The Efficy group acquires INES CRM to create a customer relationship front player in France and become the European Champion

Fortino Capital

Brussels, September 10, 2020 – INES CRM, one of the French cloud-based CRM pioneers, is joining the Efficy group. The stated ambition is to complete the consolidation of the French market in order to conquer Europe!

Obvious product complementarity

Founded in 2005 in Brussels, Efficy publishes a highly flexible CRM intended for medium and large accounts, and positions itself as a partner close to its customers. Already present in 7 European countries and leader in the Benelux, the Efficy group offers CRM solutions at the right price. Daily used by 170,000 users, the group’s solutions support more than 3,500 companies in their growth.

Founded in 1999 in Lyon, INES CRM publishes and integrates an open collaborative SaaS platform, serving business development and the entire customer journey. This solution is particularly suitable for companies with 10 to 50 employees, wishing to quickly set up a personalized CRM solution.

INES CRM is an ingenious addition to the Efficy group’s range of CRM solutions. Our teams are now able to offer a solution adapted to all contexts. Whether it is a start-up buying a CRM license on the web, a company with 40 employees that wants a customizable solution, or even a group that has several thousand users, ” emphasizes Damien Duchateau, co- founder of INES CRM.

Joining the Efficy group will allow the INES CRM solution to be enriched with new functionalities. Mobile application, artificial intelligence, gamification, document management and customer extranet functions will quickly complete the INES CRM solution,” adds Max Patissier, co-founder of INES CRM.

A desire to consolidate the European market

The Efficy group aims to represent 5% of the CRM market share on the European scene in four years. This operation is part of this ambition.

The acquisition of INES CRM by Efficy creates a group of 220 employees in Europe with cumulative annual turnover of € 26.5 million for 2019. The customer portfolio stands at 4,500 references.

In recent years, we have organized and structured ourselves to accelerate the pace of our growth. INES CRM allows us to establish ourselves durably in France. We are planning such operations in other countries in the coming months. Our desire: to become a very serious alternative to the American mastodons on European soil,” concludes Cédric Pierrard, CEO of the Efficy group.

The Efficy CRM group at a glance

Key figures (2019)

  • € 26,5m turnover
  • 220 employees in 9 countries
  • 4 500 clients
  • 185 000 users in 33 countries
  • 46% average growth over the past 5 years

Latest highlights

  • 2017: Acquisition of DESICO, publisher of the Vente Partner solution, in France
  • 2018: Acquisition of E-Deal in France
  • 2019: Acquisition of SumaCRM in Spain
  • 2019: Arrival of Fortino Capital as shareholders

About EFFICY

Efficy is a software provider offering medium & large businesses a complete, flexible and extended CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solution which helps companies manage their Customer Relationship. Efficy has over 170,000 daily users in 33 countries. Founded in 2005, the Efficy Group, ISO 9001 certified, works with companies from a wide variety of sectors: Banking (Belfius, BNP Paribas, Fortuneo), Insurance & Mutual insurance (Amma, Thélem), Social housing, Industry (CEA, Gradus, Poujoulat), Services, Tourism & Transport (Kinepolis, Geneva Tourism), Retail (La Redoute, Groupe Gautier), Local authorities & Chambers of commerce. Headquartered in Brussels, Efficy has approximately 165 employees in its 7 local offices in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Germany.

About INES CRM

French publisher and integrator for 20 years, INES CRM offers a collaborative, open and mobile SaaS platform, serving business development and the entire customer journey.

INES CRM teams support BtoB companies and ensure the sustainability of their digital transition. The INES solution is a tool designed to respond to the problems of different departments (sales, marketing, customer service, etc.) by giving companies a 360 ° view of their customer relationship.
www.inescrm.fr

Contact

For more information, please visit www.efficy.com or contact:
Laëtitia Baret
lba@efficy.com
+33 6 13 03 63 67

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EQT acquires idealista – the leading online real estate classifieds platform in Southern Europe

eqt

  • EQT IX to acquire idealista, the leading online real estate classifieds platform in Southern Europe, present in Spain, Italy, and Portugal
  • idealista’s underlying market is supported by favorable secular megatrends, such as the increasing shift from offline to online marketing spend, as well as significant network effects driven by the platform’s strong brand recognition
  • EQT will, together with idealista’s founders and management team, support idealista’s continued growth momentum and further penetration of existing markets, by leveraging EQT’s strong digital and sector expertise, “local with locals” approach, and extensive advisory network

The EQT IX fund (“EQT IX”) has agreed to acquire idealista (“the Company”) at a transaction price of EUR 1.3 billion from funds advised by Apax Partners and management. Management will re-invest significantly into the Company while EQT IX will have majority ownership. idealista’s management team, including founder and CEO Jesús Encinar, will continue to lead the Company, building on its strong track record of growth and innovation.

