Presented by SYNAQ

SYNAQ Founder buys back business from Dimension Data

 ·8 Nov 2023

In a move that will resonate with innovators and entrepreneurs, SYNAQ, South Africa’s trailblazer in cloud-based email security services, announced the buy-back of the company from Dimension Data.

Established in 2004, SYNAQ has been instrumental in shaping cloud-based email services in the country, long before “the cloud” became an industry buzzword.

From Humble Beginnings to Powerhouse Partnerships

In 2004, David Jacobson co-founded SYNAQ with a dream of bringing safe cloud computing communication services to business using Linux and Open-Source technology.

Founded at the cutting edge, SYNAQ developed and launched South Africa’s first cloud-based email security platform in 2004. In 2010, SYNAQ was ranked by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 20 Tech companies in Africa.

In 2011 Dimension Data acquired a majority stake in SYNAQ. This acquisition enabled scale for SYNAQ through access to infrastructure and resources as well as new markets.

Dimension Data’s sales force helped take SYNAQ’s enterprise-grade email packages (another first in terms of price and value) to a broader audience of mid-market customers.

Dimension Data eventually acquired the remaining shares, reinforcing the mutual benefits of the partnership.

Why Buy Back Now?

Japan’s Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) Corp’s acquisition of Dimension Data opened the door for SYNAQ to buy the entity back. “We remain passionate about unparalleled cloud-based email security services for large and small businesses, alike”, said SYNAQ’s CEO and Founder, David Jacobson.

“Our time with Dimension Data afforded us stability and support as we scaled. Now it’s a new chapter and we’re excited about the future prospects independence affords us”, continued Jacobson.

The Road Ahead: SYNAQ 3.0 and Beyond

SYNAQ is not stopping at the buy-back. Earlier this year, SYNAQ released Securemail 3.0, bringing additional SPAM and Malware feeds to already robust heuristics engines, and deploying algorithm enhancements to LinkShield, ITP and DLP, for the most comprehensive line of defence against the latest email threats.

“This is about building on a solid foundation and embracing the rapid innovation and agility that independence affords us,” added Jacobson.

The organisation’s commitment to innovation is further evident in SYNAQ’s accelerated investment in Artificial Intelligence, leveraging large-scale data analysis and machine learning models to enhance threat detection capabilities.

By integrating predictive analytics, analysing historical data, user behaviour, and contextual information, SYNAQ’s email security solutions identify patterns indicative of malicious activities for early threat detection of spear-phishing attempts, Business Email Compromise (BEC), and account takeovers, mitigating potential damage before it occurs.

As AI-driven email security solutions continue to evolve, so too does SYNAQ’s commitment to incorporating advanced algorithms, deep learning, and natural language processing techniques for increasingly advanced threat protection.

Investing in Innovation

The buy-back also heralds a new era of innovation investment to drive business performance and new product innovation.

“This is a strategic move for the passionate people at SYNAQ who are deeply invested in the business and cloud security,” said Jacobson.

A Fond Farewell and an Exciting Future

“Years of blood, sweat, and tears have gone into SYNAQ, and this buy-back is a testimony to how passionate we are about our business,” Jacobson continued.

“We thank Dimension Data for the years of partnership and are exceedingly excited about what the future holds.”

For Media Inquiries:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (011) 262 – 3632

Seize this moment to get acquainted with SYNAQ’s refreshed approach to email security. This is more than a buy-back; it’s a vote of confidence in the future of home-grown cloud-based email security by the founders of SYNAQ. Welcome to the future of email security, where flexibility meets innovation.

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