- The investment will drive Shopware’s growth, accelerate its product innovation, and help it expand to new markets
- Carlyle’s software and digital commerce expertise and international network will support Shopware’s long-term ambitions
Schöppingen, Germany, 08 February 2022 – Shopware AG (“Shopware”), a leading digital commerce software solutions provider in the DACH region, today announced it has raised USD 100 million in growth capital from global investment firm, Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG), and PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL), the global payments and commerce platform.
Founders Sebastian and Stefan Hamann will retain a significant majority stake in the business and remain co-CEOs of the company. Carlyle and PayPal’s growth capital will help drive Shopware’s international expansion and the development of new products.
Headquartered in Schöppingen and led by brothers Sebastian and Stefan Hamann, Shopware offers a holistic omnichannel digital commerce platform that is highly flexible and has a rich set of features, supporting complex B2C, D2C, B2B and services-driven business models. Shopware’s technology is API-first and uses an open-source architecture, allowing merchants to scale while creating unique customer experiences. Its platform caters to a highly diversified customer base across a wide range of different industry verticals, focused on sophisticated mid-market merchants but also serving multinational market leaders including Philips, Jägermeister and Aston Martin. In 2021, Shopware approached a platform gross merchandise value (GMV) of USD 20 billion. Following the successful rollout of Shopware 6, the company was listed in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce. Recent product innovations have positioned the company as a leader in the expanding digital commerce software market for mid-market merchants in DACH.
Carlyle will leverage its significant digital commerce market experience in supporting technology companies to help Shopware drive international growth, expand its innovative product suite and execute its go-to-market strategies. Equity for the transaction will be provided by Carlyle Europe Technology Partners (CETP) IV, a EUR 1.35 billion fund that invests in small and mid-market technology-focused opportunities. Carlyle has extensive experience in scaling software companies, such as P&I AG, Eggplant, The Foundry, NetMotion, and SER Group, and deep digital commerce knowledge through its partnership with next-generation digital agency DEPT and investments in leading consumer brands and retailers such as Beautycounter, END. and Every Man Jack.
Stefan Hamann, co-CEO of Shopware, said: “This funding will help us supercharge our international growth – enabling Shopware to capture the significant opportunities ahead of us. As a business, we are proud to have been profitable from day one, and are excited to work closely alongside Carlyle and PayPal to build on Shopware’s positioning in the long term.”
Co-CEO Sebastian Hamann said: “The past few years have accelerated the need for an open-source approach that provides outstanding shopping experiences for customers, and we are poised to further benefit from this growth opportunity. We’re looking forward to working with Carlyle and PayPal – two companies with strong expertise in digital commerce – on the next stage of our journey.”
Michael Wand, Managing Director and Co-Head of CETP, said: “Shopware, a company 100% bootstrapped prior to this investment, is ideally suited to CETP’s strategy of partnering with ambitious, founder-led technology companies. We were attracted to the company’s highly flexible omnichannel platform, its strong momentum in the underserved mid-market merchant segment, and the entrepreneurial drive of the two co-founders. We look forward to working with Sebastian and Stefan and the rest of the Shopware team in supporting the business become an international leader in digital commerce technology.”
Michael Wand will join Shopware’s board of directors together with CETP’s Constantin Boye, Director.
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About Shopware
Shopware is a leading digital commerce system and used by some of the largest brands, retailers and manufacturers across B2C, D2C and B2B industries, including Philips, Jägermeister and Aston Martin. Shopware’s open commerce platform gives customers the freedom to quickly and easily realise their growth potential – with greater flexibility to deal with complex challenges. Today, merchants all around the world rely on Shopware solutions – from start-ups to enterprises – generating a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of close to USD 20 billion in 2021.
From its headquarters in Schöppingen, Germany, Shopware employs 350 people and relies on a global network of 1,200 sales, technology and solution partners. A community with hundreds of thousands of members gives customers access to over 4,000 extensions and certified professional support. Through continuously high investments in research and development, Shopware is a leading driver of innovation in digital commerce.
About Carlyle
Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across three business segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit and Global Investment Solutions. With $301 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2021, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest. Carlyle employs nearly 1,850 people in 26 offices across five continents. Further information is available at www.carlyle.com. Follow Carlyle on Twitter @OneCarlyle.
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