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Madrid, Spain, idealista supports approximately 40,000 real estate agents and 38 million unique monthly visitors across Southern Europe by providing an online real estate classifieds marketplace for home buyers and sellers. The Company’s online platform and diversified portfolio of digital services, such as CRM tools, data analytics, and online mortgage brokerage, help enable efficient real estate transactions, making it a key destination for prospective homeowners and sellers in Spain, Italy, and Portugal.

EQT IX will support idealista’s growth and continued pursuit of commercial excellence by investing in the Company’s online platform and further developing its portfolio of value-add services for real estate agents. Moreover, the Company is expected to leverage EQT’s inhouse digital and tech expertise, global presence, and network of advisors. Together with its founders and management, EQT will support idealista’s plans to further penetrate its core markets and strengthen its position as the market leading and go-to platform for online real estate classifieds in Southern Europe.

Bert Janssens, Partner and Global Co-Head TMT at EQT Partners and Investment Advisor to EQT IX, said: “idealista represents a truly thematic investment, within one of EQT’s core sub-sectors. This investment fits strongly with EQT’s focus of investing in high growth companies and partnering with world class management teams. We are impressed by the market leading position idealista has built over the past 20 years and EQT is excited to support idealista and its entrepreneurial management team in this next stage of growth.”

Carlos Santana, Managing Director and Head of EQT Private Equity in Spain at EQT Partners, and Investment Advisor to EQT IX, concluded: “EQT believes that idealista has the potential to grow at an accelerated pace. Together with Jesús and the management team, EQT will support further expansion within idealista’s core markets and consolidate its leadership position in Southern Europe. The investment in idealista further demonstrates EQT’s commitment to pursue investment opportunities in the region.”

Jesús Encinar, CEO at idealista, said: “We are very excited to partner with EQT and look forward to working together during the coming years. EQT’s online classifieds and real estate expertise, local presence in Spain and Italy, and extensive network of advisors will be of great value for us and key to our future success. idealista and EQT share a similar culture and passion for growth, a key decision factor for me and my team to partner with them.”

In line with the commitment to invest in sustainable businesses, EQT will accelerate idealista’s growth as it supports local and industry technological innovation by leveraging its role as a key intermediary in the real estate transactions value chain. By supporting real estate agents’ transition from offline to online and enabling efficient transaction between prospective homeowners and sellers, idealista contributes primarily to the Sustainable Development Goal 11.

The transaction is expected to close subject to customary approvals in December 2020. PwC, Allen & Overy, and Freshfields served as advisors to EQT, while Evercore served as advisor to Apax and idealista.

With this transaction, EQT IX is expected to be 10-15 percent invested, based on its target fund size.

Contact
Bert Janssens, Partner and Global Co-Head TMT at EQT Partners and Investment Advisor to EQT IX, +31 652 523 675
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com, +46 8 506 55 334

About EQT

EQT is a differentiated global investment organization with more than EUR 62 billion in raised capital and around EUR 40 billion in assets under management across 19 active funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America with total sales of more than EUR 27 billion and approximately 159,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com
Follow EQT on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram

About idealista
idealista supports approximately 40,000 real estate agents and 38 million unique monthly visitors across Southern Europe, by providing an online real estate classifieds marketplace for home buyers and sellers.

More info: www.idealista.com/en

Bruker Announces Acquisition of Canopy Biosciences, LLC

Strengthens Bruker in Targeted Multi-Omics and High-Plex Biomarker Imaging Adds Innovative ChipCytometry Tools for Multi-Dimensional Immune Profiling

BILLERICA, Massachusetts, September 11, 2020 — Bruker Corporation (Nasdaq: BRKR) today announced the acquisition of Canopy Biosciences, LLC, a leader in high multiplex biomarker imaging for immunology, immuno-oncology and cell therapy. This acquisition enhances Bruker’s offering in targeted multi-omics and fluorescence-based imaging techniques. Bruker’s global reach, complementary technologies and applications knowledge will help build on Canopy’s success to date. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

“We are excited to add the multi-omics and high-content cytometry expertise of Canopy, and its novel ChipCytometry platform to Bruker,” said Dr. Mark R. Munch, the Bruker NANO Group President. “Canopy has a unique set of products that enable single cell, tissue and suspended cell-based discovery and validation in immunology and targeted proteomics, as well as a suite of complementary multi-omics services.”

