The Dude is no more.
Dude Solutions, the Cary-based facilities management software firm founded in 1999, has changed its name to Brightly, a brand that reflects its direction, CEO Kevin Kemmerer said in an interview.
Kemmerer, CEO of the company since 2020, said the new name is a long time coming. The project was initiated a year ago “and we started long before that," he said.
Kemmerer acknowledged decades of loyalty under the “Dude” moniker, but said a change was needed to a more serious brand.
“We looked at where we are going as a company and we decided there is a lot happening in our client’s environments,” he said. “The world is changing super fast for them, so we decided to make a change.”
The firm had input from employees – former and current – as well as clients. It also employed a branding company, Archetype.
“We really took a step back and looked at what it is at the essence of what we do, what’s the purpose, why we get out of bed in the morning,” Kemmerer said. The “essence” of that purpose is smarter assets and sustainable communities, he said.
“We need a name that reflects the intelligence of the platform. … it needs to be light, it needs to be fun, it represents the vision of where we’re going,” he said.
The name change was announced Tuesday in conjunction with a new IoT platform.
Kemmerer said the company, currently at over 700 employees, is hiring. It’s also scouring for its next acquisition.
“There’s a lot of growth opportunity across areas we are pursuing today,” he said.
Earlier this year the company announced the buy of Canadian firm Energy Profiles Limited.
Brightly is backed by Clearlake Capital, which acquired the firm from Warburg Pincus in 2019.
The company, formerly known as School Dude, was started by Kent Hudson and Lee Prevost. It develops products that help organizations – such as schools and hospitals – keep full track of their facilities.
The company is a frequent contender on Triangle Business Journal's Fast 50 list. Last year it came in at No. 23 among the fastest-growing private companies in the Triangle.