Grade and Talentech merge into the leading Nordic HR-tech company

Oslo 15 January 2026: The merger between Grade and Talentech is now completed after approval from the competition authorities in all four Nordic countries. The newly created company is the de-facto Nordic market leader within HR-tech, with plans for further expansion in Northern Europe.

The new company, with a combined revenue of NOK 700 million, will continue under the name Talentech. The company will offer an integrated platform combining the strengths of both businesses and serve nearly 4,000 SMBs and public sector customers, supporting more than 1.2 million users.

Walter Leicher has been appointed CEO of Talentech. Coming from the position as CEO of Papirfly, Leicher brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience, with a proven track record of transforming businesses across sectors such as software, commercial real estate, industrial, and consulting.

Talentech is well-positioned in the fragmented European HR market, shaped by rapid technological change, frequent customer turnover and increasing compliance demands, according to Leicher. 

”We believe the market is ready for a pan-Nordic player focused on AI- and data-driven innovation, with a strong portfolio of solutions across all HR workstreams.”

Walter Leicher
CEO, Talentech

Talentech’s customers will benefit from a unified, AI-powered platform that uses data-driven insights to attract, recruit, develop, and retain engaged talent.

”With the creation of a combined Nordic HR tech platform, Talentech plans to expand in the Nordics and Northern Europe and strengthen our portfolio of solutions through additional acquisitions.”

Walter Leicher
CEO, Talentech

Walter continues: 

“HR teams today face increasing complexity and pressure, often without the tools to truly make an impact. The new Talentech will help even more customers to manage recruitment, onboarding and employee development, now also by taking our solutions to the next level.”

Walter Leicher
CEO, Talentech

 

Viking Growth and Verdane, the lead investors of Grade and Talentech, respectively, now jointly own and lead the combined company.

“We see a unique opportunity to build a global HR tech champion rooted in the Nordics. Since investing in Grade in 2021, our ambition has been to create a category-defining market leader. Through a series of strategic add-on acquisitions and this merger with another market leader, we have realized that vision. With the newly formed company, we are now positioned to shape the future of HR technology”

Joar Welde
Partner, Viking Growth

 

“When Verdane established Talentech in 2019, we wanted to build a company that could radically change the way organisations work with HR, from recruitment to onboarding and talent management. The combination of Grade and Talentech will accelerate that journey, providing customers with a broader offering and even more innovative solutions. Both in the Nordics, and beyond. We are really looking forward to being part of Talentech’s next chapter.”

Nils Vold
Partner, Verdane

Talentech has appointed Torben Brandt Munch as the new Chairman of the Board. Munch is a strategic board leader and former global CEO with over 25 years of experience scaling B2B software companies through integrations, mergers and acquisitions, and international expansion.

He brings an extensive track record of value creation in private equity-backed businesses, with proven expertise in realizing synergies, driving operational structure, executive coaching, and accelerating commercial performance.

“I am excited to join the Talentech Group to form an absolute market leader with a strong foothold in the Nordics and a huge expansion potential"

Torben Brandt Munch
Chairman of the Board, Talentech

For more information

 

Joar Welde

Partner at Viking Growth
+47 982 06 930

James Cook

Director of PR and content at Verdane
+44 7462 607105 

About Viking Growth
Viking Growth is the leading investor in Nordic business-to-business software, with over two decades of experience helping ambitious companies scale internationally. Headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, we provide capital, strategic guidance, and hands-on operational support to accelerate growth. Today, our portfolio includes 19 companies across the Nordics with a combined annual recurring revenues of NOK 4.1 billion.

About Verdane
Verdane is a specialist growth buyout investment firm that partners with tech-enabled and sustainable businesses that help to digitalise and decarbonise the European economy. The flexible mandates of Verdane funds allow it to invest as a majority or minority control investor, replacement or growth capital, in single companies or in portfolios of companies.

Verdane has raised €9 billion in capital and its funds have made more than 200 investments in fast-growing businesses since 2003. Verdane’s team of over 150 investment professionals and operating experts is based out of Berlin, Copenhagen, London, Helsinki, Munich, Oslo and Stockholm, and combines deep sector expertise with long-standing local networks and presence in core European markets.

Verdane is also a certified B Corporation, the most ambitious sustainability accreditation globally. The firm only backs businesses that pass its 2040 test, which indicates whether the company can thrive in a more sustainable future economy.

Verdane is partly owned by the Verdane Foundation, which is focused on two areas: climate change and more equitable and inclusive local communities.