“We are very pleased to join Bruker,” added Dr. Edward Weinstein, the CEO of Canopy Biosciences. “Joining forces with a leading life-science tools provider with broad geographic reach enables us to give many more researchers access to our powerful high-plex ChipCytometry platform, designed for accelerating basic immunology and clinical research, as well as biopharma drug development.”

“Canopy has built a powerful suite of multi-omics technologies,” explained Dr. Frank Witney, Operating Partner of Ampersand Capital Partners, the lead Canopy investor. “Joining Bruker will strengthen and deepen this platform, enabling researchers to better answer their scientific and translational questions with unprecedented power and precision.”



About Bruker Corporation (Nasdaq: BRKR)

Bruker is enabling scientists to make breakthrough discoveries and develop new applications that improve the quality of human life. Bruker’s high-performance scientific instruments and high-value analytical and diagnostic solutions enable scientists to explore life and materials at molecular, cellular and microscopic levels. In close cooperation with our customers, Bruker is enabling innovation, improved productivity and customer success in life science molecular research, in applied and pharma applications, in microscopy and nanoanalysis, and in industrial applications, as well as in cell biology, preclinical imaging, clinical phenomics and proteomics research and clinical microbiology. For more information, please visit: www.bruker.com.

About Canopy Biosciences, LLC

Canopy Biosciences was formed in 2016 and has rapidly built a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for gene editing, gene expression analysis and regulation, and bioprocessing. Canopy’s gene editing portfolio offers easy-to-use CRISPR kits and full-service custom cell line engineering. Canopy has also assembled an innovative multi-omic platform for immune profiling, including ultrasensitive DNA sequencing (RareSeq), RNAseq, gene expression analysis, and multiplexed protein detection in cells and tissue samples via ChipCytometry. Canopy Biosciences is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and serves researchers at universities, research institutions and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Additional information is available at www.canopybiosciences.com. Its subsidiary ZELLKRAFTWERK GmbH in Leipzig, Germany, designs and manufactures high-plex ChipCytometry platforms and complete workflows for high-content cytometry on cells and tissues (www.zellkraftwerk.com).

About Ampersand Capital Partners

Founded in 1988, Ampersand is a middle market private equity firm dedicated to growth-oriented investments in the healthcare sector.  With offices in Boston and Amsterdam, Ampersand leverages its unique blend of private equity and operating experience to build value and drive superior long-term performance alongside its portfolio company management teams. Ampersand has helped build numerous market-leading companies across each of our core healthcare sectors, including Brammer Bio, Confluent Medical, Genewiz, Genoptix, Talecris Biotherapeutics, and Viracor-IBT Laboratories.  Additional information about Ampersand is available at ampersandcapital.com.

Investor Contact:
Miroslava Minkova
Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Development
Bruker Corporation
T: +1 (978) 663-3660 x1479
E: Investor.Relations@bruker.com

Media Contact:
Stephen Hopkins
Content Marketing Manager
Bruker Nano Surfaces Division
T: +1 (520) 741-1044 x1022
E: steve.hopkins@bruker.com

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Active Assurances strengthens its health division with the acquisition of the portfolio of Cabinet Wilhelm SA

Activa Capital

One year afterthe acquisition of AFI Assurances, Active Assurances, the specialist digital insurance broker, is pursuing its development strategy and announces the acquisition of the healthcare insurance portfolio of Cabinet WILHELM SA. This transaction enables the Group to accelerate its development in the healthcare market.

Cabinet WILHELM is a French broker based in Lons (Southwestern France), specialised in the digital sellingof health, accident and life insurance products to B2C customers. The Company was created and managed by its founder, Gilbert Wilhelm, and developed with the support of its main shareholder, the Swiss Life Group. The firm was a pioneer in the distribution of health insurance policiesvia the internet and quickly built up a strong reputation and recognized know-how in this field.

With this operation, Frédéric Bacmann, Chief Executive Officer and founder of AFI Assurances, consolidates the Group’s healthcare portfolio by exceeding 35,000 policies in its portfolio. This operation is financed byequity from Active Assurances,backed by Activa Capital, BPIfrance and Idinvest Partners.

This operation underlines once more Activa Capital’s ability to support entrepreurial managers in the transformation of growing SMEs and the structuring of external growth operations.

