SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sorenson Capital and Peterson Partners today announced they partnered to provide financing to Mindshare Technologies, a leading provider of Voice of the Customer (VoC) technologies and services. The financing supported Mindshare’s acquisition of Empathica, a leading global provider of social Customer Experience Management (CEM) solutions, completed on September 19, 2013.

Peterson Partners provided the majority of the new equity to finance the acquisition. Sorenson Capital, which had previously invested $20 million in Mindshare in June 2011, increased its investment in Mindshare and partnered with Mindshare’s management team to lead the negotiation and diligence process with Empathica. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“This acquisition gives the world’s leading brands access to the most comprehensive customer feedback solutions on the market, and we are thrilled to have the support of these two premier private equity firms,” said John Sperry, CEO of Mindshare. “Sorenson Capital invested in us two years ago and has over delivered on its promise to add value to our company, as evidenced by their commitment to this deal. Peterson Partners also played an integral part in making this purchase a reality, and we are delighted to welcome them on board as a strategic investment partner.”

The acquisition establishes Mindshare as the largest VoC provider in the food services and retail industries, with continued aggressive growth planned in contact centers, hospitality and other areas. The combined organization will have a dominant market position globally, collecting VoC surveys in 125 countries and 32 languages, and serving leading global brands with a focus in Europe and North America.

“As a new investor in Mindshare, we are thrilled to have played an integral part in elevating their market position in the customer feedback industry,” added Brandon Cope, partner at Peterson Partners. “Mindshare represented a compelling investment opportunity because of its ability to drive operational improvement and convert customer insights into actionable, real-time intelligence. With the acquisition of Empathica, we look forward to helping Mindshare dominate the Voice of the Customer market.”

“This purchase underscores our commitment to partnering with our portfolio companies to build value,” said Mark Ludwig, managing director at Sorenson Capital. “This acquisition primes Mindshare to lead the fast-growing customer feedback industry, and bolsters its strong value proposition for major brands to ensure exceptional customer satisfaction. We anticipate this acquisition will significantly accelerate Mindshare’s growth trajectory.”

About Sorenson Capital

Sorenson Capital (www.sorensoncapital.com) is a private equity fund that makes small to middle-market buyout and growth equity investments. Sorenson Capital has $650 million in capital under management and typically makes investments of $10 to $25 million in companies with unique strategic positions. Sorenson Capital is managed and controlled by West Rim Capital and is based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

About Peterson Partners

Peterson Partners, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is one of the Intermountain West’s most successful private equity firms. Specializing in small to mid-sized companies, Peterson Partners has a track record of successful investments including JetBlue, Vivint, EnergySolutions, 3form, Access CIG and Diamond Rental. Founded in 1995, Peterson Partners has managed over $500 million in committed capital through eight funds. For more information, visit www.petersonpartnerslp.com.