and its partners are pleased to announce a $200 million minority investment into MessageBird, the world’s leading global omnichannel communication platform.
Eurazeo through its Growth expertise co-leads the company’s Series C round extension together with Tiger Global and alongside funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Owl Rock and all existing investors including Atomico and Accel. The extended $1 billion round represents Europe’s largest ever Series C, and the second largest on either side of the Atlantic.
On the back of the funding, MessageBird today announces it has entered into definitive documentation to acquire US-based SparkPost, the largest, first and only predictive email intelligence platform. The deal values SparkPost at $600 million and is expected to close in Q2 following receipt of customary regulatory approvals. The acquisition represents another important step for MessageBird in building a global omnichannel platform.
Beyond financing the strategic acquisition of SparkPost, this fundraising will enable the company to continue its geographical expansion, specifically in fast growth emerging markets. Moreover, the company plans to accelerate its investments into its software suite to help business customers increase productivity and improve customer experience.
MessageBird was founded in 2011 in the Netherlands with the ambition to transform the way businesses interact with their customers to adapt to new means of communication. The company offers a global cloud-based communication platform enabling frictionless business-to-consumer communication across 20 channels including Live-chat, Video, Voice, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google Business Messages, WeChat, Line, or Telegram.
On top of its connectivity APIs, the company has built software solutions, “Inbox” and “Flow Builder”. The former enables customer support agents to manage all customer interactions in a single, omnichannel thread, while Flow Builder allows business users to automate their communication workflows without a single line of code.
Post acquisition, the combined company will serve more than 25,000 customers, from SMBs to large enterprises, including blue chip accounts such as Disney, Facebook, Glovo, Heineken, Hugo Boss, JP Morgan, Lufthansa Airlines, PayPal, SAP and Uber, with 700 employees and have a revenue run-rate of over $500 million.
Yann du Rusquec, Partner,
« We are very proud to back MessageBird and actively contribute to one of the most exciting success stories ever started by a European company. The acquisition of SparkPost, which position MessageBird as the world’s leading omnichannel communication platform-as-a-service, is a fantastic example of how our Growth Equity strategy helps tech companies expand their horizons, consolidate their positions and realise their full potential. Our mission is to help Europe nurture tech giants. No doubt MessageBird will be one of those.»
ABOUT EURAZEO
Eurazeo is a leading global investment group, with a diversified portfolio of €21.8 billion in Assets Under Management, including €15.0 billion from third parties, invested in 450 companies. With its considerable private equity, private debt and real assets expertise, Eurazeo accompanies companies of all sizes, supporting their development through the commitment of its nearly 300 professionals and by offering deep sector expertise, a gateway to global markets, and a responsible and stable foothold for transformational growth. Its solid institutional and family shareholder base, robust financial structure free of structural debt, and flexible investment horizon enable Eurazeo to support its companies over the long term.
Eurazeo has offices in Paris, New York, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, London, Luxembourg, Frankfurt, Berlin and Madrid.
Eurazeo is listed on Euronext Paris.
ISIN: FR0000121121 – Bloomberg: RF FP – Reuters: EURA.PA
EURAZEO CONTACTS
Virginie Christnacht
HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS vchristnacht@eurazeo.com
+33 (0)1 44 15 76 44
Pierre Bernardin
HEAD OF INVESTOR RELATIONS pbernardin@eurazeo.com
+33 (0)1 44 15 16 76
PRESS CONTACT
DAVID STURKEN
MAITLAND/AMO dsturken@maitland.co.uk+44 (0)7990 595 913
