SCOTTSDALE, Ariz – February 5, 2026 – martinwolf, a leading lower middle market M&A advisor exclusively focused on IT, announced today that it has advised Step Up Consulting, a UKG Ready focused implementations and support partner, on its acquisition by Armanino, one of the 20 largest accounting and business consulting firms in the U.S.

“martinwolf’s knowledge, persuasive leadership, and candid guidance gave us the confidence we needed to pursue the right outcome,” said Praneet Panga, Chief Financial Officer of Step Up Consulting. “The depth and caliber of their team, understanding of the market and ability to manage the expectations of both sides were valuable and made them strong partners throughout the process.”

Headquartered in California, Step Up Consulting has earned a reputation for its client-first approach to UKG Ready implementations and support. Its team of specialists blends technical expertise with business insight to streamline HR and payroll operations for clients across industries. Step Up Consulting’s deep experience with the UKG Ready platform enhances Armanino’s enterprise technology offerings, enabling the firm to better serve small and mid-sized organizations seeking agile, scalable HCM solutions.

“We are pleased to have helped Step Up Consulting reach this exciting new chapter,” said Seth Collins, martinwolf Managing Partner. “This transaction is emblematic of the strong growth we’re continuing to see in the human capital management industry, especially within the UKG Partner ecosystem. As larger service firms continue to diversify their technology partners, we expect further consolidation among well-positioned implementation partners such as Step Up Consulting.”

About martinwolf

martinwolf is a leading M&A advisory firm specializing in IT cloud/tech-enabled services, software/SaaS, and IT supply chain. A trusted partner to IT business owners and buyers, the firm has advised on approximately 300 transactions in more than 20 countries, including eight divisions of Fortune 500 companies. martinwolf brings a strong personal commitment to every client and is relentless in its pursuit of the right outcome. Registered member of FINRA & SIPC. For more information, visit www.martinwolf.com.