Thomas Riottot, Co-founder of Active Assurances Groupe,declared: «We are delighted with this operation, which will strengthen AFI Assurances’ development in its market. We remain on the lookout for other build-ups operationsthat will enable us to accelerate our develpment. »

Frédéric Bacmann, Founding Director of AFI Assurances,stated: «With this operation, we are integrating new sales staff motivated by the Group’s development project and by our know-how in the distance selling of health insurance policies. »

Participants

Buyers

Active Assurances Groupe :Didier Naccache, Thomas Riottot, Denis Salmoiraghi, Frédéric Bacmann, Nolwenn OrealActiva Capital : Alexandre Masson, David Quatrepoint, Timothée HéronLawyers: Jean-Baptiste LeJariel–FORTEM Avocats

Vendors

Gilbert Wilhelm, FounderLawyers: Xavier Perinne–AFFINA Legal

About Active Assurances
Active Assurances is an insurance broker specialised in the on-line sale of automotive insurance policies. Based in Boulogne-Billancourt, in autonomous partnership with leading insurance companies, Active Assurances develops, distributes, and manages automotive insurance policies. For further information, visitactiveassurances.frAbout AFI AssurancesFounded in 1996 by Frédéric Bacmann, AFI Assurances is an insurance broker specialised in health and life insurance. The company selects for its customers the best insurance contract amongst the 200 insurance or mutual products available on line. To know more about AFI Assurances, please consult the websiteafiassurances.fr
About Activa Capital
Activa Capital is an independent private equity firm, owned by its partners, characterized by a proactive build-up strategy. It currently manages more than €300 million on behalf of institutional investors by investing in French SMEs and ETIs with high growth potential and an enterprise value of between €20 and €100 million. Activa Capital assists them to accelerate their development and international presence. To find out more about Activa Capital, visit activacapital.com
Press contacts:
Alexandre MassonManaging Partner+33 1 43 12 50 12alexandre.masson@activacapital.com
Christophe Parier Managing Partner +33 1 43 12 50 12christophe.parier@activacapital.com
Christelle PiattoCommunications Manager+33 1 43 12 50 12christelle.piatto@activacapital.com
ThomasRiottotCEO –Active Assurances Groupe+33 6 75 70 37 23tr@activeassurances.fr

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Innovestor invests in Shipit – One logistics platform solution for all your parcel shipping needs

Innovestor

Helsinki based Venture Capital firm Innovestor acts as lead investor in Shipit Oy Ab’s funding round. The total size of the round was EUR 800k. In addition to the investment made from our second fund, we were joined by institutional and private investors.

With the rapid growth of e-commerce over the past decade, parcel shipping volumes have increased steadily. This trend has only strengthened during the current covid-19 pandemic. Consumer behavior has in many regards changed for good, driving demand for more effective logistics solutions.

Shipit is a fast-growing Finnish technology company, which has developed a fully automated service platform for parcel and pallet shipment management, targeted particularly for e-commerce stores and SMBs. The company’s story began when Co-founder & CEO Lari Pihjalapuro noticed that Finnish SMB’s struggled to find cost effective ways for shipping internationally, thus limiting their potential for doing international business. How could a Finnish company compete, when shipping costs could easily be the same as the product itself? He set out to change this.

For the customer, Shipit provides value by offering more affordable parcel shipping rates, decreasing the need for own in house logistics team and making everything accessible via a single easy to use platform.

“The company is riding a strong wave with all forms commerce moving online. The team has been capital efficient in ramping-up volumes, and can demonstrate considerable traction on the Finnish market. We are excited to join the ride for the next growth phase”, says Innovestor’s Wilhelm Lindholm.

 

The Finnish parcel market is closing in on almost 90 million in annual shipping volume, and estimated at EUR 700 million in value in 2018. In comparison, the Global Parcel Market is valued at almost USD 380 billion in 2018, up from USD 310 billion in 2016.

As the industry has grown, it has also grabbed the attention of VC investors, who have been active in the sector. Some of the recent examples include: Shippo (USA), backed by Union Square Ventures and Bessemer; PackLink (Spain), backed by Accel and Eight Roads Ventures; Parcel2Go (UK), buy-out by Mayfair Equity Partners.

Shipit has grown strongly since its founding in 2016 and is now the market leader within its category in Finland. With revenue growth up 120% in 2019, and operating cashflow positive, the company currently ships c. 50,000 parcels each month among 4,000 registered customers.

“This investment makes it possible for us to speed up our product development, and even more aggressively aim for growth by bringing further liquidity to our internationalization efforts. All while proactively maintaining our outstanding customer service ensuring it scales as we grow. This is an exciting time for us!” commented Shipit’s Co-founder & CEO Lari Pihjalapuro.

 

 

Contact Information:

Lari Pihjalapuro, CEO, Shipit

lari.pihlajapuro@shipit.fi

+ 358 400 595 188

 

Wilhelm Lindholm, Managing Partner, Innovestor Ltd

wilhelm.lindholm@innovestor.fi

+358 405 811 051

 


Shipit joins our portfolio, which is one of the largest private venture backed portfolios in the Nordics, through the investment from Innovestor Growth Fund II.

