Cloud Sherpas, an Atlanta, Ga.-based solution provider that partners with Google and Salesforce.com, on Thursday announced it has raised $40 million in venture capital funding and said it purchased cloud solution provider CloudTrigger.

The company said it will use the funds to extend its reach internationally, acquire more companies and meet growing demand for what it terms as its "cloud services brokerage."

Financial details of the acquisition of Encinitas, Calif.-based CloudTrigger were not disclosed. The solution provider has expertise in implementation and customization of cloud CRM solutions.

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CloudTrigger offers Salesforce Service Cloud implementation, and it is the creator of G2Maps, a geographic mapping visualization and analytics app available on Salesforce AppExchange, Cloud Sherpas said.

Cloud Sherpas plans more mergers and acquisitions to expand to meet growing demand from businesses seeking more complex cloud services, David Northington, CEO of Cloud Sherpas, said in an interview with CRN.

"As cloud computing is increasingly accepted in businesses, there is a need to integrate it into the IT landscape of their organizations. The technical expertise required is not trivial," Northington said. "People want customized services."

These services, offered by Cloud Sherpas as a "cloud services brokerage," include aggregation of multiple cloud services, integration with in-house applications and customization.

"We believe in this model," Northington said. "We believe that's where the market is going."

In March, Cloud Sherpas, a Google Apps provider, joined with Salesforce.com integrator GlobalOne, effectively doubling its business and becoming a full-service cloud solution provider.

Cloud Sherpas now has more than 3,000 customers and projects 2013 revenue at more than $100 million. The company has offices in Atlanta, Brisbane, Chicago, Manila, New York, San Francisco, San Diego, Sydney and Wellington.

Cloud Sherpas' funding comes from existing Cloud Sherpas investors Columbia Capital and Delta-V Capital, which were joined in this funding round by Greenspring Associates and Queensland Investment Corporation, of Australia.

PUBLISHED DEC. 20, 2012