Korbitec

In 1976, Korbitec was founded in Cape Town, South Africa, with a mission to develop technology that simplifies complex legal processes. The company initially focused on creating document automation solutions for the legal market, a niche that would become its stronghold. Their key insight was that legal professionals, particularly in property law, spent an inordinate amount of time on repetitive document assembly and administrative tasks—a problem ripe for a software solution. The company developed flagship products like GhostConvey, a workflow system that automates the paperwork for property transfers and mortgage registrations, and Windeed, a tool for searching public property records. This software became essential for South African property professionals, creating a strong, defensible business. By focusing on a specific, high-value workflow, Korbitec embedded itself into the daily operations of law firms across the country. The playbook was so successful that it caught the attention of two major players. First, the multinational internet group Naspers acquired the company. Then, in a significant market event, LexisNexis South Africa, part of the global RELX Group, announced its intention to acquire Korbitec from Naspers in June 2015, a deal finalized in November of that year. For LexisNexis, which had pursued the company for 13 years, the acquisition was a strategic move to dominate the conveyancing solutions market, a segment representing about 25% of the legal landscape in South Africa. The journey continued when the Canadian arm of the business, focused on litigation software, was acquired by Dye & Durham in 2022.