Sarbacane, Mailify's parent company, announces the acquisition of its German competitor rapidmail and speeds up its acquisition strategy to achieve €100 million turnover in 2025

HEM, France, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As a French key player in solutions dedicated to digital communication for companies, Sarbacane continues its international growth with the acquisition of the German company rapidmail. An operation involving a new scale for the group, which intends to build a European leader in marketing and digital communication.

50% growth in 2021. This is the target set by Sarbacane Group. An ambition made possible by the excellent shape of its historical activities, as well as by the announcement of the acquisition of rapidmail. The German company, created in 2008, now has a staff of around 30 employees, and is expanding since its creation with a growth of more than 40% by 2020. It has 15,000 SME customers, mainly in German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland).

The amount of the operation is kept confidential. This merger will enable the French group to cross the 20 million euro revenue mark as early as 2021 and reach 25,000 customers in more than 80 countries.

"This is a great moment for our group but also for the industry. After the takeover of Datananas last year, we are moving forward again, this time taking a big step on the international scene. With the acquisition of rapidmail, a great company well established in Germany, the part of Sarbacane Group's turnover realized on the international market increases to more than 30%, and will exceed 50% in the near future."
Mathieu Tarnus
CEO and founder of Sarbacane Group

"This is a great union of two key players in digital marketing in their respective markets, with very similar development models and common values. We are happy to stay on board and look forward to sharing our expertise, working together to develop our brands across Europe and build a European leader in marketing and digital communication."
Steffen MÜLLERS and Sven KUMMER
co-CEO of rapidmail

Consolidation goal

Already operating in Germany through Mailify, its brand abroad, Sarbacane strengthens its position on the German-speaking market and confirms its ambitions outside its historical borders. Being both pioneers and leaders in their respective markets in terms of email marketing and automation, Sarbacane and rapidmail will join their strengths, resources and means and continue the strong growth in their respective markets.

In terms of R&D, the synergies are multiple and will allow to further accelerate the pace of innovation, a core value for Sarbacane Group. The teams are already working together and will continue to work together to anticipate and develop solutions that meet the challenges of tomorrow's digital world.

Second acquisition in one year and an ambitious plan to reach €100M turnover in 2025

After the acquisition of the Parisian start-up Datananas in April 2020, the group, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year, also confirms through this operation a new direction in its expansion strategy: external growth. The market addressed by Sarbacane Group's solutions is huge and still very fragmented in terms of offers and players. The company achieved 31% growth in 2020 and targets 50% and more than 20 million euros in 2021. It intends to accelerate further its European development in the coming years especially through new acquisitions, and now aims to achieve 100 million euros in revenues within 5 years.

Advice on the legal part:
EY Ventury – Paul Grégoire and Marnie Richard
SMP - Benjamin Ullrich and Matthias Kresser

Investors: Kaloma Capital (Mathieu Tarnus) & IDI (Julien Bentz, Augustin Harrel-Courtès and Inès Lavril)

Partner Banks: CIC Nord Ouest (Cédric Bouillon) / CMNE (Philippe Amouriaux) / BANQUE POPULAIRE (Martin Descamps)

About

Groupe Sarbacane
Creation: 2001
Location: Hem (France)
Founder & CEO: Mathieu Tarnus

Sarbacane group, publisher of applications dedicated to corporate communication and Mailify's parent company, is known for its eponymous software, a reference player in the emailing industry in Europe since 2001. The group has developed a range of products around its expertise in email marketing, SMS campaigns and marketing automation: Sarbacane/ Mailify, Primotexto, Jackmail, Tipimail, Touchdown, Layout and Sarbacane Chat. Sarbacane, which has around 100 employees in its offices in Lille and Barcelona, intends to increase its size fourfold by 2025.

rapidmail
Creation: 2008
Location: Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany)
Co-CEOs: Sven Kummer & Steffen Müllers

Created in 2008, rapidmail has over 15,000 customers of all sizes and from all industries across 28 countries. Its around 30 employees are mainly based in Freiburg im Breisgau, but also in Berlin and Hamburg. The German email marketing and newsletter creation specialist achieved 40% growth in 2020.

IDI
IDI, a pioneer in investment in France, is an investment company that has specialized in supporting SMEs and ETIs for over 50 years. IDI offers French entrepreneurs time, resources and an experienced, long-term investment team to accelerate their growth in France and Europe. The growth generated has thus benefited stakeholders, especially stockholders, who have enjoyed an annualized internal rate of return (dividends reinvested) of 15.03% since the IPO in 1991.

IDI is listed on Euronext Paris.
ISIN: FR000 0051393 – Bloomberg: IDIP FP - Reuters: IDVP.PA

Contact:
Matthieu DELENEUVILLE,
matthieu.deleneuville@sarbacane.com 
+33 (0)328328015