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On Wildersgade in Copenhagen’s Christianshavn district sits one of Denmark’s more intriguing software companies. Auditdata has just been sold for the second time, in a deal worth a substantial three-figure million sum in Danish kroner.

Founded in 1992, Auditdata develops software and technology for hearing clinics and hospitals around the world, helping them run more efficient, connected and modern operations.

Now, the Copenhagen-based company is entering its next phase of growth, backed by new international ownership, bigger ambitions in technology and a clear focus on the US market.

We sat down with CEO Christoffer Spangenberg to discuss building a global software business from Denmark. For the past eight years, Christoffer Spangenberg has served as CCO and Head of Professional Services. He has just been appointed the company’s new CEO.

Christoffer Spangenberg, CEO, Auditdata

When Christoffer Spangenbergr joined Auditdata as CEO almost eight years ago, the company’s focus was primarily on the Nordic market.

Today, the Danish software company works with hearing clinics and hospitals around the world, and is preparing for another significant step in its development.

Auditdata has become part of Tera Software Group, backed by global software investor Insight Partners. But for Christoffer Spangenberg, the deal is about more than a change of ownership.

It is about moving forward and reaching the company’s next milestone.

“We reached the size we could within the framework we had. We became three times larger across the board. So it was time to move into the next league, and our new ownership gives us the opportunity to do that,” he says, when asked why the time was right for a new owner.

For Christoffer Spangenberg, the next phase is relatively simple.

Auditdata needs to become bigger. But growth must be matched by a deeper investment in technology.

“We need to grow. We need to go deeper into our technology so we can serve even larger customers globally.”

That does not mean adding features for the sake of it. The focus is on making the products smarter and more efficient, with AI, data and automation playing an increasingly important role.

The industry itself is facing a very tangible challenge.

As populations age, the demand for hearing care is increasing, while the number of people available to provide it is not keeping pace.

“There is less coming in than going out. There are more and more elderly people.”

Efficiency is therefore becoming an increasingly important competitive factor for hearing clinics. And this is where Auditdata sees significant potential.

If software can reduce administrative work, provide better oversight and help clinics operate more efficiently, technology becomes more than an IT tool. It becomes part of the business itself.

The new ownership gives Auditdata access to something Christoffer Spangenberg considers just as valuable as capital: expertise and experience from other software companies.

“Tera knows the industry. They have a niche within this space, and they have access to other companies that are ahead of the curve.”

That could mean, for example, Auditdata’s CCO exchanging ideas with another company in the group that is further ahead in a particular area.

“We had some of that in the Danish setup as well. But this is simply on a different scale.”

For Christoffer Spangenberg, the new structure is therefore also about having access to the right tools and technologies at the right time.

And, perhaps just as importantly, learning from companies that have already solved some of the challenges Auditdata is now facing.

Building a global company from Denmark in such a specialised niche has not been without its challenges.

When Christoffer Spangenberg joined Auditdata, the focus was primarily on the Nordic region. Since then, the company has expanded internationally through acquisitions, partnerships and the establishment of local entities.

A key part of the strategy has been following its major enterprise customers as they expand into new markets. Spangenberg explains:

“We have followed our major enterprise customers and their journey. Having such a close partnership with our customers has been crucial for us. We have also made a number of acquisitions.

For example, we have a very strong position in Australia. That came through the acquisition of a Canadian company that already had a strong presence there, and we were able to add value with our technology.

When something works well in one market, we know it will probably work well in similar markets too. The UK, for example, has many similarities with Australia because of their shared history.”

Even when the product remains the same, however, markets can be very different.

That is why having a local presence has been important.

Auditdata now has employees and leaders across multiple markets, and according to Christoffer Spangenberg, it is not enough simply to export the Danish way of doing things to the rest of the world.

Photo: For Christoffer Spangenberg, culture is an important part of Auditdata’s continued growth. With employees spread across borders, the company puts a strong emphasis on building a sense of community through shared activities and in-person gatherings. Even as Auditdata grows into a global business, the aim is for employees to feel part of the same company and work towards the same goal.

“It was important for me to explain to them, the new owners, the culture we have built. It is something we want to preserve. Communication becomes crucial as an organisation grows across borders. We are very different from one country to another, and there is a great deal of respect for those differences across the company.”

Ask Christoffer Spangenberg where he sees Auditdata in the coming years, and the answer is remarkably straightforward.

“Just as we have grown threefold, we want to do it again.”

More clinics. More markets. Better products. In many ways, it is as simple as that.

But if Auditdata is to realise that ambition, one market in particular will be crucial.

“The US represents 40 per cent of our potential market. So if we are going to achieve that goal, the US will be a decisive market for us. Our new American ownership will naturally play an important role here.”

For a Danish software company that started with its roots firmly in the Nordics, the next chapter is increasingly being written on a much larger stage. And the US will be one to watch.

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