ECI snaps up Prima

Cloud-based management software player ECI Software Solutions has picked up Prima Business Control Software to add more enterprise resource planning (ERP) and commerce expertise. Prima serves the business supplies sector and has an ambition to combine its skills with the artificial intelligence (AI) knowledge held by ECI to pitch a compelling offer to office supply dealers in the UK&I and the US. Office supply dealers are under increasing pressure to provide a wide range of options to users, as well as ensuring they can deliver high levels of customer experience, putting them in a position to demand a solid ERP and management system. “ECI has more than a 25-year history of commitment to the office supplies industry, and joining forces with Prima is a natural extension of our mission to help independent dealers thrive,” said Trevor Gruenewald, CEO of ECI Software Solutions . “At a time when distributors are facing rising customer expectations and tightening margins, the need for streamlined operations is critical. This new chapter reflects a strategic expansion of ECI’s ERP and ecommerce portfolio, and a commitment to serving our customers with solutions that anticipate their needs and arm them for success amid a constantly shifting market,” he added. In response, Stephen McLaughlin, CEO of Prima , said the deal would provide its staff and customers with a wider array of resources and tools to work with: “With ECI, we are securing a future for Prima that would have been impossible to achieve alone. Now, we can accelerate innovation and provide the enterprise-level stability our customers deserve. “We’re still the same Prima at our core, but now we have the ‘firepower’ to help our customers run their businesses smarter and faster than ever before,” he said. At the same time, a glimpse into the tech investment world was shared by Tracxn Technologies , which indicated that there were fewer deals, but they were of a higher value, during the first half (H1) of the year. The Europe tech – H1 2026 report from Tracxn indicated that total funding increased by 46% to $35.4bn as the number of funding rounds dropped by 18% and acquisitions decreased by 25%. Although there were 559 acquisitions across Europe in H1, this number was down from the 747 recorded in the same period a year earlier. Those that were completed were larger, however, and that buoyed the value of the transactions closed. AI infrastructure dominated the funding rounds that took place in the first half, with firms operating in that area getting the backing to continue developing their proposition, landing 38% of funding in the first half of the year. Enterprise applications was the top-funded sector at $17.7bn, with enterprise infrastructure also a popular area. The appetite for initial public offerings (IPOs) has decreased, with just eight priced in H1, which was down by 43% compared to the same period last year. The report underlined the UK’s position in the tech investment world, with London representing 38% of all European funding deals, accounting for $13.4bn in H1.