Innovestor is a Nordic early-stage venture capital investor, who also offers direct co-investment syndication opportunities and builds growth programs.

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3Cloud Acquires 3Cloud Acquires Pragmatic Works Consulting

Gryphon Investors

Acquisition expands 3Cloud’s data and analytics capabilities and geographic reach, forming the largest Azure pure-play services firm in the U.S.

Chicago, IL – September 10, 2020 —

 

3Cloud, a leading Microsoft Azure services firm, today announced that it has acquired the consulting arm of Pragmatic Works, an award-winning services firm focused on Microsoft’s cloud and data platforms.

“With the acquisition of Pragmatic Works Consulting, 3Cloud has taken another big step towards achieving our goal of becoming the number one Azure pure-play services provider” said Mike Rocco, 3Cloud CEO and Co-Founder. “Pragmatic Works Consulting has built an outstanding reputation as a leader in Azure data and analytics solutions, and we are excited to combine the expertise of our two world-class teams to deliver leading-edge Azure solutions for Microsoft customers.”

With this acquisition, 3Cloud will form the largest Azure pure-play services firm in the U.S. Additionally, 3Cloud will gain an expanded geographic presence to better serve clients across the U.S.

Pragmatic Works Training will continue to operate as a separately owned company under the leadership of Pragmatic Works CEO and Founder Brian Knight. “I’m extremely proud of the market-leading position Pragmatic Works has built in the Microsoft data and analytics space,” said Knight. “I look forward to seeing the talented employees of our consulting division continue to excel as part of the 3Cloud team.”

“Pragmatic Works Consulting has always focused on helping companies grow their business and operate more efficiently with data. We take pride in helping our clients solve some of their most complex technology challenges,” said Adam Jorgensen, Pragmatic Works Consulting President. “3Cloud has the same client-focused and growth-oriented approach, and we’re excited to join forces with them.”

Both firms have strong partnerships with Microsoft and industry-leading Microsoft credentials. 3Cloud was recently named the winner of the Microsoft US 2020 Azure Influencer Partner Award, and Pragmatic Works was named the winner of the Microsoft US 2020 Power BI Partner Award. Pragmatic Works was also a finalist for both the Power BI and Power Apps 2020 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards and is a Databricks partner with deep expertise on this platform.

“We continue to see tremendous Azure growth momentum in the marketplace, especially in the data and analytics space as companies seek to modernize their data warehouse and business intelligence platforms,” said Jim Dietrich, 3Cloud President and Co-Founder. “With the help of our financial partner Gryphon Investors, we will continue to pursue growth opportunities across the spectrum of Azure solution areas while remaining committed to our mission of delivering the ultimate Azure experience for our clients.”

7 Mile Advisors served as exclusive financial advisor to 3Cloud and Gryphon Investors. Gryphon Investors completed a majority investment in 3Cloud in June 2020.

About 3Cloud
3Cloud is a “born in the cloud” Gold-certified Microsoft Azure technology consulting firm and Azure Expert Managed Services Provider that provides cloud strategy, design, implementation, and managed services to clients across multiple industries. Founded by former Microsoft technology leaders, 3Cloud combines a team of highly experienced cloud architects and technologists with a strong network of Microsoft sales and engineering relationships to deliver the ultimate Azure experience for clients.  3Cloud is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois with offices in Dallas, Texas and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and supports clients throughout North America and Europe. To learn more, visit www.3cloudsolutions.com.

About Pragmatic Works
Pragmatic Works is 100% focused on Microsoft’s cloud and data platforms. They have worked across the United States with thousands of companies including 97% of the Fortune 100. Through their weekly free training sessions, large-scale virtual Azure events and a team dedicated to helping customers grow their business with data, they are uniquely positioned to consult businesses on taking advantage of the latest Microsoft applications. Pragmatic Works’ focused work with Microsoft has led to them being recognized as a finalist for the Data Platform Partner of the Year award in 2017, Data Analytics Partner of the Year award in 2019 and both the Power BI and Power Apps Partner of the Year award in 2020. They have also been named the 2020 MSUS Partner Award winner for Business Applications – Power BI. To learn more, visit www.pragmaticworks.com.

About Gryphon Investors
Based in San Francisco, Gryphon Investors is a leading private equity firm focused on growing and enhancing mid-market companies in partnership with management. The firm has managed over $5 billion of equity investments and capital since 1997. Gryphon targets making equity investments of $100 million to $300 million in portfolio companies with sales ranging from approximately $100 million to $500 million. Gryphon prioritizes investment opportunities where it can form strong partnerships with owners and executives to build leading companies, utilizing Gryphon’s capital, specialized professional resources, and operational expertise. For more information, visit www.gryphoninvestors.com.

