Bpifrance and Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, through its WINCH Capital 3 Fund, announced that they had acquired a majority equity interest in Platinium Group, alongside its management, heralding the start of a new cycle in its international expansion.
Platinium Group is the publisher of SaaS mode online ticketing software for use by major sporting event organisers.
Over the last few years, Platinum Group has enjoyed vigorous growth and has carved out a place as one of the main service providers in its market segment.
The group provides software solutions to the organisers of motor sports (Formula 1 Grands Prix and motocross) and tennis tournaments, among others.
Simultaneously, Platinium Group has also been expanding an e-commerce sporting event ticketing business via its Gootickets.com website.
The group operates with an international clientele in more than 35 countries and produces close to € 100 million in turnover with more than 50 employees.
With the support of their new shareholders and a banking pool (CEPAC and LCL), Steve Sasportas (founder and CEO) and Bruno Rodrigues (COO) want to consolidate Platinium Group’s position in the mechanical sports market and to extend its offer to other sporting and cultural event organisers.
To drive this ambitious growth plan forward, and after a competitive procedure organised by Transaction R, Bpifrance and Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, through its WINCH Capital 3 fund, were selected to succeed the private investors who, historically, had supported and financed the group’s expansion.
Together, these two funds will become majority shareholders alongside management, which will continue to occupy a significant place in the capital of the company.
In this deal, management and historic investors were advised, on the one hand, by an Almain team led by Edgard Nguyen, with the support of PCM Avocats for the Monegasque law aspects of the deal and, on the other, by Rothschild & Co handling the financial aspects.
This deal illustrates the private equity expertise of the Almain partners, enabling them to guide and support their clients through all types of transaction: venture capital, capital growth, LBO, OBO, MBO, build up, etc.