Graphisoft to acquire Abvent French and Swiss Archicad business units from AV-Tech Group

Architects and engineers in two of Europe's leading markets will significantly benefit from Graphisoft's global expertise, best practices, and solutions.

BUDAPEST, November 3, 2022 — Graphisoft, the leading Building Information Modeling (BIM) software solutions developer for architecture and engineering, announced today that it has signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with AV-Tech Group to acquire Abvent's Archicad business units in France and French-speaking Switzerland. The acquisition is another milestone in Graphisoft's journey as a leading global player in the AEC industry by investing in the growth of two of Europe's most influential markets.

Abvent has been Graphisoft's valued distributor in France since 1985 and in French-speaking Switzerland since 1991 and has built successful businesses in both countries, offering award-winning software solutions and high-quality support and training to thousands of architects.

"Abvent has built an impressive business based on local market knowledge and deep relationships with users by offering outstanding service and support," said Huw Roberts, Graphisoft CEO. "This acquisition strengthens our position in these already highly successful French-speaking markets by integrating Abvent's many years of deep local experience with Graphisoft's global go-to-market expertise and best practices to add even more value for architects in the region," he added.

"This is exciting news for both companies," said Xavier Soule, AV-Tech Group CEO. "We are proud of the work we have done in France and Switzerland to grow the use of BIM and are confident that our customers will greatly benefit from Graphisoft's hands-on approach to support, services, and long-term vision and mission in the AEC industry."

The deal is expected to close in the next several weeks when Abvent's Archicad business units — including market relationships, employees, and assets — will become part of Graphisoft. The non-Archicad Abvent businesses will be moved into a separate legal entity. Artlantis, BIMoffice, Linkioo, and Render[in] are not part of the transaction, and these software solutions will continue uninterrupted from AV-Tech.

"Graphisoft is committed to delivering the highest quality solutions, services, and support for all our customers worldwide. This acquisition will enable us to deliver on our commitment to our French-speaking customers and best serve these important markets in the future," Roberts added.

About AV-Tech Group

Founded in 1985 by architects, AV-Tech is the holding company of the Abvent Group (Abvent, SB2, Agence VU', and Galerie VU'). AV-Tech is a leader in Open BIM digital technologies and services dedicated to architects, construction, design, and urban planning professionals.

The company develops and publishes Artlantis (quick and easy creation of high-quality 3D renderings) and Render[in] (a fully integrated, real-time radiosity engine for SketchUp users).

From design to operation, AV-Tech also develops and publishes BIMoffice and Linkioo, unique solutions linked to prominent CAD modelers dedicated to architecture practices and project management.

For more information, please contact:
Julianna Gulden
Senior Manager, Global Communications, Graphisoft
jgulden@graphisoft.com
+1 216 387 5234

Béatrice Panizza
Marketing & Communication Manager, Abvent France
panizza@abvent.fr
+33 6 03 28 02 24

Manon Roger
Marketing & Communication Manager, AV-Tech Group
manon.roger@abvent.fr
+33 6 83 14 84 13