Challenge

Sdiptech, a growing Swedish investment company, was experiencing friction in their investment evaluation process. Manual data handling and inconsistent reporting made it difficult to track potential acquisitions effectively.

Solution

Cepheo developed a custom Power Apps solution using Power BI functionality that digitized and streamlined Sdiptech’s investment process, reducing the number of process steps from 13 to just 6.

Result

Sdiptech now operates with greater efficiency, improved decision-making and a scalable digital solution that supports their long-term growth strategy.

For Sdiptech, a company that specializes in acquiring and developing companies in a set of target industries, success hinges on making informed investment decisions.

 

But as their portfolio expanded within industries such as supply chain and transportation, energy and electrification, water and bioeconomy or safety and security, so did the complexity of managing and evaluating new opportunities. Their previous approach, while sufficient for earlier phases of growth, was under pressure.

 

“We were working with multiple spreadsheets, scattered documentation and a process that increasingly required too much manual effort,” explains Stefan Padjen, M&A Manager at Sdiptech and adds: “It was clear we needed a more structured and efficient way to manage our investment evaluations.”

 

Based on their wish to be at the forefront of technology, Sdiptech reached out to Microsoft, whose recommendations included Cepheo. With expertise in business process optimization and digital transformation, Cepheo introduced the idea of a tailored Power Apps solution designed to streamline Sdiptech’s investment operations. According to Padjen, Sdiptech could see that all their requirements could be met using Microsoft technology and Cepheo as their partner.

 

“The new system has eliminated unnecessary steps in our process. We went from 13 steps to just 6, which has made a huge difference. Now, we have structured workflows, better data integrity and a much more efficient way of working.”

 

Stefan Padjen

M&A Manager at Sdiptech

A new system simplified processes

 

Before partnering with Cepheo, Sdiptech’s investment process had two main pain points. Information was spread across multiple formats and platforms, making it difficult to track potential acquisitions, and reporting lacked consistency, which slowed down decision-making. This started to create delays in an otherwise well-established workflow.

 

“With our previous way of working, we had to manually consolidate data from different sources,” says Padjen. “That made it increasingly difficult to maintain a clear overview and slowed down the entire process.”

 

Cepheo’s solution was a game-changer. By developing a Power Apps-based system, they provided Sdiptech with a centralized platform that automated data collection, standardized reporting with dashboards and functionality from Power BI and ensured that all relevant stakeholders had real-time access to up-to-date information.

 

“The new system has eliminated unnecessary steps in our process,” notes Padjen. “We went from 13 steps to just 6, which has made a huge difference. Now, we have structured workflows, better data integrity and a much more efficient way of working.”

 

Faster decisions and better insights

 

The benefits of the Power Apps solution became evident almost immediately. Sdiptech’s investment team now has a single source of the truth that is easily accessible thanks to Power BI, This enables faster and more confident decision-making.

 

“In our old set-up, it was becoming difficult to get a complete and timely picture,” says Padjen. “Now, we have real-time insights to support better, faster decisions.”

 

Collaboration also improved. Investment managers track progress seamlessly, keeping all stakeholders aligned. “We see updates instantly, assign tasks and ensure nothing is missed. It’s not just about saving time, it’s about making smarter decisions,” Padjen adds.

 

“We see this as a scalable and evolving platform. There’s potential to leverage even more automation and data insights to further enhance our decision-making. This is just the beginning.”

 

Stefan Padjen

M&A Manager at Sdiptech

Critical questions enhanced the result

 

Technology is only as good as the implementation, and Sdiptech credits Cepheo’s approach for making the transition smooth and effective.

 

“The collaboration with Cepheo has been excellent,” says Padjen. “They took the time to understand our specific needs and delivered a solution that truly fits our way of working. Their expertise, business understanding and responsiveness made all the difference.”

 

He also credits Cepheo with having the confidence, willingness and insight to challenge Sdiptech’s ideas and preconceptions about their needs and processes: “By challenging us early in the process, we were able to sharpen the end-result together. For example, the process of mapping needs and specifications resulted in unnecessary steps being removed from our investment process,” Padjen explains.

 

The Power Apps solution for Sdiptech is not just a short-term fix. Rather, it is a scalable platform that will support Sdiptech’s growth in the years to come. With a digital-first approach to investment evaluation, the company is now better equipped to identify opportunities and act on them with confidence.

 

“They took the time to understand our specific needs and delivered a solution that truly fits our way of working. Their expertise, business understanding and responsiveness made all the difference.”

 

Stefan Padjen

M&A Manager at Sdiptech

A scalable solution, ready for the future

 

Sdiptech is already exploring ways to expand the solution’s capabilities. Future plans include integrating additional analytics features and further automating reporting processes.

 

“We see this as a scalable and evolving platform,” says Padjen. “There’s potential to leverage even more automation and data insights to further enhance our decision-making. This is just the beginning.”

 

When asked to summarize Sdiptech’s experience with Cepheo, Padjen is clear:

 

“This collaboration has been transformational. Cepheo has helped us take a crucial step towards a more data-driven and efficient way of working.”

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