The first quarter of 2024 has seen Orbus Software continue to make significant strides in customer success and product innovation; from building on its close partnership with Microsoft at the AI Co-Innovation Labs to helping key customers leverage the power of the cloud, and developing transformative new features in its enterprise transformation platform, OrbusInfinity.
Significant customer migrations
In its State of Cloud Strategy Survey 2023, HashiCorp found that 56% of respondents increased their cloud spending in 2023, despite worldwide macroeconomic uncertainty. Reflecting this growing trend toward cloud adoption – and in line with its mission to support organizations to become ‘digital by default’ – Orbus has successfully transitioned numerous customers from its on-premises solution, iServer, to its cloud-native platform, OrbusInfinity. Notable migrations include the Canton of Valais and the State Revenue Office of Victoria, which both use the platform to assist their teams in delivering essential services to their local communities.
Leveraging the power of Microsoft
Orbus's long-standing technology partnership with Microsoft has always been central to its approach, designing solutions that are not just compatible with, but are intricately built around, the Microsoft ecosystem. This strategic alignment ensures a seamless user experience, increases time to value for its customers, and leverages the best of Microsoft’s technologies to enhance organizational efficiency and agility.
Building on this alignment, Orbus recently released the new OrbusInfinity Connector in Microsoft Power Automate, aimed at simplifying business process automation for OrbusInfinity users. This connector is a practical tool for integrating enterprise architecture planning with automated workflows, streamlining operations, and enhancing decision-making capabilities.
Exploring AI frontiers in the Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Lab
To further exploit the power of the Microsoft partnership, Orbus joined the Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Lab in February 2024. Notable companies such as the BBC, Caterpillar, KPMG, Nestlé, PTC, and Sony, have also participated in the lab to explore and co-innovate with AI technologies.
Orbus is using the engagement to continue the development of AI-based solutions that will help customers make better decisions much more quickly. Details of the collaboration are being kept under wraps for confidentiality reasons.
"Our alignment with Microsoft is a cornerstone of our strategy, enabling us to deliver solutions that are not only innovative but also deeply integrated with the tools and platforms businesses around the world rely on daily," said Peter Bates, Chief Product Officer at Orbus Software. "Being invited to join the Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Lab is a testament to our shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology. We're thrilled about this opportunity and excited for what the future holds as we continue to explore these advancements together."
Innovating through hackathons
Throughout Q1 2024, Orbus has reinforced its reputation as an innovation leader through engaging in strategic hackathons. Participating in the Microsoft Winter Solution Acceleration Hackathon 2024 and conducting its own internal hackathon, Orbus has demonstrated a vibrant culture of innovation, engaging its expert development team to enhance customer experiences.
A debut in the Azure Marketplace
In its latest strategic move, Orbus has entered the Azure Marketplace. This expansion not only streamlines sales processes but also allows customers to use their Azure credits with their Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC) for quicker and simpler transactions, accelerating the purchasing experience for OrbusInfinity and its associated services.
Partnering for continued success
Partnerships like that with Microsoft have been integral to Orbus’s continued growth trajectory in recent years. In line with this, in Q1 the organization announced a significant collaboration with French IT consultancy Marte. Its deep local expertise and customer base will help extend Orbus's reach within the region, enhancing the delivery of strategic transformation solutions to French and French-speaking organizations.
Strategic team expansion
Building on its growth, the organization has expanded its team with key new hires, significantly boosting its US go-to-market team and focusing on partnerships and product innovation.
In the US, Rachel McAteer steps into the role of Head of Partnerships - NAM, alongside Jamie Armstrong as Senior Vice President of North American Sales, Brenda Cowie as Senior Vice President of Strategic Growth, and Wally McLaughlin as Vice President of Federal Sales.
Additionally, Ed Granger joins the global team as Vice President of Product Innovation. Based in the UK, Ed brings a robust track record of spearheading product development initiatives within the enterprise transformation software sector, that push the boundaries of technology, aligning with Orbus's commitment to driving global product strategy.
Celebrating 20 years of innovation
Celebrating two decades of innovation and growth, Orbus is set to mark its 20th anniversary in July 2024. From its modest start to a global powerhouse with over 250 employees across a growing footprint of locations in London, New York, Sydney, Dubai, Singapore, and Katowice, the company has seen geographical growth alongside its product offerings, which have expanded from on-premise services to now focusing mainly on cloud-native SaaS solutions. The growth also facilitated the creation of its ESG program, OrbAid, in 2023, through which the company is making positive and sustainable changes. The upcoming celebration not only honors Orbus’s past achievements but also the dedication of its employees, whose support has been crucial to its enduring success.
Renewed commitment to ESG
On top of its OrbAid program, Orbus has renewed its ESG focus with new pledges for 2024 that align with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. These include launching an OrbusInfinity offering to empower charitable organizations with the tools and resources to maximize their impact, ensuring that they can continue their invaluable work without financial strain.
"Our journey with Microsoft has been instrumental in shaping the Orbus solutions that businesses and organizations worldwide rely on," said Gareth Burton, CEO of Orbus Software. "Having executed broadly in line with our Q1 budget, and as we celebrate our milestone 20th anniversary and look forward, our focus remains on innovation, customer-centric solutions, and continued strategic growth. It is exciting to see how our solutions are helping our customers transform smarter, and we are excited about the future and our continued partnership with Microsoft as we explore new frontiers together."
Orbus is poised to continue its positive momentum into the second quarter, building on a strong start to 2024. Detailed commercial and financial updates will be provided at the end of H1, offering stakeholders a comprehensive view of the company’s performance and strategic direction.