Xplor acquires Discover, signaling further investment in edu-tech for NZ Parents and childcare centres

AUCKLAND, New Zealand/MELBOURNE, Australia – 09 August, 2021 — Xplor Technologies, a global platform integrating software, payments, and commerce-accelerating technologies for businesses in Education, Boutique Wellness, Health & Fitness, Field Services, and Personal Services, has today announced it has acquired New Zealand’s leading childcare management software platform, Discover. With a shared goal in removing the unnecessary burden of administration, childcare services, educators, and families will see greater access to quality childcare, including remote education options, and more convenient ways for parents to engage in their child’s learning.

Xplor Technologies was recently formed through the merger of global software and payments solutions provider Transaction Services Group (TSG), and full-service integrated payment solutions provider Clearent, based in the United States. Founded as TSG in New Zealand in 1994, Xplor has a team of over 200 in Auckland, and has featured on the TIN100 list of fastest-growing technology companies in New Zealand for the past three years – ranking sixth on Ten Companies to Watch for Kiwi tech companies with the largest revenue growth in 2020.

The acquisition sees Discover’s management software platform seamlessly integrated with Xplor’s market-leading apps: Playground to help educators deliver high quality education; and Home to help families stay in touch with their child during care. Empowering services to better connect with families, the combination also brings a first of its kind to the New Zealand market with Space, a brand-new childcare listing marketplace. Already the largest in Australia, Space allows parents to easily search for childcare options, enquire and enrol directly to a centre, saving time and increasing occupancy for childcare centres of all sizes.  

In just five years, Discover has become New Zealand’s platform of choice in the Early Years sector, serving over 1,500 childcare service providers with technology developed by a team who have spent their careers in education, dedicated to providing educators, service owners and families with an incredible experience.

“The addition of Discover makes our education lineup even better and will bring free apps enabling centres to better connect with families; technology helping educators to deliver high-quality education – and a new marketplace to drive greater occupancy for childcare centres,” said Mark Woodland, CEO of Education for Xplor. “We’re bringing together these extraordinary teams so we can continue to build the most innovative, world-class, early education products and services, and give more children access to a wide range of education options in their early lives.”

“I’ve always known in my heart that Discover belonged with Xplor,” said Ewart MacLucas, Founder and CEO of Discover. “The idea when we started the company was inspired by Xplor’s unmatched ability to marry culture and technology. Xplor’s deep commitment to educators, children, families and the early education sector is something special, and we’re excited to be bringing these new solutions to our clients and their families.”

“Education plays such an important role in building our children’s future life skills, which is why Edu-tech is an integral part of Xplor’s cloud-based, all-in-one technology DNA and always will be,” said Floris de Kort, Group CEO, Xplor. “We’re continuing to invest in early learning software to demonstrate our commitment to the sector, drive further technology innovation, and empower more parents in their search for quality childcare.”

Xplor helps children get the best start in life by personalising learning experiences. Families can relive important moments in a private online community that grows with them over time – and access virtual learning and education programs alongside tailored, onsite education resources for their child. Educators and service owners focused on high-quality childcare practice choose Xplor to help them succeed.

About Xplor

Advent International portfolio companies Clearent and TSG have merged to form Xplor Technologies, a superior global platform integrating software, payments and commerce-accelerating technologies to help businesses succeed. Xplor offers enterprise software solutions for businesses in five fast-growing ‘everyday life’ industries: Education, Health & Fitness, Boutique Wellness, Field Services and Personal Services – and a global, cloud-based processing platform that allows clients to seamlessly and securely process payments for their services. With operations across North America, Australasia, Europe, and the United Kingdom, Xplor serves over 82,000 businesses that processed over $27 billion in payments, operating across 158 countries in 2020. Xplor Education serves 7,000+ childcare service providers in Australia through its Xplor and QikKids brands.

To learn more visit: https://www.xplortechnologies.com/

About Discover

Discover is a modern, cloud-based childcare administration management product that makes childcare simple by providing smarter, easy-to-use systems that eliminate wasted administration time. Managing inquiries and marketing, enrollments, waitlists, room transitions, staff rosters and ratios, visitor tracking, staff HR for the childcare market, tablet-based attendance, payments from bank feeds, invoicing and all other aspects of day-to-day childcare administration – Discover is also certified by the Ministry of Education for the New Zealand market.

To learn more visit: https://www.discoverchildcare.co.nz/

Media Contact

Thrive PR for Xplor
xplor@thrivepr.com.au