The company — who is SEC?

SEC – System Engineering Consulting was founded in Milan in 2001 by Luca Prazzoli, who remains at its helm as CEO today. Growth was rapid from the outset as the company quickly established itself as a recognised leader in IT systems and ERP integrations, with integration with salesforce automation. Today, SEC has a strong emphasis on mobile app development for professionals working remotely. Longevity is a factor in the company’s 20+ year history, with employees and customers alike enjoying long-term relationships with the company.

Luca Prazzoli, SEC CEO: “This long-term mindset is vital both for maintaining consistent service to our loyal customers and for continual product innovation in line with the rapidly evolving technology market.”

The decision to take investment — the right moment in time

Selling the company, whether wholly or in part, was not on the agenda when SEC first encountered Upliift. In fact, it wasn’t something Luca Prazzoli had ever considered. Yet, he recognised that to meet the demand for continual innovation, and to remain competitive, all companies needed investment.

Bringing in an outside investor was a clear option but Dries and his team were sceptical.

Luca Prazzoli: “In Italy, small and medium-sized tech firms often struggle to invest in the new technologies they need to fuel their growth and continually innovate. We’d reached that stage in our evolution, so when Upliift approached us, it felt like the right moment in time. Even though it wasn’t planned, it felt like destiny was one step ahead of us when Upliift got in touch.”

Protecting brand identity — Permanent Equity maintains corporate value

How do you choose the right investment partner? SEC has a strong brand identity in its local markets and this became a factor in the decision to opt for Upliift’s permanent equity model. In fact, SEC didn’t look at other investment approaches because it knew that the likes of private equity or venture capital funding wasn’t right for them.

Luca Prazzoli: “These investment vehicles often result in companies losing their corporate identity and ultimately being sold after three or four years. That’s not how we wanted to grow our business. So, although Upliift’s permanent equity model was new to us, its promise of long-term growth, a focus on maintaining the company’s value, and a respect for our identity prompted our decision to move ahead with them.”

Understanding the market — Upliift’s software experience counts

In a rapidly changing technology market where the likes of AI and machine learning are transforming everything, SEC is benefiting from Upliift’s clear understanding of the dynamics of the tech sector.

Luca Prazzoli: “In Upliift, we have found people who appreciate the difficulties we might encounter in the coming years, as well as the opportunities for growth. They are tech people who have already gone through the growth process like the one I had in mind for SEC — and this will enable us to avoid repeating mistakes made by others. It’s good to have someone by our side who understands what we do.”

Post acquisition — advisory support makes a difference

The acquisition process was surprisingly quick and painless acquisition, and flexible to meet the needs of the CEO. Luca Prazzoli remains involved with the company that he founded. He sees this as a positive way to keep his company on its growth trajectory. And he believes it’s one that other founders should consider when they recognise the time is right based on their own personal situation and opportunities available to them. Passing on a company to family members may appeal to the heart, but it can be challenging and not necessarily what’s right for a company’s future.

Since completion of the agreement in Spring 2025, the level of support from Upliift has come as something of a pleasant surprise.

Luca Prazzoli: “I didn’t expect such a strong advisory presence from Upliift and I am really happy with it. We’re reworking many of our company processes and working methods, and I believe that the changes being proposed will inevitably lead to healthy and continuous growth, which is what we all want for SEC. To grow and find the people who can support that growth is so important for companies like ours.”