Sparesfinder Limited

In 1998, a Cambridge-trained engineer named David Stroud co-founded a company in the U.K. to tackle a complex and costly problem for large industrial companies: managing spare parts. The company, Sparesfinder Limited, recognized that for businesses reliant on heavy machinery, from manufacturing to maritime shipping, knowing what spare parts you have and where they are is critical. Sparesfinder developed a cloud-based software-as-a-service platform to bring order to the chaos of Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) data. Their solution allowed international organizations to clean, standardize, and govern their spare parts information across different systems and languages. This wasn't just about tidy databases; it was about reducing operating costs, improving efficiency, and ensuring that a critical machine wouldn't stay offline for want of a part that was already sitting in a warehouse, unknown. For two decades, the company built its expertise, helping clients manage their master data with a suite of solutions. Then, in August 2018, their journey took a significant turn. Sparesfinder was acquired by Sphera, a large global provider of Integrated Risk Management software. The acquisition was a natural fit, allowing Sphera to enhance its portfolio by integrating Sparesfinder's specialized, cloud-based MRO capabilities. As part of the deal, co-founder David Stroud joined the acquiring company, transitioning to lead the MRO product management division and scaling their original vision on a global stage.