Three years after Guilford-based NerdsToGo started franchising around the country, the IT company known for its bright yellow “Nerd Vans” has been snapped up by a Texas firm.
The parent of Fastsigns International Inc., which provides signs, graphics and visual communications for businesses, announced that it has acquired NerdsToGo’s parent company, GTN Capital Group LLC. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Launched in Guilford in 2003 as a way to provide computer help to residents and small businesses, NerdsToGo grew to include 25 locations in 16 states after it started franchising the business in 2017.
The company says it can act as the IT department for small-to-medium sized businesses by helping them design, implement and support IT networks and by providing data backup, cybersecurity solutions, cloud services and more.
It is best known for sending its technology experts, or “nerds,” out to the customer’s location in brightly colored vehicles, but the company also delivers support remotely and via NerdsToGo service centers.
Fastsigns CEO Catherine Monson said in a statement that her company wants to “add value” to the brand and expand it as a standalone business.
The COVID-19 pandemic has only increased the need for well-functioning IT systems as people conduct more business remotely, the company said.
“We look forward to growing this business with existing franchisees and introducing the NerdsToGo brand to a new group of potential franchisees and customers,” she said.
NerdsToGo founder and CEO David Colella will remain on as brand president.
Colella said in a statement that the acquisition will allow the company to leverage Fastsigns’ franchising expertise in areas such as development, support, marketing, brand positioning and unit-level economics while helping it grow its footprint nationally and globally.
“I found the culture at Fastsigns to be consistent with the franchisee-first mindset that we have at NerdsToGo, with both organizations maintaining a commitment to its customers and employees,” Colella said.
Fastsigns, based in Carrollton, Texas, describes itself as the leading sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, with more than 735 independently owned and operated locations in nine countries.
Contact Natalie Missakian at news@newhavenbiz.com