US technology group Avalara has acquired Manchester-based integration startup Versori in a deal that underscores the growing international appeal of the UK’s regional tech sector.
The value of the transaction has not been disclosed, but it includes Versori’s proprietary technology platform and its 23-strong team. Co-founders Sean Brown and Daniel Jones will remain with the business, which will operate under the name “Versori, by Avalara”.
Founded in 2022, Versori specialises in next-generation integration technology, enabling companies to connect complex systems such as ERPs, ecommerce platforms, marketplaces and financial applications with greater speed and automation. The company raised $10.5 million in prior funding and graduated from the prestigious Y Combinator accelerator programme in March 2023.
Sean Brown said the acquisition aligns closely with Versori’s founding vision.
“We want Versori to connect the world’s systems. That was the mission statement from day one,” he said. “As we were going through a period of growth we were facing doing another investment round, but Avalara were already a customer and the strategic fit was very strong.”
Avalara describes itself as an “agentic” tax and compliance leader, providing automated tax calculation, reporting and compliance solutions to more than 200,000 customers across 75 countries. Its long-term ambition is to embed real-time, always-on compliance into global commerce systems.
Scott McFarlane, chief executive and co-founder of Avalara, said the acquisition would significantly accelerate that ambition.
“Compliance at global scale depends on seamless, reliable integration,” he said. “Versori’s technology and team significantly accelerate our ability to connect into the world’s commerce systems quickly, at scale, using intelligent, AI-driven automation that meets the reliability and accuracy standards global compliance demands.”
The move strengthens Avalara’s unified platform strategy, particularly as regulatory complexity increases worldwide and multinational businesses seek automated, audit-ready compliance solutions embedded directly into transactional workflows.
Versori’s platform uses automation-first architecture to reduce the time and engineering resources required to build and maintain integrations. By leveraging artificial intelligence, the system can simplify deployment and ongoing maintenance, making it attractive to enterprises operating across multiple jurisdictions and platforms.
Since its launch, Versori has worked with high-profile organisations including Frasers Group, Macy’s and the UK Ministry of Defence. Its growth trajectory has made it one of Manchester’s fastest-rising enterprise software startups.
Brown said the acquisition demonstrates that Manchester can produce globally competitive technology businesses.
“It’s proof that Manchester can grow companies like Versori,” he said. “Hopefully it will bring more investment into Manchester and more talent. I’ve never done it for the rewards. I love building things and I’m looking forward to keeping building things with Versori. I’ve got a lot of unfinished business.”
The deal also reflects continued US interest in UK AI and enterprise software firms, particularly those outside London. Manchester’s tech ecosystem has grown rapidly in recent years, supported by university spinouts, venture capital inflows and accelerator programmes.
For Avalara, the acquisition adds advanced AI-enabled integration capabilities at a time when global tax and compliance requirements are becoming increasingly digitised and complex. The company has spent more than two decades building one of the most extensive libraries of tax content and system integrations in the industry. Integrating Versori’s automation technology is expected to enhance speed, scalability and reliability across that network.
Both companies indicated that integration work is already under way, with Versori’s technology forming a key part of Avalara’s push towards AI-native compliance systems that operate continuously and autonomously within global commerce infrastructure.
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Avalara acquires Manchester startup Versori in AI-driven integration deal