Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Aspect Software buys BlueNote assets

By Mass High Tech Staff

Aspect Software Inc. has acquired the assets of BlueNote Networks Inc., company officials report.

As part of the deal, BlueNote co-founder Michael Regan is joining Chelmsford-based Aspect as vice president of unified intellectual property development. Aspect Software develops unified communication applications for contact centers.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Tewksbury-based BlueNote was founded in 2004 after former Fidelity Ventures partner and WaveSmith Networks Inc. executive Tom Burkardt responded to a project search by Boston-based Fidelity Investments for a voice system it could integrate into all of its locations and collaboration applications.

The company had raised nearly $30 million from investors including Fidelity Ventures, North Bridge Venture Partners and Commonwealth Venture Partners, both of Waltham. Craig Benson, former New Hampshire governor and co-founder of Cabletron Systems Inc., was also an investor.

Aspect Software was formed in 2005 with the merger of Concerto Software Inc. and Aspect Communications Corp. In 2006, Aspect acquired for an undisclosed amount SophistiCom Technologies Inc., an Illinois-based software company.

In March, Aspect Software reported reaching a multiyear agreement with Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) to provide its product to Microsoft’s contact centers. As part of the deal, Aspect received an undisclosed investment from the software giant.

Aspect Software is majority owned by Golden Gate Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity firm.