COPENHAGEN, HELSINKI, OSLO & STOCKHOLM — Verdane, the Northern European specialist growth investor, is the most active financial buyer of Nordic software companies in the period 2016-2020, according to a Q2 PWC Corporate Finance report on software M&A trends and valuation perspectives. Verdane has invested in a total of 19 software businesses based out of the Nordics and Germany since 2016, out of which the PWC report highlighted ten.
“It is an honour to be recognised by the best software businesses and talent in the Nordics as their growth partner of choice. With the ‘next normal’ emerging, where businesses that digitalise everyday life and work are seeing strong growth, it is an incredibly exciting time to be active in software. We want to thank all our portfolio companies for choosing to grow with Verdane, and look forward to partnering with exciting new businesses going forward,” comments Pål Malmros, Partner and Head of Software at Verdane.
Verdane funds have made over 40 investments in software growth businesses since the firm’s first fund in 2003, and its 17-strong software investment team is supported by 14 operational experts providing strategic and operational support on high-priority projects spanning go-to-market, talent, operations and finance, technology and data analytics. Its present software portfolio includes companies such as Brightpearl, Confirmit, Evondos, Hornetsecurity, HIVE Streaming, InRiver, Freespee, Lingit and Zisson.
In August, 2020, software growth veteran and Confirmit COO Giles Whiting was appointed Verdane U.S. Operating Advisor to support market growth for Verdane’s over 20 holdings active on the U.S. market. Whiting’s merits include heading Softbank Group’s Operating Team, where he focused on investing in and growing a USD 64bn global portfolio of 30+ companies with a pronounced weighting toward technology and SaaS. Prior to Softbank, he spent many years working with various technology companies, most notably the customer experience platform Medallia, as the General Manager of their U.S. operations and later the EMEA region.
About Verdane
Verdane is a specialist growth investment firm that partners with tech-enabled and sustainable European businesses. Verdane can invest as a minority or majority investor, either in single companies or through portfolios of companies, and looks to deploy inside two core growth themes; digitalisation and decarbonisation.
Verdane funds hold over €6 billion in total commitments and have made over 400 investments in fast-growing businesses since 2003. Verdane’s team of over 140 investment professionals and operating experts, based out of Berlin, Munich, Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Oslo, and Stockholm, is dedicated to being the preferred growth partner to tech-enabled and sustainable businesses in Europe.
Verdane is also a certified B Corporation, the most ambitious sustainability accreditation globally. The firm only backs businesses that pass its 2040 test, which indicates whether the company can thrive in a more sustainable future economy.
Verdane is partly owned by the Verdane Foundation, which is focused on two areas: climate change and more equitable and inclusive local communities.
More info: www.verdane.com
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Press Contact
Pål Malmros
Partner & Head of Software, Verdane
+46 70 268 65 16
pal.malmros@verdane.com
