able to take our solutions to the next tier for our clients.”

The two brands will merge “in time”, and Brennan has acquired the entirety of Nuago including IP.

Connor and Brendan will stay on board to help lead the South Australian arm of Brennan, and Nuago staff will be retained under the merged entity.

“That was a key piece for us,” Connor said.

“We didn’t want to exit the business. Now we get more toys to play with and more capability to take to the client.”

In a statement, Brennan said Nuago had a “formidable reputation as trusted, industrious, and indispensable IT partners to customers of all sizes and sectors”.

Brennan founder and managing director Dave Stevens said the acquisition cemented the company’s position in the IT services landscape.

“With over 27 years in business, and a proven heritage as Australia’s largest and most successful systems integrator, this strategic and full aligned acquisition cements our position as a cohesive national IT partner, driven in the delivery of superior tools, resources and support, all serving one common purpose: better business outcome,” Stevens said.

“For customers, this acquisition unlocks access to an even deeper and richer pool of skills and talent.

“For Brennan, our expanded national footprint opens an exciting chapter and fresh opportunities. And for the wider market, our ongoing investment in Australia-owned and operated technology specialists underscores our intent and ambition to grow further.”