CAP-Group partners with Verdane to digitalise driving school sector
Verdane Edda (“Verdane”) has entered into an agreement to invest in CAP-Group, Finland’s largest driving school and a pioneer of simulator-based training for consumers and professionals. The sector’s digital transformation is expected to drive rapid growth for a new breed of driving schools. Verdane will deploy its software expertise to strengthen CAP-Group’s digital offering and use its local presence across Northern Europe to support CAP-Group’s international expansion.
Since launch in 2009, CAP-Group has pioneered the digitalisation of driving schools in Finland, bringing customers a more convenient driving school experience at a better price. The company’s proprietary and industry-leading Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is used by the vast majority of driving schools in Finland.
“The team at CAP-Group have brought to market leading technology that is helping drive the evolution of the Finnish driving school sector. CAP-Group’s simulators make learning easier not only for consumers but also for driving professionals. With the move from traditional models to e-learning comes both cost efficiency and improved convenience.”, says Janne Holmia, Principal at Verdane.
CAP-Group is headquartered in Hämeenlinna, Finland, and has nearly trebled revenues between 2015 and 2018. Its 330 staff are employed across more than 80 driving schools nationwide, catering to both consumers and professional drivers.
Pekka Kari, CEO at CAP-Group, adds: “Our goal was always to recreate the driving school experience with the user at its centre. With our simulators and market-leading ERP system, we are able to do that both for the person learning to drive and for the organisation teaching that person how to drive. With Verdane onboard, we can grow our software offering faster and internationalise our offering across Northern Europe with the support of their local teams.”
CAP-Group is Verdane’s 11th software investment in Finland. Current and previous Finnish software investments include Analyste, Clausion, Codenomicon, CRF Health, HappyOrNot and Vaadin.
The parties have agreed not to disclose the terms of the transaction. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and to approvals of the Finnish Competition and Consumer authority and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in Finland.
The team at CAP-Group have brought to market leading technology that is helping drive the evolution of the Finnish driving school sector. CAP-Group’s simulators make learning easier not only for consumers but also for driving professionals. With the move from traditional models to e-learning comes both cost efficiency and improved convenience.
About Verdane
Verdane has helped tech-enabled companies accelerate their growth and scale their businesses internationally since 2003, with funds close to EUR 1.8 billion in total committed capital. Fast-growing software, consumer internet, energy or high-technology industry businesses benefit from Verdane’s active ownership in both majority and minority investments through individual companies and portfolios. With over 45 employees and offices in Berlin, Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Oslo, and Stockholm, Verdane aims to be the preferred growth partner to tech-enabled businesses in Northern Europe. www.verdane.com
About CAP-Group
CAP-Group Oy is the largest, fast-growing driver training company in the Nordic region, providing significant added value to its customers by developing advanced and effective learning methods. CAP draws up guidelines for driver training and actively contributes to the development of the industry as a whole. In 2019, CAP-Group Oy will have approximately 330 satisfied employees and several contract trainers, as well as many more satisfied customers. www.cap.fi
Press contacts
Janne Holmia, Principal
Verdane
janne.holmia@verdane.com
+358 40 084 3333
Jonathan Bui, Communications Manager
Verdane
jonathan.bui@verdane.com
+46 76 27 28 100