Contacts

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Goodie Nation Receives Financial & Resource Support from Fulcrum Equity Partners

Fulcrum

Fulcrum Equity Partners has partnered with Goodie Nation to support a new generation of diverse entrepreneurs.

Fulcrum Equity Partners, a leading growth equity firm headquartered in Atlanta, has partnered with Goodie Nation, a collective impact initiative that helps to fill the funding gap for diverse led (Black, Latinx or Women) startups, social impact startups, and tech talent training programs. Fulcrum has pledged to fund a capital grant and will be donating their time and expertise to Goodie Nation’s mentorship program.

“Goodie Nation has a phenomenal program that addresses an urgent need in our entrepreneurial community,” says Jeff Muir, Partner at Fulcrum. “Our goal is to help in their mission of closing the disparity between historically underfunded and underrepresented communities in Atlanta and beyond.”

Goodie Nation’s flagship program is The Intentionally Good Project which accelerates relationships with:

  • Influencers for endorsements and key advisor roles
  • Large organizations for paid pilots and strategic partners
  • Investors and funders for financial capital

They focus on intentionally building a pipeline from the next generation of leaders to the resources needed to reach their potential.

Goodie Nation’s development of tech talent pairs well with Fulcrum’s rich experience with funding and growing profitable technology companies, a step forward to creating a more equitable future for entrepreneurs of all backgrounds.

“Providing the intersection between capital partners and startups that are ready to accelerate to the next stage of their growth is at the crux of what we do,” states Joey Womack, Founder and CEO of Goodie Nation. “We’re excited to partner with Fulcrum and leverage their expertise to continue furthering our mission.”

About Goodie Nation
Goodie Nation is a community of good people playing a role in an innovative process reducing some of the world’s largest basic need disparities. They envision a world where every innovative company has an official policy to donate office hours, warm introductions, and opportunities to succeed to the next generation of diverse founders and social entrepreneurs. Their programming serves as platforms and networks, which fosters collaboration and support that solves some of the world’s toughest problems. It is tech done right. Learn more at http://www.goodienation.org.

About Fulcrum Equity Partners
Fulcrum Equity Partners is an Atlanta-based growth equity firm that manages over $500 million and provides expansion capital to rapidly growing companies led by strong entrepreneurs and management teams. Fulcrum targets companies within healthcare services, healthcare IT, B2B software, and technology-enabled services. Fulcrum’s initial target investment is $3 million – $15 million to provide financing to meet a wide range of needs, including internal growth initiatives, acquisitions, divestitures, shareholder liquidity and recapitalizations. The partners have over 140 years of relevant experience in Fulcrum’s target markets, including significant operating experience in senior executive positions at companies that grew rapidly and enjoyed successful exits. Additionally, Fulcrum’s limited partners include over 100 current or former business owners/CEOs of leading companies in a wide variety of industries that provide a rich resource for the firm and portfolio companies. Learn more at http://www.fulcrumep.com.

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Bridgepoint agrees sale of majority interest in Miya to Antin Infrastructure Partners

Bridgepoint

Bridgepoint has agreed the sale of Miya Water (“Miya”), a leading international environmental services company, to Antin Infrastructure Partners.

Miya is a best-in-class global water platform uniquely positioned to take advantage of growth opportunities in the sector. The company is the largest private water operator in Portugal and a global provider of comprehensive integrated water efficiency solutions to public and private utilities. With more than 700 employees, Miya serves over 600,000 people in Portugal via six long-term concessions and one public private partnership (PPP) and has delivered more than 200 water efficiency projects globally aimed at reducing non-revenue water (water lost during distribution).

Following completion of the acquisition, Antin will work with Miya’s management team, led by CEO Amit Horman, to support growth opportunities in water concessions and PPPs in Europe and North America, as well as the delivery of further water efficiency projects around the world.

Miya’s growth prospects are underpinned by attractive market fundamentals, a greater focus on water efficiency and significant investment needs supported by the private sector.

Mauricio Bolaña, Partner at Antin, said:”Miya is a best-in-class water operator with a solid base that will serve as a springboard to capture the strong growth potential that exists in the sector. We are delighted to support Miya’s management team in the next stage of the company’s development.”

Héctor Pérez, Partner at Bridgepoint, said: “Miya is a unique business with a superb management team. We are extremely pleased to be a part of its journey and to continue supporting its growth ambitions in this new stage together with Antin.”

Amit Horman, Chief Executive Officer at Miya, commented: “We thank Bridgepoint for their significant support. In partnership with Antin, we look forward to delivering on the significant potential we see over the coming years.”

