LONDON : Dutch recruitment software firm Textkernel, backed by private equity firm Main Capital Partners, has acquired U.S. rival Sovren, Main Capital Partners said, a deal that aims to expand its business across North America and Asia Pacific and strengthen its technology base. Sovren, based in Texas and which delivers a similar artificial intelligence software to Textkernel, will boost the Dutch firm's position in the so-called "search and match" technology used by recruiters to screen candidates, its private equity owner Main Capital Partners said in a statement.