The acquisition makes the Helsinki-based business automation and software developer a leading provider of pathway automation to the NHS.
Helsinki-based business automation and software developer Digital Workforce Services has acquired Lincolnshire’s e18 Innovation for £5 million.
e18 has spent the past decade helping NHS Trusts move from pilots to nationally recognised automation programmes through deep sector knowledge and hands-on delivery.
The transaction makes healthcare Digital Workforce’s largest vertical and a leading provider of pathway automation in the UK.
The joint team says that it will focus on removing administrative bottlenecks in outpatient, cancer and diagnostics pathways, with pre-packaged, outcome-based automations and a fully managed service offering that also covers end-to-end process automation solutions and Agentic AI. The company will also support data migrations to accelerate programme scale-up.
“Closing the e18 acquisition is a pivotal step in our strategy. Together, we can replicate innovative and proven care-pathway automations from the Nordics and the US to free up clinical time and improve patient flow across the NHS,” says Digital Workforce chief executive Jussi Vasama.
Performance bonus
The acquisition is made up of a cash consideration of £4.6 million, which Digital Workforce says is based on 80% of the enterprise value and will be paid immediately. The remaining 20% of the enterprise value of £1 million is to be paid in shares, through a directed share issue to the seller.
An additional consideration, tied to e18 Innovation’s performance over the next two financial years, will be paid annually at the end of August. This will be to a maximum of £6.3 million, of which 80% will be paid in cash with the remainder in shares.
All operational e18 employees continue in their current roles, and the company’s figures will be consolidated into the Digital Workforce Group upon completion.
Founded in 2015, Digital Workforce employs more than 200 specialists across the US, UK, Ireland, and Northern and Central Europe.
The company is listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland.
