M&A: Citrix Buys Unicon, Pitches Sustainable IT Services and E-Waste Reduction As Windows 10 End of Life Approaches

Virtualization software company Citrix has acquired Unicon -- a virtualization and endpoint management software company that also touts sustainable IT and e-waste reduction outcomes. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquired software can help customers navigate Microsoft's decision to end Windows 10 support in October 2025, Citrix asserts. The Windows 10 end of life, critics assert, could trigger millions of pounds of e-waste if customers trash those PCs instead of updating them with alternative operating systems.

This is M&A deal number 3 that Sustainable Tech Partner has covered so far in 2025. Related: See all M&A deals involving sustainability, climate tech and green IT services listed here.

Unicon Acquired: Potential Business Benefits

Citrix, owned by investors Vista Equity Partners and Elliott Investment Management since 2022, is striving to extend beyond its legacy virtual desktop business, which faces intense competition from Microsoft Azure and upstarts such as Nerdio. Citrix rival VMware, owned by Broadcom since 2023, faces similar competitive pressures.

The Citrix business is part of Cloud Software Group, which includes sister businesses such as Tibco, Information Builders, Spotfire and Jaspersoft.

Unicon, founded in 1993, is a Citrix Ready partner. The company, based in Karlsruhe, Germany, develops an endpoint operating system called eLux, and an enterprise management software platform called Scout. The buyer said:

• eLux provides endpoint security, supports device repurposing, and aligns with green IT goals.
• Scout centralizes IT operations, simplifying application deployment and empowering IT teams to manage endpoints through a single interface

The eLux OS, which is hardware agnostic, is deployed across more than 2.5 million endpoint devices in 65+ countries, the buyer said.

Unicon's ownership has evolved multiple times in recent years. In 2001, management and a family-backed investor acquired Unicon from Fujitsu Technology for an undisclosed sum.

Citix and Unicon: Partnership History, Executive Perspectives

Citrix and Unicon have partnered since 2001. eLux integrates with Citrix technologies like Virtual Apps and Desktops (VDI), Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS), and the Citrix Enterprise Browser. The result: Customers can repurpose existing devices to access VDIs on-premises or in the cloud, as well as SaaS services, in a more cost-effective way, the buyer asserts.

Describing the Unicon acquisition, the buyer said the deal will "provide customers with a secure client OS and endpoint management that dramatically improves endpoint security, resiliency and operational costs, while providing a seamless end-to-end experience for access to corporate applications and desktops. In addition, enterprise customers can leverage eLux to extend the life of their current assets as they look to the upcoming Windows 10 end of support."

Added Sridhar Mullapudi, co-president of Citrix: “With eLux and Scout as part of our platform, Citrix is delivering a comprehensive solution for organizations seeking to enhance security, reduce costs, and embrace sustainable IT practices.”

Noted Philipp Benkler, former CEO of Unicon and now VP of product at Citrix: “Unicon’s solutions, combined with Citrix’s platform, create a powerful synergy for hybrid work. By joining Citrix, we are helping businesses achieve secure, future-ready IT strategies.”

Recent Acquisitions

This is Citrix's third acquisition in recent months. The other deals involved buying deviceTRUST and Strong Network in December 2024.