Leeds-based risk intelligence firm Crisp — which also has an office in Chicago — has been acquired by New York-based Kroll Inc.

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Kroll said: “Crisp’s AI technology has been trained over 16 years to discover and track the risk signals embedded within digital chatter.

“Its comprehensive suite of intelligence solutions serves the global enterprise needs of communications, digital marketing, trust and safety, security and compliance clients across the globe.”

Following the acquisition, Crisp executive chairman Andrew Burke and CEO Adam Hildreth will become part of Kroll’s digital services leadership team.

Burke said: “Digital chatter is an essential source of risk intelligence for protecting the global enterprise.

“In recent years, risks originating from or becoming amplified by digital chatter across the open, deep and dark web have reached an unprecedented scale.

“It’s now a board-level issue and C-suite responsibility.

“Joining the Kroll team strengthens our client promise to provide fast, actionable risk intelligence that delivers peace of mind, 24/7/365.”

Kroll CEO Jake Silverman said: “We now have the opportunity to combine our recently acquired Resolver platform with the capabilities of Crisp to create the most unique Risk Intelligence platform in the world.

“Our clients need partners and technology that can anticipate their needs across their entire enterprise, and the addition of the Crisp team to our business is a strategic extension of our investment in expanding our risk intelligence solutions.”

The deal marks an exit from Crisp for private equity firm Baird Capital, which invested in the Leeds firm in 2018.

Baird Capital partner Michael Holgate said: “Crisp is a trailblazer in real-time risk intelligence.

“Whilst their growth over the past three years has been tremendous, they have only scratched the surface of the available market.

“This transaction shows real confidence in the business, and we look forward to watching the company continue to grow as part of the Kroll group.”