Amsterdam/Groningen, 23 July 2024 – Holland Capital is proud to announce that IK Partners (IK) has signed an agreement to acquire our portfolio company, Defibrion. Since 2019, Defibrion’s management team has successfully collaborated with Holland Capital. The shares of Defibrion are being sold to IK and the company’s management team. IK is a leading European private equity firm focused on investments in the Benelux, DACH, France, Nordics and the UK.
Defibrion: A Leading Provider in AED Distribution and Safety Products
Founded in 2008 by the current CEO Joshua Valkenier and based in Groningen, Defibrion is a market leader in the distribution of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and related safety products. The company offers a wide range of products and services aimed at enhancing workplace safety. With over 6,400 customers worldwide, Defibrion serves as a one-stop-shop for emergency response needs. Its customer base, which includes more than 900 resellers in Europe and North America, comprises various end users such as offices, sports clubs, and government institutions.
Strategic Growth and Expansion
Since 2019, Holland Capital has been involved with Defibrion as a shareholder. They actively supported the management in professionalizing the organization and the strategic development of the company. Through a successful buy-and-build strategy and a focus on geographical expansion in Western Europe, Defibrion has been able to grow successfully.
Defibrion is now on the brink of a new phase in its development, which will be supported by IK. In this new phase, Defibrion will further scale up its existing operations, broaden its offerings, and expand into new markets. The strategic plan also includes exploring further buy-and-build opportunities to promote consolidation in the fragmented market of AEDs and related safety products.
Joshua Valkenier, founder and CEO of Defibrion, said: “When Holland Capital joined Defibrion as a shareholder in 2019, we had the ambition to internationalize, professionalize, and further expand our organization. I am pleased that we have achieved this and am grateful to Holland Capital for the pleasant and successful collaboration.”
Ewout Prins, managing partner of Holland Capital, commented: “The collaboration with Joshua Valkenier and the Defibrion team was both successful and enjoyable. When we joined, we were convinced that the AED market offered interesting growth opportunities, and Defibrion has demonstrated this. Their dedication and vision have played a crucial role in achieving this growth. We are proud to have contributed to the successful growth of Defibrion and its life-saving products. We wish the team much success in this next phase of growth.”
About Holland Capital
Holland Capital has been responsibly and successfully investing in promising Dutch and German SMEs with growth ambitions for over 40 years. The team understands entrepreneurship and strives for an open, sustainable, and professional relationship with the management teams of the companies they invest in, with the common goal of realizing growth. Holland Capital has offices in Amsterdam and Düsseldorf. With specialized sector teams, it focuses on the Healthcare, Technology, and Agrifood-Tech sectors. They understand the dynamics and opportunities, and have an extensive network in these sectors.