SBS Acquires GSI, Forging a Powerhouse in Utility Design Software

LITTLETON, CO – January 08, 2026 – Spatial Business Systems (SBS) announced today the completion of its acquisition of GeoSpatial Innovations Inc (GSI), a strategic move that creates a dominant force in the specialized software market for critical infrastructure design and management. The deal unites SBS’s intelligent design platform with GSI’s leading distribution design and vegetation management tools, promising a more integrated, end-to-end solution for the world's utility and infrastructure operators.

The acquisition solidifies the Littleton-based firm's leadership position, creating a combined entity that serves over 250 blue-chip customers globally. Notably, this client roster includes more than 90% of the 25 largest investor-owned utilities in North America, giving the company unparalleled reach in a market facing immense pressure to modernize and expand.

"We are excited to welcome GSI to the SBS family," said Al Eliasen, President and CEO of SBS, in a statement. "This acquisition combines two cutting-edge solutions under one platform, empowering customers to streamline mission-critical workflows across the critical infrastructure design process."

A Strategic Consolidation in a Surging Market

The timing of the acquisition is significant, occurring as the utility software sector undergoes rapid growth and transformation. The market is projected to reach $9.1 billion by 2030, driven by the urgent need for digital tools to manage aging infrastructure, integrate renewable energy sources, and handle soaring electricity demand from data centers and artificial intelligence workloads.

Within this landscape, GSI has carved out a vital niche since its founding in 1999. Its cloud-based Distribution Design Studio (DDS) is a key tool for engineers designing and analyzing distribution assets, while its Forester software is a critical component for mobile utility vegetation management—a market segment estimated at $1.2 billion in 2025 and expected to double by 2032. Preventing power outages caused by trees and other vegetation has become a top priority for utilities facing more frequent extreme weather events and stricter reliability standards.

By absorbing GSI, SBS not only expands its product portfolio but also reinforces its competitive position against a diverse field of rivals. This includes large, diversified technology firms like GE Grid Solutions, Siemens, and Autodesk, as well as specialized vegetation management software providers such as AiDash and Trimble. This move aligns with a broader trend of M&A activity in both the power and technology sectors, where companies are consolidating to capture market share, acquire specialized talent, and build comprehensive AI-driven platforms. For SBS, which was itself acquired by private equity firm Peak Rock Capital in 2022, this latest transaction signals an aggressive growth strategy fueled by strategic investment.

Forging an End-to-End Digital Toolkit

The core of the acquisition's value lies in the technological synergy between the two companies. SBS has built its reputation on software that automates complex engineering workflows and creates sophisticated "digital twins" of network grids, allowing for better data integration between design and spatial systems. GSI brings highly specialized, best-of-breed applications that address specific pain points in the utility workflow.

The integration promises to deliver a unified platform with powerful new capabilities. Eliasen specifically highlighted the addition of "non-linear structural analysis and mobile field operations," features directly drawn from GSI’s expertise. Non-linear analysis allows engineers to model how utility poles and other structures will behave under complex, real-world stresses like high winds or heavy ice loads, dramatically improving design resilience and safety.

Furthermore, the incorporation of GSI's mobile-first Forester and DDS offerings will extend advanced design and management capabilities directly to field crews. This bridges a long-standing gap between office-based engineering and on-the-ground operations, enabling real-time data capture, faster work order processing, and more accurate asset management. The goal is to create a seamless "end-to-end" solution that covers the entire lifecycle of an infrastructure asset, from initial design and structural analysis to construction, maintenance, and vegetation management.

Carl Livingood, Founder and COO of GSI, expressed optimism about the merger's potential. "The GSI team is excited to join with SBS to drive accelerated adoption of intelligent design solutions that improve design efficiency and accuracy," he stated.

Powering the Modern Grid's Resilience and Efficiency

Beyond the corporate strategy and technical specifications, this acquisition has profound implications for the reliability and safety of the essential networks that power society. As utilities grapple with the dual challenges of decarbonization and grid modernization, the demand for intelligent software has never been greater. The combined SBS and GSI platform is positioned to address these challenges directly.

In North America, where the company holds a commanding market presence, utilities are under intense regulatory pressure to harden their infrastructure against climate-related threats and prevent catastrophic wildfires and outages. Advanced vegetation management software, which leverages GIS and mobile data to precisely identify and mitigate risks, is no longer a luxury but a necessity for compliance and public safety.

The acquisition also positions SBS for significant international growth, particularly in Europe. The European market is at the forefront of the global energy transition, with massive investments flowing into smart grids and renewable energy integration. This complex, distributed energy landscape requires sophisticated design and management tools to ensure grid stability and efficiency. While GSI’s footprint has been primarily North American, its technology is highly relevant to the challenges European utilities face, presenting a major expansion opportunity for the newly combined company. Navigating Europe's stringent data privacy regulations, such as GDPR, will be a key factor in this expansion.

For customers of both companies, the merger promises a more powerful and integrated toolkit. The challenge for SBS will be to execute a smooth integration that preserves the specialized strengths of GSI's products while delivering the promised benefits of a unified platform. As the digital transformation of the utility sector accelerates, the ability to provide a comprehensive, data-driven solution for designing and maintaining critical infrastructure will be the key determinant of market leadership.