Draft:GFT Technologies

GFT Technologies is a German software development company specializing in IT services. Headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. It was founded in 1987 by Ulrich Dietz and Michael Schönemann as Gesellschaft für Technologietransfer mbH, later rebranded as GFT Technologies in 1999.

History
GFT Technologies was founded in 1987 in Sankt Georgen im Schwarzwald. The company's initial product, GRIT, launched in 1990, evolved into a business process management (BPM) suite named BPM Inspire. In 1998, Ulrich Dietz became the CEO, and the company went public in 1999, listing on the Neuer Markt.

During the 2000s, GFT expanded its presence in Europe, acquiring emagine Group in 2001 and establishing a development center in Barcelona. Strategic acquisitions, including a majority stake in Parity Beteiligungsgesellschaft GmbH in 2006, contributed to its growth. In 2014, the company acquired Rule Financial, a UK-based IT consultancy, rebranding it as GFT UK.

2015–Present
GFT transitioned into a Societas Europaea (SE) in 2015, acquiring Adesis Netlife in Spain and Habber Tec Brazil in 2016, expanding its reach into Latin America. Marika Lulay assumed the role of CEO in 2017. The company entered the Canadian market in 2018 and formed partnerships with industry leaders like TRUMPF Group.

In 2020, GFT established branches in Asia, leading to its listing on the SDAX. In 2023, the company collaborated with Red Date Technology and the Toko initiative to unveil the Universal Digital Payment Network (UDPN), a blockchain-based system facilitating interoperability among regulated stablecoins and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC).

In the fiscal year ending March 2023, GFT Technologies reported sales of €730.14 million.

Shareholder structure
As of December 31, 2022, the shareholder structure comprises a Free float of 64.2%, Ulrich Dietz with 26.3%, and Maria Dietz with 9.5% of the shares.

Services
GFT provides cloud computing services, including cloud migration, application and mainframe modernization, machine learning-based fraud detection, and blockchain applications. Its expertise in generative artificial intelligence enables the creation of solutions like virtual assistants for banks, focusing on colloquial language. Specializing in blockchain applications, GFT has developed a digital asset mapping application for securely storing real assets as digital assets on the blockchain.

Recognition

 * 2023: GFT wins Digital Asset Innovation of the Year at FS Tech Awards.
 * 2022: Recognized as global leader in Quadrant Spark Matrix Digital Banking Services.
 * 2022: Major contender in Everest Group's System Integration Capabilities for AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.
 * 2022: GFT wins Fintech of the Year and Best Mobile Initiative in Digital Assets/Blockchain at Banking Tech Awards.