Jonas In Medicine – Vertical Overview

Jonas Software’s entry into the medical and healthcare space began in 2007 with the acquisition of Computrition—a pioneer in foodservice management solutions for healthcare and senior living organizations. This marked the beginning of our commitment to supporting critical aspects of medicine through specialized, mission-critical software. Since then, Jonas has continued to grow its footprint in the medical sector by acquiring exceptional companies such as Contronics, Corum Health, and more.

Through these acquisitions, Jonas has developed a diverse and trusted portfolio of healthcare-focused software companies that serve hospitals, clinics, aged care facilities, and government organizations across the globe. Our companies are united by a commitment to innovation, reliability, and supporting the professionals who deliver care every day.

A standout in Jonas Software’s medical portfolio is Kestral, a leading provider of radiology and lab information systems based in Australia and New Zealand.  Acquired in 2012, Kestral was the first acquisition focused on serving medical professionals has since become a pillar of our Jonas Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) portfolio. With software that supports hundreds of clinics and hospitals—ranging from small private practices to large public networks—Kestral exemplifies our commitment to mission-critical solutions. Under Jonas’s ownership, Kestral has scaled significantly, evolved its leadership, and successfully expanded its footprint in both public and private markets. Their continued growth, focus on delivery excellence, and close collaboration with Jonas leadership reflect the power of our buy-and-hold philosophy and the value of long-term partnerships in driving healthcare innovation.

Kestral: Over a Decade of Innovation and Impact Under Jonas

In 2012, Kestral joined the Jonas Software family, becoming the first acquisition focused on serving medical professionals within the group. At the time, the Australian based company was already known for its best-in-class software serving public and private radiology and pathology providers. Since then, Kestral has expanded its reach and reputation, becoming a cornerstone of Jonas’s ANZ portfolio.

Today, Kestral’s solutions support hundreds of clinics and hospitals across the region, from single-site operators to multi-hospital public networks. Behind the scenes, Jonas’s long-term approach to software company stewardship has helped Kestral scale operations, strengthen leadership, and deliver consistent, meaningful growth over the last decade.

The Jonas Impact: Stability, Support, and a Seat at the Table

One of the most notable advantages of being part of Jonas has been the credibility and confidence the affiliation brings to major customer engagements.

“Providing an overview of the Jonas story immediately changes the discussion and puts to rest any concerns about the size of the organization, financial stability, backing, insurance, etc,” says Matt. “This story provides us with ‘a seat at the table’ – that perhaps we may have otherwise struggled to achieve.”

“It also provides a very tangible backing regarding HR, Legal, Finance, IT, etc” he adds. “An example is contract review, be it the Jonas Standard Contract that we prefer to use or large, complex public health contracting frameworks. Knowing that you have in-house General Counsel to assist in the review, and access to very capable external counsel if required, provides you with certainty around contract negotiations.”

Trust, Autonomy, and Collaboration

Over time, the relationship between Kestral and Jonas Software leadership has developed into one of mutual trust and open dialogue.

Matt views Jonas not as a parent company, but as a true partner.

“Rather than seeking to create distance between us to maintain our autonomy, I seek to bring Jonas Leadership into the discussion whenever possible. In return, I am able to offer my thoughts and insights on issues impacting all of our businesses and return the favour of being a business partner to Jonas.”

He continues, “Barry Symons, CEO of Jonas, impresses upon you the need to be a data-driven organization (what gets measured, gets done). These guiding statements influence my decision making by creating a challenge in my thought process: What have others already learned about this issue you are facing? What analysis have you done to understand the issue(s) more deeply, to enhance your decision-making process.”

Scaling Smart: Lessons in Leadership and Growth

Over the past decade, Kestral has strengthened its market presence across Australia and New Zealand not by entering new regions, but by deepening its role within existing ones.

“There is a great amount of knowledge that resides at the Jonas Leadership level that you can draw on whenever you need, which assists with running and growing your business” Matt explains. “Best practices drawn from across Jonas and CSI provide concrete examples of how to run a better business. The intellectual discipline that underpins the development of these best practices is obvious.”

One area of standout growth has been in Kestral’s ability to work with larger organizations and clients. “Expertise in large contract negotiation is one area I would call out,” he says. “Kestral has shifted from negotiating contracts with small to medium-sized customers to negotiating with groups of 50–60 public hospitals under one complex government contract framework, delivering our solution as part of a consortium.”

Advice for the Next Generation of Acquisitions

Reflecting on Kestral’s journey under Jonas, Matt offers several insights for newly acquired businesses:

Looking Ahead

Kestral is now playing a key role in Jonas ANZ’s ambitious growth plans.

“At a portfolio level in Jonas ANZ, we have doubled our revenues in the last three years, and we are about to embark on the same challenge for the next three years” says Matt. “For Kestral, what is our piece in that goal? How can we capitalize on the growth of the last five to six years and achieve a similar outcome in the next three years”.

Acquisitions in Medicine

Childhood Development 

Food Service

Government

Healthcare

Long-Term Care

Medical Technology

Pharmacy

Radiology

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