Antin was advised by Deutsche Bank, Herbert Smith Freehills, Sérvulo, McConnell Valdés, PWACS Corporate Finance, PWACS, Defining Future Options, EY and Marsh.

Bridgepoint was advised by Citi, Uría Menéndez, PwC Strategy&, EY, ERM and Willis.

Digital Currency Group acquires leading cryptocurrency exchange, Luno

Balderton

DCG will help fuel Luno’s global growth in Africa, Asia, Europe, and beyond. Luno will continue to operate as an independent, wholly-owned subsidiary of DCG.

Digital Currency Group (DCG), a global enterprise that builds, buys, and invests in blockchain companies, today announced the acquisition of Balderton portfolio company, Luno.

Balderton first invested in Luno in September 2017.

Led by co-founder and CEO Marcus Swanepoel, Luno has become a digital asset powerhouse in many emerging and frontier markets, providing digital asset education, knowledge, and investment tools for individuals in Africa, Asia, and Europe.

The past seven years have been an incredibly exciting journey for Luno – so far helping millions of our customers get access to crypto for the first time

Luno co-founder and CEO Marcus Swanepoel

Marcus Swanepoel , co-founder and CEO, Luno speaks to Hiroki Takeuchi, co-founder and CEO, GoCardless and Bram de Zwart, co-founder and CEO, 3D Hubs at the Balderton CEO Collective Summit in 2018.

Luno has helped broaden the global crypto investment community and 2020 has been a record year so far in growth in its customer base.

The company is committed to upgrading the world to a better financial system, believing that legacy systems were built for a non-digital age, ignoring the needs of modern individuals and adding unnecessary inefficiencies and gatekeepers. The world now has access to new technologies like Bitcoin and Ethereum that will fundamentally change how the world views and uses money.

Having the full backing of DCG just as we’re experiencing such a pivotal moment of growth in the industry is not just an exciting and important milestone for Luno, but more importantly, it will significantly accelerate our ability to reach our goal to help upgrade 1 billion people to a better financial system by 2030.

Luno co-founder and CEO Marcus Swanepoel

The Luno leadership team will remain entirely intact and Swanepoel will lead acquisition efforts in his role as CEO.

The company will maintain key regional offices in Kuala Lumpur, Lagos, Jakarta, and Johannesburg, and will continue to focus on the existing geographies where it operates across Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The Luno team has also developed an aggressive road map for future growth and will ultimately compete with financial services firms all over the world.

Luno is actively hiring for positions all over the world. See their open positions here

You can also read the blog post on the acquisition from Luno CEO, Marcus Swanepoel, here.

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Sprinklr Raises $200 Million at $2.7 Billion Valuation

Hellman & Friedman

Investment by Hellman & Friedman follows record financial year and strong growth in the wake of COVID-19

Sprinklr has also secured an additional $150 million in convertible securities from Sixth Street

As consumers are more connected and empowered because of the shift to social and messaging channels, Customer Experience Management (CXM) has become vital to the digital transformation of large enterprises

Sprinklr, the Customer Experience Management (CXM) platform for modern enterprises, today announced that it has raised $200 million at a $2.7 billion valuation from Hellman & Friedman (H&F), one of the world’s most experienced private equity firms, and secured an additional $150 million in convertible securities from Sixth Street Growth, the growth investment arm of Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm.

Together, these investments represent up to $350 million in new capital that Sprinklr will use to double-down on the value it is creating for the world’s largest enterprises, and accelerate its position as the pioneer of a new class of enterprise software that enables the entire front office to work together and deliver better customer experiences on any modern channel – all on one unified platform.

“In a world where customers are connected and empowered, Customer Experience Management is no longer optional. It’s time for modern enterprises to break down silos, and unify disconnected teams, channels, and tools to make their customers happier,” said Ragy Thomas, CEO & Founder, Sprinklr. “That’s been our mission from the start. To build a new class of enterprise software purpose-built for CXM, and a new kind of enterprise software company that the world’s largest organizations truly love.”

“Sprinklr has a unique opportunity to lead a Customer Experience Management market that’s already massive – and growing – as enterprises continue to realize the urgent need to put CXM at the heart of their digital transformation strategy,” said Tarim Wasim, Partner, Hellman & Friedman. “We spoke to over a hundred customers, and they consistently credit Sprinklr for modernizing their customer experience through its unified, AI-driven enterprise platform, and a team that is deeply passionate about customer delight.”

“Underpinned by a visionary leadership team, strong return on invested capital, and AI technology built to provide the world’s leading brands with the ability to engage their customers across any channel, Sprinklr is defining and leading the enormous new category of Customer Experience Management,” said Michael McGinn, Partner and Co-head of Sixth Street Growth. “We’re excited to be part of Sprinklr’s journey of impressive growth and are pleased that our investment will bolster an already strong balance sheet.”

