Fusion & Acquisition

📍 SITA acquires CCM, an airport and hotel interior furniture and IT systems designer, to expand its capabilities. CCM has outfitted over 300 airports worldwide, including Paris-CDG's Terminal 3 and Beijing Airport. SITA's Air Transport IT Insights 2024 report indicates 63% of airports prioritize self-service, biometrics, and mobile apps. The acquisition terms were undisclosed. Monica Oberti is appointed interim CEO of CCM. SITA aims to create smarter, more adaptable, and beneficial airport terminal environments.

💸 Yacon & co, after a 360% growth in 2024, opened its capital to the public for investment starting at €500. The company, a pioneer in yacon syrup in France, saw its community grow to over 250,000 and its revenue increase fivefold in one year. Following a €2 million fundraising round in February 2024, they built a 3,000 square meter yacon syrup factory in Peru and doubled their Bio store presence in France from 700 to 1,500 outlets.

💻 Airbus, Dassault Systèmes, BPIFrance, GetYourGuide, and 91 other European digital players signed an open letter to the European Commission urging the creation of a European industrial tech development strategy. They aim to reduce Europe's dependence on US and Chinese technology by fostering European technological infrastructure in critical systems, software platforms, AI models, data centers, and electronic chips. The Eurostack initiative, unveiled in January, calls for urgent European action, warning of Europe's near-total dependence on non-European tech within three years. The letter suggests open-source initiatives, data sharing, a certification system for AI, and a sovereign fund for critical tech infrastructure to support growth and cybersecurity in the European tech sector.

🏦 Extracadabra, after 10 years and connecting nearly 10,000 companies with qualified candidates, secures €15 million from Actual Ventures, marking a key development stage. This funding also entails a capital restructuring, with BPI France Tourisme, SIDE CAPITAL, and SOWEFUND exiting, and founders Frédéric Nardon and Rémi Boisson remaining at the helm. The deal was brokered by Ader Finance and involved law firms Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and Viajuris. Remarkably, with a prior capital of €2 million, Extracadabra showcased exponential growth from €2.5 million pre-COVID-19 revenue to an anticipated €27 million in 2024.

🚀 Pangea Aerospace, a European startup, raised €23 million in a Series A funding round led by Hyperion Fund, with support from existing investors CDTI Invierte and Primo Space. Founded in 2018, the Toulouse and Barcelona-based company specializes in reusable propulsion systems, aiming to reduce costs for launchers, satellites, and orbital transfer vehicles using sustainable fuels. The infusion of capital aligns with Europe's aspirations for aerospace sovereignty, integrating with ESA programs and competing in a market where 4-5 satellites are launched daily. Currently, over 10,000 satellites are in orbit, with the US (52%) and China (30%) leading as of 2023. An additional 2,500-3,000 satellites are expected by 2025.

💤 During the Journée du Sommeil, B&B HOTELS and OpinionWay revealed sleep habits of French people: 27% of North-East residents wake up before 7am; 52% of 18-24-year-olds sleep until at least 10am on non-working days; 76% of women vs 67% of men sleep with multiple pillows; 70% sleep on their side (38% right, 32% left), while 23% of young adults prefer sleeping on their stomach; 19% of men vs 9% of women sleep on their back.

💰 Dalata Hotel Group, founded in 2007, operates mainly in the UK and Ireland with a focus on 4-star hotels and is expanding into continental Europe. The group, listed on Euronext Dublin and the London Stock Exchange, has 56 urban properties, including 30 owned hotels valued at €1.7 billion and 23 leased with an average lease term of 29 years. It operates under two main brands: Clayton Hotels (27) and Maldron Hotels (26), plus three managed hotels in Dublin. The 2024 revenue was €652 million, with an adjusted EBITDA of €234.5 million and €173.2 million post-rent. Despite profitability, the board feels the current share price of around €5.50, valuing the company at €1.2 billion, undervalues the group's assets and performance, prompting consideration of capital divestment.

💰 Combo, a French HR software company founded in 2016, after raising €40 million, acquires Arhia, a Saas payroll software, to revolutionize its offering for small businesses. The acquisition enables Combo to become the first all-in-one solution in France, benefiting sectors like hospitality, healthcare, and sports by serving over 12,000 businesses and franchises, impacting more than 100,000 employee users. Combo aims to improve productivity and client communication for accountants through a complete HRIS and payroll integration.

🍻 Bertrand Franchise has entered into a strategic partnership by taking a minority stake in Crêpe Touch, aiming to make it the leader in crêpes and waffles in France. The collaboration involves Olivier Bertrand, founder and president of Groupe Bertrand, Mickaël Lipari, founder of Crêpe Touch, and associate Grégory Clément, who joined in 2022 to support franchise development. This move is set to accelerate Crêpe Touch's growth across the country, innovating with a modern dine-in concept, leisure for children, and adaptable design for diverse needs. Bertrand Franchise currently operates 10 iconic brands nationwide.

🏨 Mews raised $75 million led by Tiger Global with participants Kinnevik, Battery Ventures, and Goldman Sachs Growth Equity. The funding aims to accelerate U.S. and DACH region expansion, enhance AI revenue management tools, and enable strategic acquisitions. In 2024, Mews saw over 50% year-over-year growth, processed over $10 billion in payments, and generated over $200 million in revenue. The company achieved a 20% market penetration in the DACH region, partnered with BWH Hotels, and acquired Atomize.