Republic, the US-based private investment firm operating the Republic investment platform, announced the acquisition of Seedrs, Europe’s online private investment platform for $100M, reports TechCrunch.
As a part of the deal, Seedrs will form the European arm of the global retail division of the Republic, increasing investment opportunities for the combined 2.5M users and 1,370 active portfolio companies.
According to the company, the global retail division will be led by current Seedrs CEO Jeff Kelisky.
Jeff Kelisky, CEO of Seedrs and newly-appointed global leader of Republic Retail, says, “We have built a really great business, driven by a mission to disrupt the world of private investing and become a global leader. This deal is a natural extension of our relationship with Republic – a coming together of two pioneers with a shared vision and purpose. Together we are now the first truly global platform for private equity investing with the drive, capital, and capabilities to shape the future of the industry.”
With the completion of the transaction, Seedrs will continue to operate under its existing name and brand as part of Republic’s newly formed global retail arm.
Acquisition
The acquisition will advance Republic’s presence in Europe and aims to make private investments accessible to all. In addition, to further accelerate growth across the region, Republic has committed additional capital to Seedrs to deliver innovations and products for European investors and private businesses.
Kendrick Nguyen, Republic’s founder & CEO, says, “This is an exciting time for Republic as it extends our global reach and broadens our capabilities. Seedrs has long been a force in Europe within equity crowdfunding and private investing. By bringing Seedrs into Republic we gain, not just further geographical expansion, but also the team’s talent, technology and knowledge. This will help strengthen our position as a global leader and better serve the founders and businesses and the investors that support them.”
137% growth in 2021
Seedrs also recently launched its European HQ in Dublin, with Managing Director Randal MacDonald and Finance Director John Gavin now onboard to help accelerate European growth.
Over the last six months, Seedrs has seen several continental campaigns such as Sweden’s Fishbrain, BUX based in the Netherlands, and Estate Guru in Estonia, raising millions for European businesses since the start of the year.
Last year, Seedrs saw a 137% growth in investment activity following growing investor appetite to put money into private businesses. The investment platform completed 310 deals in 2021, helping businesses from 14 different countries raise funds and receiving investments from investors in over 74 countries.
It also facilitated over £12M of secondary share sales between 19,000 buyers and sellers on the platform. Combined, Republic & Seedrs have 2.5M community members and 1,370 active portfolio companies.
