Mergers & Acquisitions

Linewize Acquires School Web Filter and Firewall Provider Cipafilter

• By Kristal Kuykendall
• 03/11/22

K–12 cyber safety management provider Linewize, a division of Family Zone, announced today its parent company has acquired Cipafilter, a web filter and firewall software company serving about 400,000 students nationwide.

The deal marks Linewize’s third acquisition in the past year, bringing the number of students on its platform to over 10 million globally. The company offers a variety of digital safety services including compliance and filtering, classroom management, real-time monitoring and intervention, online safety education, and more.

Family Zone acquired 100% of Cipafilter’s shares from holding company DerbyTech for $4.5 million in Family Zone shares plus $3 million in cash, according to a news release.

Cipafilter has provided U.S. K–12 schools with a web filter and firewall technology for over two decades, Linewize said.

“This acquisition is a testament to our continued growth. By merging our technology offerings and staff with that of Cipafilter, we are determined to further our mission to protect the digital journeys of students globally,” said Linewize Executive Vice President Ross Young. “Looking ahead, we remain committed to meeting the evolving needs of school districts and keeping students safe in the digital world.”

Last year, Linewize snapped up Smoothwall, a U.K.-based ed tech company, and NetRef, a classroom management software provider.

Learn more at Linewize.com.