ClearCourse acquires market leading CRM and technology consultancy Hart Square

January 15, 2020

London | 15 January 2020 - ClearCourse ( or “the Group”), a group of innovative technology companies providing digital services, work-flow solutions, and payments capabilities to the membership, events & bookings, sports & lifestyle and healthcare sectors, today announces its acquisition of Hart Square (“the Company”). Hart Square provides specialist Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and digital consultancy services for charities, not-for-profits (NFP) and professional membership organisations across the UK. The acquisition aligns closely with many of ClearCourse’s existing businesses who have clients in these sectors and reinforces the Group’s commitment to the space.

Since its foundation in 2009, Hart Square has become a market leading technology consultancy to the NFP sector. Its clients include professional membership bodies, trade associations, charities, voluntary organisations, healthcare and education bodies. Hart Square educates and provides independent advice to its clients on the positive impact CRM and other technologies can have on their businesses. It aims to enhance its client’s engagement with their members, supporters and stakeholders, whilst also increasing donations and other revenue streams. Hart Square’s services comprise of CRM system integration, impartial vendor selection, strategic planning, full technology audits, business process reviews, digital transformation strategies, web and finance integration, project management and end-user training programmes. To complement its expansive offering, Hart Square hosts some of the CRM industry’s most well-attended events, including TechSmart, and publishes a monthly newsletter with a dedicated industry readership of over 10,000 subscribers.

With ClearCourse’s support, Hart Square plans to enhance its services and extend the support it provides NFPs, building upon its educational work to inform the sector of the range of digital services that are available. Hart Square will also expand its thought leadership efforts, launching two new digital newsletters, and extend its conference programme outside of London. Hart Square’s leadership team will continue to run the Company, and will remain responsible for the events, consulting business and vendor selection process.

We understand that Hart Square’s value to its clients lies in its impartial advice and the management team and ClearCourse are committed to ensuring this continues.

Gerry Gualtieri – CEO of ClearCourse

Gerry Gualtieri, CEO of ClearCourse, said: “We’re excited to welcome Hart Square to ClearCourse. It has an excellent reputation as a market leading consultancy and is wholeheartedly trusted by its clients. By acquiring Hart Square, we see an opportunity to solidify our commitment to the NFP sector and to draw on the team’s expertise to ensure we remain at its forefront. We understand that Hart Square’s value to its clients lies in its impartial advice and the management team and ClearCourse are committed to ensuring this continues. We look forward to working with Glenda and her team going forward.”

Glenda Parker, CEO of Hart Square, commented: “Over the last 10 years, we have worked hard to earn our place as a trusted voice to our clients by embedding ourselves within the NFP sector. Our transparency has always been paramount to our client relationships, and we will continue to uphold this philosophy as we execute on our expansion plans. Joining ClearCourse will allow us to implement numerous growth initiatives that will improve and increase our offering to the sector. Following the deal it will be business as usual for our team and we look forward to offering our clients some exciting new services, as well as providing them with an enhanced level of support as we enter this new phase of our journey.”

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FinTech Software and Payments veteran Simon Black joins ClearCourse board

