The US technology company Lineal is acquiring the Swiss IT specialist Forentec. With the acquisition, the provider of legal-tech services is expanding its international presence and broadening its expertise in digital forensics, cybersecurity and complex investigations.

The companies did not disclose the purchase price or other financial details of the transaction in their statement on Wednesday. Forentec currently has 28 full-time positions (FTE), while Lineal has 290 full-time positions, according to a request from finews.

Swiss Specialist For Digital Investigations

Forentec was founded in 2015 and specializes in the investigation and preservation of digital evidence. The company supports banks, insurance companies, law firms and authorities, among others, in cyber incidents, litigation and complex internal investigations.

Its services include digital forensics, electronic analysis of large data sets (eDiscovery) and Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT). This refers to the systematic collection and analysis of information from publicly accessible sources.

The acquisition gives Forentec's existing clients access to Lineal's international services. In return, the US provider will in future be able to draw on the technical specialists of the Swiss company.

Founder Stays on Board

Forentec founder and Managing Partner Lionel Bloch will remain with the company after the acquisition and will become part of Lineal. The merger will make it possible to preserve the Swiss company's existing specialization and discretion while benefiting from the technological capabilities of a larger international organization, Bloch said.

Lineal CEO Major Baisden sees additional business opportunities, particularly in the growing interconnection of digital investigations, cybersecurity and electronic evidence preservation.

Former UBS Manager to Oversee Europe Business

The acquisition comes as part of Lineal's expansion in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The company had only recently appointed David Kern as General Manager EMEA.

Kern previously worked at UBS in Zurich as Global Head of Processing & Review Management for eDiscovery. In this role, he dealt with the processing and analysis of large volumes of data in the context of complex investigations.

With Forentec, Lineal gains a substantial presence in Switzerland and can better support its clients in cross-border investigations, Kern said.

Growing Importance for the Financial Sector

For banks and other financial service providers, digital investigations and the preservation of electronic evidence are particularly relevant in the event of cyberattacks, internal reviews and regulatory proceedings.

The acquisition therefore combines two business areas whose importance is growing amid increasing data volumes and more complex IT infrastructures: the technical investigation of security incidents and the legally compliant preparation of electronic information.

Lineal was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. The company offers services worldwide in electronic evidence preservation, data analysis and legal technology. With Forentec, it now has its own operating site in Switzerland.