What APAX Software does

APAX Software is a privately held, founder-led custom software development agency headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 2007 as Sfenity Software Development by University of Kentucky engineering graduates Brian Raney, Matt Smith, and Justin Raney, the company has operated continuously for 18+ years and employs a fully on-shore team of approximately 20 to 22 designers, engineers, QA specialists, and project managers. The firm delivers full-stack custom software across web, mobile (native and PWA), and backend — spanning Drupal, Django/React/Next.js, .NET, iOS, Android, and AWS — and bundles delivery with UX/UI design, software consulting, and ongoing ServE support under its APAX Proven Process methodology (Align, Discover, Build, Launch, ServE).

The business is anchored by mid-five-figure starting engagements and scales upward by scope, with notable projects including UK HealthCare's award-winning web platform, CDC-funded Find Help Now, American Legal Publishing's Solr-powered municipal code library (700k MAU), Edgio's multi-region content management UI serving Netflix, Disney, Amazon, and Nintendo, the Presbyterian Church (USA) unified digital platform, and Kentucky's KyCOMPASS perinatal mental health platform. Verticals served span healthcare, higher education, government and public sector, professional associations, and a small consumer sub-brand portfolio (Keeneland Race Day app, QuickFlips PWA). Average team tenure is 5.6 years; 8 of 18 clients in a one-year window have worked with APAX 5+ years.

Revenue is generated exclusively through project-based professional services and recurring support contracts — there is no product/SaaS line item, no channel partners, no marketplace, and no external institutional capital. Go-to-market is sales-led and content-marketing-led: consultation calls (Sr. Account Director Amanda Murray) and inbound referrals are the primary conversion path, supplemented by Drupal upgrade demand-gen (Drupal 7 EOL), public-sector reverse trade show presence (KPPA), and an organic blog/SEO engine. The Awesome Inc ecosystem — co-founded by the same principals — provides community positioning, talent pipeline (Awesome Inc U), and regional brand goodwill funded through $1.7M+ in Cherub Fund/Joy Project contributions. AI is used both in client deliverables (generative insights, computer vision, recommendation engines) and in internal engineering workflows (CodeRabbit, Claude Code, Figma MCP), formalized through an internal AI Integration Playbook.

Name

APAX Software

Legal name

APAX Software

Website

https://apaxsoftware.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

APAX Software is a privately held, founder-led custom software development agency in Lexington, KY, with a 20-person on-shore team delivering full-stack web, mobile, and PWA solutions to healthcare, higher education, government, and commercial clients since 2007.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Software Development Services

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

UI/UX Engineering & Front-End Modernization (BPAEAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Application Performance Engineering & Observability (APM) (BPAEAFAK)

Keywords

• Custom software development
• Web application development
• Mobile app development
• UX UI design services
• Drupal development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Software Development Services: APAX generates revenue primarily through custom software development projects. Services include website development, web app development, mobile app development, UX/UI design, software consulting, and product strategy and testing. Projects are scoped individually around what the client needs to build, with most projects beginning in the mid-five figures and scaling up based on complexity and scope. The company also provides ongoing support, maintenance, and enhancement services post-launch, creating recurring engagement opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

APAX Software is a full-service custom software development agency that designs, builds, and supports bespoke websites, web applications, and mobile apps (native iOS/Android and PWA) for healthcare, higher education, government, and commercial clients. Engagements span the full lifecycle — strategy and UX/UI design, multi-stack development (Drupal, React, Next.js, Django, .NET), testing, launch, and ongoing support and maintenance — with services such as Drupal 7-to-10 upgrade migrations delivered through a five-phase APAX Proven Process methodology.