“Customer Experience Management” Is Core to Digital Transformation
CXM and consumer-centricity have become vitally important to the C-Suite. 72% of businesses say improving customer experience is their top priority, according to Forrester. According to an Accenture Interactive report, 87% of organizations believe that traditional experiences are no longer enough to satisfy their customers. The report concluded that “CX is the new battleground for brands.”

When businesses are able to improve customer experience, however, it has a direct impact on their bottom line, with Forrester finding that even a one-point increase in CX scores can translate into $10M’s – $100M’s in annual revenue.

As the world moves even more online due to the coronavirus pandemic – which has driven a 50-70% increase in global internet usage – the ability to serve customers on the digital channels they choose is no longer an option, creating what the World Economic Forum calls a “watershed moment for the digital transformation of business.”

A Modern Platform Purpose-Built for CXM
Founded in 2009, Sprinklr’s platform was built from the ground up for one purpose: to provide every customer-facing team with the modern capabilities they need to serve connected customers, and enable the entire front office to work together and deliver a more unified customer experience. Over the past decade, that vision has followed three phases:

  • Social: Sprinklr started with a foundation in social, helping brands listen to, engage, and reach customers across dozens of social channels on one unified platform. That differentiation cemented Sprinklr – in the eyes of leading brands and analysts – as the leader in Social Media Management (SMMS). 
  • Digital: In 2017, Sprinklr expanded its platform, introducing a full suite of digital solutions for each major customer-facing department – Marketing, Advertising, Research, Care, and Engagement – designed to give each the modern capabilities they need to thrive in a world where customers are connected and in control. 
  • CXM: Today, hundreds of the world’s largest brands have multiple customer-facing functions – like Marketing and Care – working together on Sprinklr’s platform to realize the full potential of CXM, an $80+ billion market opportunity. Sprinklr powers 9 of the world’s 10 most valuable brands, and companies including Microsoft, McDonald’s, L’Oreal, Verizon, and Santander.

Continued Momentum
Over the past 12 months, Sprinklr has seen continued momentum with milestones including:

  • Released 1,500+ new features across its five products including: Sprinklr Live Chat to enable real-time conversations on a brand’s website and mobile apps, new AI-powered capabilities like Smart Responses for care agents, and Sprinklr Sandbox to provide an isolated environment to test, train, and troubleshoot. 
  •  Named the only leader in The Forrester Wave™: Social Suites, Q4 2019, making Sprinklr a leader in all five Forrester social Wave reports. Sprinklr has also been named a leader by Frost & Sullivan (Customer Value Leadership Award), Forbes (Cloud 100), Gartner (2020 Customers’ Choice), G2 Crowd (Leader, Summer 2020), TrustRadius (Top Rated 2020), and Adweek (Readers’ Choice for Best of Tech Award 2020). 
  • Acquired Nanigans’ social advertising business, and announced new integrations with ServiceNow and Google.

The investment from H&F is expected to close in October following regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

About Sprinklr Sprinklr (@Sprinklr) is the world’s leading Customer Experience Management (CXM) platform. We help organizations listen to, engage, and reach customers and citizens across 25 social channels, 11 messaging channels, and hundreds of millions of forums, blogs, and review sites. Sprinklr is a global company with 1,900 employees helping more than 1,000 of the world’s largest and most valuable enterprises make their customers happier.

About Hellman & Friedman (H&F) Hellman & Friedman is a preeminent global private equity firm with a distinctive approach focused on investments in high-quality growth businesses. H&F seeks to partner with world-class management teams where its deep sector expertise, long-term orientation, and collaborative partnership approach enable companies to flourish. Since its founding in 1984, H&F has raised over $50 billion of committed capital, invested in over 90 companies, and is currently investing its ninth fund, with $16.5 billion of committed capital. Learn more about H&F’s defining investment philosophy and approach to sustainable outcomes at www.hf.com.

About Sixth Street Sixth Street is a global investment business with approximately $47 billion in assets under management and committed capital. Sixth Street Growth is the firm’s dedicated platform for making customized, non-control private investments in growth-oriented companies. The Sixth Street Growth team partners with companies and management teams to provide bespoke, accretive financing solutions that often fall between traditional growth equity and commercial debt. Sixth Street has invested over $4 billion in more than 40 companies in its growth investing strategy since inception. Select current and past representative Sixth Street Growth investments include Airbnb, AirTrunk, AvidXchange, Gainsight, Kyriba, Lucidworks, Paycor, PayScale, PaySimple and Spotify.

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