Sage Group plc, the Newcastle-based FTSE 100 global software company, has announced the acquisition of Akao, a French specialist in “digitalisation and automation solutions.”
Sage is a provider of accounting, finance, HR and payroll technology for small and medium-sized businesses around the world.
“This acquisition strengthens Sage’s position in a market set to be reshaped by the upcoming 2026 e-invoicing reform and supports its ambition to help French businesses accelerate their digital transformation,” said the Newcastle firm.
“Akao is a long-standing Sage Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partner serving 2,700 customers and handling over 100,000 invoices per day.
“The Akao solution covers the entire invoicing lifecycle, from receiving and processing supplier invoices to issuing customer invoices. It enables businesses to simplify operations, strengthen internal controls, and improve productivity and visibility across their financial processes by leveraging a comprehensive workflow engine and document management capabilities.
“Through this acquisition, Sage will expand its technological capabilities and enhance its ability to deliver a unified, integrated solution that complies with the upcoming e-invoicing mandates in France.
“As technological innovation accelerates and e-invoicing reform draws nearer, businesses are being pushed to take a significant step forward in their digital transformation.
“In fact, according to a recent Sage study, in France, only one in four SMBs feels prepared for these changes, despite the major impact they are expected to have on financial workflows.
“Akao’s SaaS solution provides a concrete response to these challenges by combining accounting automation, document digitisation, digital archiving, compliance and end-to-end process management, offering companies a reliable and fully digital environment for managing their invoicing flows.”
Arnaud Petit, Managing Director, Sage Southern Europe, said: “Millions of businesses across France are preparing for the pending e-invoicing reform requirements. By joining forces with Akao, Sage is uniquely positioned to support businesses through this crucial transition, helping them to effortlessly maintain compliance while unlocking new levels of efficiency, traceability and growth.”
Akao CEO Abdel Halitim said: “Our products were designed natively around Sage 100 and Sage FRP 1000, which is why Akao has always integrated so naturally within Sage environments.
“This acquisition is the logical continuation of that work. As part of Sage, we can accelerate innovation and deliver fully connected digital invoicing solutions to even more businesses.”