News: We’ve Closed Our First Deal—And We’re Just Getting Started

Paraic Nolan, BRCG CFO; Jonathan Cosgrave, Melior Partner; Catherine Lockhart, BRCG COO; Marc O'Dwyer, BRCG Founder; Stuart McCaul, Ishikawa Founder and incoming CEO BRCG

Melior Equity Partners Agrees Investment in Ishikawa Technologies to Support Combination with Big Red Cloud and Future Acquisition Opportunities

We’re thrilled to announce that Ishikawa Technologies has completed its first acquisition: Big Red Cloud Group, a trusted provider of accounting and payroll software for over 8,000 small and medium enterprises.

This milestone is backed by a strategic investment from Melior Equity Partners, one of Ireland’s most experienced private equity teams. With funding secured and a proven business now part of our portfolio, Ishikawa Technologies is officially open for business—and open for our next deal.

A Strong Start: Why Big Red Cloud

Big Red Cloud has built a legacy of reliability, simplicity, and deep Irish tax expertise. Its products help small business owners reduce complexity and get back to doing what they love. That ethos aligns perfectly with our mission at Ishikawa Technologies: to help great software businesses go further by doubling down on customer success and continuous product improvement.

We’re excited to bring fresh investment into the company—accelerating cloud innovation, modernising Big Red Payroll, developing Big Red Turbo Inventory, and enhancing automation across financial workflows. We’re also continuing to back Big Red Cloud’s international growth, especially with Turbo Inventory, which is already growing exponentially in the UK.

A Smooth Transition—and a Grateful Founder

As part of the transition, Marc O’Dwyer, the founder and outgoing CEO of Big Red Cloud, has stepped away to pursue new ventures. Marc shared:

"Building Big Red Cloud has been an incredible journey. I’m immensely proud of how we’ve helped Irish businesses take control of their finances. I know that combining forces with Ishikawa Technologies will only strengthen that legacy."

We’re grateful to Marc for the platform he built—and we’re ready to build on it. Paraic Nolan, CFO and Product Officer, and Catherine Lockhart, COO, remain key leaders, whilst Stuart McCaul, founder of Ishikawa Technologies, will step in as the new CEO.

Backed to Build

We’re also proud to welcome Jonathan Cosgrave and Shane O’Brien of Melior Equity Partners to the Ishikawa Technologies board. Their support and belief in our long-term vision means we’re not only funded—we’re focused.

Jonathan Cosgrave said it best:

“With Ishikawa Technologies’ vision and expertise, we see tremendous potential to scale Big Red Cloud’s products, enhance automation, and expand into new markets. This is exactly the type of investment we look for.”

What’s Next?

This deal marks the beginning of Ishikawa Technologies' journey to become the go-to platform for business software in Ireland, the UK, and Europe. We’re not just investing in companies—we’re investing in better outcomes for their customers.

If you’re a founder thinking about your next chapter, a software business ready to scale, or just curious about what we’re building, we’d love to talk. The next chapter of Ishikawa starts now—and we’re actively looking for our next acquisition.

About Ishikawa Technologies:

Ishikawa Technologies (www.ishikawatech.com) is an Irish software business aggregator focused on delivering business solutions that delight customers. With deep roots in business software and a commitment to building long-term success for customers, Ishikawa Technologies grows companies through a focus on stability, innovation, and customer-driven growth.

About Big Red Cloud Group:

Big Red Cloud Group (www.bigredcloud.com) provides simple, powerful accounting, payroll, and inventory management software for 8,000 Irish SMEs. Its product suite includes Big Red Cloud, Big Red Book, Big Red Payroll, and Turbo Inventory, all designed for ease of use, seamless integration, and full compliance with Irish tax regulations.

About Melior Equity Partners:

Melior Equity Partners (www.meliorequity.com) was founded in 2019 by Jonathan Cosgrave and Peter Garvey who previously co-headed the management of a €292 million Ireland-dedicated private equity fund for The Carlyle Group. Melior combines best-in-class international standards and far-reaching networks developed at leading global investment firms, with a deep knowledge of the local marketplace to bring a unique approach to investing and partnering with management teams in Ireland.

The Melior team is currently deploying capital out of Melior Equity Partners II, a fund which is backed by a pool of local and international blue-chip investors including The Carlyle Group, the European Investment Fund, Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, Bank of Ireland and AIB. The breadth and nature of its investors provide Melior with significant capacity to fund investments of any scale in the Irish market. Ishikawa Technologies is the seventh investment from Melior Equity Partners Fund II.

Other Melior investments include Ohk Energy, Blair’s Caravans, BHP Insurance, Salmon Software and Rose Confectionery. Prior to establishing Melior, Cosgrave and Garvey led an Ireland-focused private equity fund for The Carlyle Group investing in companies such as AA Ireland, Carroll Cuisine, GSLS, Learning Pool, Lily O’Brien’s, McCauley Pharmacy, Payzone, Sports Surgery Clinic and The City Bin Co.

Transaction Advisers:

Melior Equity Partners and Ishikawa Technologies were advised by McCann FitzGerald, Deloitte, KPMG, Dentons, Fairgrove Partners and SustainabilityWorks, while Big Red Cloud was advised by PKF Brenson Lawlor, Boopos and Gordon Judge Solicitors.