Product overview

APAX Software is a full-service custom software development agency offering a unified portfolio of services centered on custom software development. The core offerings include Website & Web App Development, Mobile App Development, UX/UI Design, Software Consulting, and Product Strategy & Testing, supported by the APAX Proven Process methodology. The company also provides specialized Drupal Upgrade Services for legacy migrations. Beyond services, APAX has developed several notable product sub-brands including KyCOMPASS (decoupled Drupal + Next.js platform for perinatal mental health providers), QuickFlips (PWA for video game resale), Find Help Now (real-time treatment locator), UK HealthCare Website, PCUSA Website, Edgio Content Management Platform, American Legal Publishing Code Library, and the Keeneland Race Day App. The company operates a 20-person team in Lexington, KY, and has served over 300 organizations since 2007.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Software Development Full-service custom software development including websites, web applications, mobile apps, and internal tools, trusted by healthcare systems, higher education, government, and commercial clients since the firm's founding.
• Website & Web App Development Custom websites and web applications designed to streamline business operations and improve user engagement for organizations needing tailored digital solutions.
• Mobile App Development Native and cross-platform mobile applications for iOS and Android, including Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) for broader accessibility, drawing on experience spanning Expo/React Native and web-based approaches.
• UX/UI Design User experience and interface design services that create intuitive, accessible, and visually appealing digital experiences, often delivered alongside the firm's custom software projects.
• Software Consulting Expert technology strategy guidance to help organizations assess technical needs, identify solutions, and navigate digital transformation, delivered as a standalone consulting engagement or as part of a build project.
• Product Strategy & Testing Comprehensive development planning and quality assurance services that ensure software is market-ready with thorough testing across the firm's engagements.
• Drupal Upgrade Services Migration services from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10/11 including site audit, hosting evaluation, content migration, SEO/analytics configuration, and testing; addresses end-of-life Drupal 7 security vulnerabilities for organizations on legacy stacks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Time to find substance use treatment reduced from 72 hours to 6 minutes (Find Help Now)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability7 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Awesome InccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009APAX Software founders Brian Raney, Matt Smith, and Justin Raney co-founded Awesome Inc in 2009, two years after launching APAX. Awesome Inc is a Lexington-based entrepreneur support organization focused on fostering tech startups. APAX functions as the primary software development partner for Awesome Inc. Through this collaboration, APAX contributes to Awesome Inc initiatives including teaching and hiring through Awesome Inc U coding courses. APAX has invested over $1.7 million in local community development through the Cherub Fund and Joy Project. The relationship is rooted in shared founders, shared vision, and a mission to strengthen Kentucky's tech community.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lullabot: Drupal-focused custom software agency of similar size with comparable service offerings (strategy, design, development, support) and overlapping enterprise and higher education clients. Directly comparable in technical stack specialization and project-based engagement model.
• Mediacurrent: Drupal and web development agency serving healthcare, higher education, and government — a near-identical vertical mix to APAX. Comparable size and similar end-to-end custom dev + support model.
• ImageX: Drupal agency specializing in custom web development for universities, government, and nonprofits. Highly comparable in technology stack focus (Drupal), vertical specialization, and project size.
• Chapter Three: Custom software and Drupal agency with strong healthcare and nonprofit focus, similar in size and service portfolio to APAX. Both build long-term retainer relationships with mission-driven organizations.
• Velir: Mid-sized digital agency offering custom software, web development, and Drupal services with similar client profiles (associations, nonprofits, healthcare). Comparable in scope and engagement model.
• Aten Design Group: Boutique Drupal agency of comparable size focused on custom builds for mission-driven organizations. Similar team size, technology stack, and consultative sales approach.
• Bluecadet: Custom digital experience agency for cultural, healthcare, and educational institutions. Similar premium custom-build focus and project-based professional services model, though slightly larger and East Coast-based.
• Palantir.net: Custom software and Drupal agency of comparable size serving universities, nonprofits, and associations. Similar consulting-led engagement model and on-shore delivery model with similar average project sizes.

Regional players

• NewCity: Louisville-based custom digital agency similar in size and regional focus to APAX. Both serve Kentucky-area clients with custom web and app development, though NewCity has a stronger design/branding orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Bounteous: Large digital experience and custom development consultancy serving enterprise clients including many in healthcare. Overlaps with APAX on digital transformation and custom build services but at significantly greater scale and broader geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ApaxSoftware
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@apaxsoftware
• Facebookfacebook.com/34707653317
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apaxsoftware
• Instagraminstagram.com/apaxsoftware

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about APAX Software