By Light acquires another simulation, training tech outfit

By Light Professional IT Services has acquired a fellow provider of modeling, simulation and training technologies in a move to expand the product portfolio and add new use cases for those offerings.

Dignitas Technologies opened for business in 2004 to specialize in system and software analysis, design, development, testing, and fielding of mission rehearsal applications. The Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps use Dignitas products for the F-35 program and in virtual training initiatives.

With the transaction announced Monday, By Light is also looking to move further toward providing an architecture-centric and agile approach for defense training efforts. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"Dignitas expands our product and solutions offering in the critical areas of cyber training, virtual cyber effects and live, virtual and constructive training in multi-echelon simulations across the (Defense Department),” By Light’s founder and CEO Bob Donahue said in a release. We're excited to add these capabilities into By Light's synthetic training ecosystem."

Dignitas has recorded $11.4 million in unclassified prime contract revenue over the trailing 12 months with the Navy representing 76% of that spend and Army work the remainder, according to USASpending.gov data.

By Light’s unclassified prime sales over that timeframe total $55.1 million with the Veterans Affairs Department making up the majority at 51% and the National Science Foundation representing 24%. Other key customers include the Army, Navy, Energy Department and Defense Contract Management Agency.

STS Advisors and Shuffield Lowman advised Dignitas on the transaction. Goodwin Proctor and Morrison Foerster advised By Light.

By Light is owned by private equity firm Sagewind Capital, which purchased the contractor in 2017 to establish a footing in the training and cyber domains. Sagewind has since aided By Light in a handful of acquisitions on that front.