Two-time MicroVentures portfolio company Geekatoo recently announced that it is merging with a competitor – HelloTech, based in Los Angeles. Both companies provide in-home tech support as a user-friendly alternative to Best Buy’s Geek Squad.
MicroVentures initially invested in Geekatoo three years ago – in May 2013. The company was participating in the 500 Startups accelerator program at the time, billing themselves the “Uber for tech support.” Led by co-founder and CEO Christian Shelton, former Sun Microsystems Chief of Staff, Geekatoo had already amassed 3,000 technicians nationwide. We invested in the company a second time in January 2014.
Geekatoo has since more than doubled its workforce, making it a natural partner for HelloTech, which serves customers primarily in Southern California and was looking to expand its coverage nationally. As HelloTech investor Mark Suster said, “You could either use capital to expand really quickly or you could merge with a company like Geekatoo that had already spent money doing this.”
You can read more press coverage on the merger here:
- Reuters: On-demand tech support companies HelloTech, Geekatoo merge
- Fortune: These On-Demand Tech Support Companies Have Merged
- L.A. Business Journal: HelloTech expands nationally overnight with Geekatoo merger
Congrats to the Geekatoo team from everyone at MicroVentures, and best wishes on this new chapter!
