History
APAX Software was established in 2007 in Lexington, Kentucky, emerging from an earlier venture called Book Exchange, an e-commerce marketplace. Though Book Exchange ultimately failed, it provided the founding team with essential skills and served as a portfolio piece to attract initial clients, including the University of Southern California.
The three co-founders — Brian Raney, Justin Raney, and Matt Smith — were University of Kentucky engineering graduates who received pivotal encouragement from UK President Lee Todd. As Brian Raney recalled: “He simply gave us the confidence and permission to try (and fail) at our passion of being an entrepreneur.”
During its first year, the company — originally called Sfenity Software Development — merged with Ryan Hunter, resulting in today’s APAX Software. The organization has since served hundreds of clients and employed numerous skilled professionals.
Services and Areas of Expertise
APAX provides expertise across multiple technologies including Drupal, Django, React, and Next.js. The company specializes in:
- Mobile Application Development — Cross-platform and native solutions
- Full Stack Web Development — Sophisticated web applications using multiple languages and frameworks
- UX/UI Design — Intuitive, visually appealing interfaces
- Software Consulting — Technical assessment and digital transformation guidance
With 17 years of experience, the team has completed projects for more than 300 companies.
Community Investment
Two years after launching APAX, the founders established Awesome Inc, a Lexington-based entrepreneur support organization. As Brian Raney stated: “We wanted to do for others what President Todd did for us.”
APAX serves as Awesome Inc’s primary software development partner and has invested over $1.7 million in local community development through initiatives including:
- Awesome Inc U coding courses
- The Cherub Fund
- The Joy Project
