Kildare company acquires Kilkenny MSP in expansion move
Pictured in Kilkenny are Denis Ryan, Technology Sector Specialist, AIB Business Banking; Paul Byrne, chief operating officer; Andrew Tobin, chief executive officer; Gavin Dixon, chief strategy officer; Stryve and Mark Doherty, New Business Team, AIB Business Banking.
KILDARE headquartered IT and security specialist Stryve has announced the acquisition of BITS South-East Limited (BITS), a prominent Managed Service Provider (MSP) based in Kilkenny.
Launched in 2019 as a cloud and infrastructure specialist, Stryve, based in MERITS, Naas, undertook several strategic initiatives to become the leading Irish-owned IT partner helping SMEs scale and compete globally, including its 2023 merger with Galway-based MSP Sleepless and the launch of the Stryve Platform in 2025, a quality standard for IT oversight and security.
The deal with BITS further accelerates Stryve’s ambition by strengthening its leadership team, deepening its technical expertise, and enhancing its service nationwide.
BITS is a well-known MSP, established in 2001, delivering secure and reliable technology solutions to organisations across Ireland. BITS Senior Executives Gavin Dixon and Paul Byrne will join Stryve’s leadership team as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO), respectively.
The combined headcount will exceed 70 people with specialist expertise across IT managed services, infrastructure, technology consultancy, security and AI-powered automation.
Commenting on the acquisition, Stryve Chief Executive Andrew Tobin said: “BITS has built an exceptional reputation as a leading Irish MSP over more than 25 years. We welcome Gavin and Paul, who will play a huge role in bringing the combined business to the next level. BITS’s strong operational expertise will greatly complement our technical and security capabilities, and expand our regional footprint to serve Irish clients better”.
“From the outset, it was clear that both businesses shared the same vision. We are looking forward to working together to make this vision a reality.” He added.
Gavin Dixon, who founded BITS in 2001, commented: “When I founded BITS 25 years ago, it was with a simple ambition: to be a trusted, long term IT partner for Irish businesses. As the needs of our clients and the wider IT landscape evolved, it became clear that scale, security and innovation would be critical to delivering on that promise into the future. Joining forces with Stryve allows us to do exactly that, while staying true to our people first culture as an Irish owned business. This is a natural next chapter for BITS, our clients and our team.
Stryve partnered with AIB on the transaction. Pat Horgan, Head of Business Banking at AIB, commented on the importance of their strategic relationship.
“At AIB, we are proud to partner with Ireland’s indigenous technology companies as they provide critical support to their customers to both increase cyber resilience and AI adoption. Stryve is a strong example of a company supporting SMEs tackling this challenge, playing a key role in helping organisations enhance their cyber security resilience while accelerating practical AI adoption.”
