Apr 13, 2022

Paris – WEBWIRE – Wednesday, April 13, 2022 Left to right: Patrick Robin, Oriane Durvye, Arthur Porré, Philippe Rodriguez, David Kieffer and Franck Portais Alantra acquires a significant minority stake in Paris-based Avolta Partners, a tech advisory firm that has completed more than 80 deals since inception in 2014, totalling over €1bn. With this partnership, Alantra further reinforces its global tech offering, which comprises more than 40 dedicated professionals. Last year, Alantra completed 56 deals in Tech, its biggest sector by deal count, with a total volume of more than $5.8bn. The partnership will allow Avolta to benefit from Alantra’s global offices and network of highly specialized professionals while contributing with its unique synergies with tech leaders and presence in Europe. This agreement also represents a significant up-scaling of Alantra’s service offering in France. The Firm completed nearly 30 M&A and financing deals last year and currently has more than 40 investment banking professionals. Alantra, the independent global mid-market investment banking and asset management firm, has announced the acquisition of a significant minority stake in Paris-based Avolta Partners (“Avolta”), a leading advisor for transactions in the fast-growing European Tech sector. The partnership represents another example of Alantra’s commitment to reinforcing its global tech capabilities in Investment Banking. Avolta will benefit from Alantra’s global penetration, deep-rooted relationships with the most relevant financial investors in Europe, and a network of highly specialized professionals in the technology sector. Following the transaction, Alantra will become Avolta’s largest individual shareholder and Avolta’s professionals will move to Alantra’s new Paris offices to achieve a seamless and successful integration. Created in 2014 by Philippe Rodriguez, Patrick Robin, and Arthur Porré, Avolta is a French advisory firm that provides independent M&A and fundraising advisory to Tech entrepreneurs, VC/PE investors and corporates. With 20 professionals and more than 80 deals advised since inception, Avolta has proven to be one of the most active Tech M&A boutiques in France, specializing in key verticals such as Fintech, Mobility, HRtech, ConsumerTech and in some of the transformative technologies such as Software, SAAS, IA, Cloud, and Blockchain, Web3 amongst others. Noteworthy transactions include executing RTFKT’s first financing round. RTFKT is a metaverse-born brand that uses blockchain (NFT), augmented reality, and generative AI to sell virtual fashion items that can be used in video games or virtual worlds. a16z was chosen and invested $8M alongside other investors. Only a few months later, the company was acquired by Nike, which was also advised by Avolta. The team also completed the sales of Anytime to Orange Bank, Dejamobile to MarketPay and MyFeelBack to Providence Strategic Growth, among others. The partnership further reinforces Alantra’s global tech offering, which currently comprises more than 35 dedicated professionals. In 2021, Technology was the leading sector of Alantra’s investment banking activity. The Tech team closed 56 transactions across the Firm’s core technology sub-sectors: Technology-Enabled Services, Software and SaaS, Internet & Digital Media, and FinTech, amongst others. In its commitment to continue to grow its Tech advisory practice, the Firm recently also hired a Managing Director in the US, Amit Mujumdar, and another one in Germany, Matthias Heymann. The partnership also represents a significant reinforcement of Alantra’s French operations, where it currently employs more than 40 professionals. Last year, the Firm completed nearly 30 M&A and financing deals representing a total transaction value of €5.5bn, including some of the most significant transactions in the French Technology sector:  the acquisition of a stake in IbanFirst by Marlin Equity Partners, the acquisition of Dotemu, a French leading retro-gaming publisher, by Focus Home Interactive, and the sale of Dhatim. In France, Alantra has also advised highly visible transactions in other sectors such as the sale of Provalliance, the acquisition of Jott jackets for L Catterton, the acquisition of the aeronautical equipment manufacturer Alkan by Rafaut group and its majority shareholder HLD, the sale of Frial, the French leader in frozen culinary solutions for retail brands, to Le Duff group. “Philippe, Patrick, and Arthur’s deep sector expertise and track record are impressive, especially in some segments such as Fintech and Software where they have built a leadership position. I believe their position in the market is a perfect fit for broadening our technology sector services offering and footprint,” said Franck Portais, Managing Partner, “We expect continued momentum in technology M&A and Alantra has a unique value proposition combining sector specialisation and global reach both in Europe and in the US.” Philippe Rodriguez, Patrick Robin, and Arthur Porré, co-founders of Avolta, commented: “We are really excited to be joining the project at this time when we can create unique synergy for our clients provided by Alantra’s accelerating momentum in the sector, their all-encompassing footprint and proven access to the key financial investors in Europe and North America" ( Press Release Image: https://photos.webwire.com/prmedia/7/287773/287773-1.jpg )