December 11, 2024

11 December 2024, London, UK: ClearCourse, a leading provider of industry-specific software and payments for UK SMEs, is pleased to announce the appointment of FinTech, Software and Payments veteran Simon Black as Non-Executive Director. Simon has a track record of leading technology companies through rapid periods of growth and brings a wealth of experience in strategy, branding, M&A and fundraising. Simon has over three decades of experience in Fintech software and Payments. He is the former CEO of PPRO which he transformed from a German start-up into a global leader in alternative payments, via international expansion and multiple successful funding rounds. Prior to PPRO, Simon was CEO of SagePay, where he led the business to 10x revenue growth. Simon currently advises growth-stage companies and private equity investors on driving innovation, market disruption and long-term growth. This appointment comes at an exciting time for ClearCourse, as the company expands its UK market presence while continuing to provide mission-critical products and services to help customers manage and grow their businesses. Throughout 2024, ClearCourse acquired an additional 4 businesses in ThinkSmart, CSY, Gob2b and Harbour Assist as part of its strategy to build a strong presence in key vertical markets characterised by high digital adoption and establishing itself in the fast-growing online and mobile payments space. Christina Hamilton, CEO of ClearCourse, said: “ I am delighted to welcome Simon to the ClearCourse board at a pivotal stage of our growth journey. He shares our ambition of building the business into a major actor in the embedded fintech space. Simon’s impressive track record of scaling payment businesses will be invaluable in supporting ClearCourse grow further in the UK and beyond and we look forward to working closely with him. ” Simon Black, incoming Non-Executive Director, added: “ I am delighted to be joining the board of ClearCourse, an exciting, innovative business with many opportunities as the high demand for embedded payments from SMBs continues unabated. I have known Christina and the Aquiline team for some time, and I have been impressed by ClearCourse’s rapid growth to date. The Group’s winning combination of deep vertical domain expertise and seamless integrated payments is truly market leading. I look forward to supporting ClearCourse’s continued leadership in attractive key sector verticals. ”

Software and Payments Specialist ClearCourse Acquires Marina and Harbour Software Provider Harbour Assist

October 17, 2024

London, 17 October 2024 – ClearCourse, a leading provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs and targeted enterprises, announces the acquisition of Harbour Assist. Founded in 2013 and based in Cornwall, Harbour Assist is a leading cloud-based marina management system that integrates customer relations, communications, asset management, invoicing and reporting into a single, easy-to-use software package. Harbour Assist serves a diverse range of marina and harbour clients across the UK, Canada, Fiji, Mexico, New Zealand, US, Australia, and the Middle East. Their clients include independent operators and multi-site organisations, Trust Ports and public sector such as Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour, Lakeland Leisure Estates, Fowey Harbour, Port of Ramsgate. Harbour Assist’s reach extends to some of the world’s most prominent marinas and harbours. Harbour Assist’s industry-specific software focuses on enhancing administrative efficiency, improving customer service, and providing robust tools for managing moorings, berths, billing, and communication with boat owners. With ClearCourse, the platform will gain access to embedded payment tools as well as additional development resources, enhancing its capability to deliver a greater quantity of features at pace. Christina Hamilton, Chief Executive Officer of ClearCourse, said : “We are delighted to welcome Harbour Assist into the ClearCourse Group. As a market leader and disrupter in marine and harbour software, Harbour Assist acquisition underscores our aim for success in 2024. This collaboration will not only enhance the service, and solutions offered to Harbour Assist’s customers but also provide them with access to a broader range of resources and expertise. We eagerly anticipate working with Nick, Graham, and the team to explore new markets, improve operational efficiencies, and deliver an integrated offering to our customers.” Nick Gill and Graham Laidler Co-founders of Harbour Assist said : “It’s very exciting to join the ClearCourse group at this crucial stage in our growth journey. For over a decade, we've earned our reputation by delivering mission-critical software designed and developed by a team of maritime professionals. Leveraging years of practical experience and ongoing customer feedback. Partnering with ClearCourse enables us to expand further and future proof our business by adding a range of innovative and efficient payments solutions, something we are incredibly excited about.” Harbour Assist will be part of the ClearCourse Sports and Leisure division. This announcement follows the recent acquisitions of B2B eCommerce platform GOb2b and retail EPOS solutions provider CSY. With these strategic additions, ClearCourse is poised to leverage enhanced capabilities and resources, driving innovation and delivering superior features to its users. Established in London in 2018, ClearCourse is a leading software and embedded payment specialist. The group’s vertical software solutions provide essential, industry-specific technology to help their customers manage and grow their businesses. Since inception, the company has undergone rapid growth by acquiring over 40 leading software and payments solutions in its core market verticals which are all underpinned by ClearCourse Payments and Services. The terms of the deal are undisclosed.