Anaqua to be acquired by Nordic Capital, a leading technology & payments private equity investor

BOSTON, November 18, 2024 – Anaqua, a leading provider of innovation and intellectual property (IP) management technology solutions and services, today announces that Nordic Capital, an experienced private equity investor in Technology & Payments globally, has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire a controlling interest in Anaqua from its existing shareholders led by Astorg. As part of this transaction, Nordic Capital would become the controlling shareholder of Anaqua, succeeding Astorg, who has been the primary investor in Anaqua since 2019 and has supported Anaqua’s strong and consistent growth over the past five years.

This acquisition would represent a strategic investment focused on driving continued growth, supporting Anaqua’s global expansion, and further strengthening its market position by continuing to enhance its best-in-class software and operational capabilities. This announcement comes during the organization’s 20th year of delivering software-led IP management solutions. Anaqua’s differentiated platforms, AQX® and PATTSY WAVE®, combine best-practice workflows, data analytics, foreign filings, and patent and trademark renewal payments, all embedded in an intelligent ecosystem to streamline operations, inform strategy and empower decision-making around customers’ valuable IP portfolios.

Nordic Capital has over 20 years of experience accelerating the growth of innovative technology companies and would be set to leverage its deep sub-sector and operational knowledge to create value and boost Anaqua’s ambitious plans. It has made 33 technology investments in companies with an aggregate enterprise value of circa EUR 26 billion, with a long history of investing in partnerships with owners, founders, and management.

“Nordic Capital shares our vision of a software-led IP management platform, making them the ideal partner for our next phase of growth. Their deep sector experience, successful history of investing in software companies, and vast global network would help us continue to transform the IP management industry,” commented Bob Romeo, CEO at Anaqua. “Nordic Capital would enable us to accelerate our global expansion, enhance our technology-driven solutions, and drive operational excellence, all of which would be for the ultimate benefit of our clients,” added Justin Crotty, COO at Anaqua.

“Nordic Capital has closely followed Anaqua’s impressive progress and would be pleased to invest in a leader in IP management and innovation technology. This partnership would align with our commitment to supporting companies that drive industry transformation and would fit perfectly with Nordic Capital’s technology investment strategy. We look forward to supporting Anaqua in its next phase of growth, helping them to expand their global footprint further and establishing the leading IP management platform for innovation-driven industries,” stated Fredrik Näslund, Partner and Head of Technology & Payments, at Nordic Capital Advisors.

“We are proud of our successful partnership with Anaqua, marking our first investment in the United States. Over the past five years, we have valued our close collaboration with Bob, Justin, and the entire team, undertaking together a transformative journey of growth. We look forward to seeing Anaqua continue to thrive in its next chapter,” concluded François de Mitry, CIO, Astorg.

Definitive agreements for the acquisition would be entered into after information and consultation with employee representative bodies. The transaction would be subject to customary regulatory approvals and would be expected to close by Q1 2025.

Arma Partners and Jefferies acted as exclusive financial advisors and Latham & Watkins acted as legal advisor to Astorg and Anaqua on this transaction. William Blair acted as financial advisor to Nordic Capital.

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