16 Sep 2019
Investcorp, a leading global provider and manager of alternative investment products, today announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire Ticket Holding S.à.r.l. (“Vivaticket” or the “Company”) from co-founders Luca Montebugnoli and Luana Sabattini, P4P of Giuseppe Camillo Pilenga, Girefin Trust of Stefano Landi and Bravo Capital Partners SCA RAIF (“BCP”). Vivaticket’s co-founders and management team will continue to remain involved in the business and hold a meaningful stake in the Company. The transaction is expected to close by year-end, subject to customary closing conditions.
Established in 1999, Vivaticket is a leading global provider of integrated ticketing software solutions to the leisure and entertainment, sport, culture and tradeshow industries. The Company’s software solutions are widely recognized for their sophistication, reliability, and ability to address the full customer experience from ticket purchasing to on-site activities. Vivaticket has an extensive global presence with over 2,100 clients spanning 50 countries, including some of the world’s leading brands such as Walt Disney World, Musée du Louvre and FC Barcelona, amongst others. Headquartered in Bologna, Italy, the Company employs 450 people and has established operations in 10 countries across Europe, the Middle East, North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific.
Daniel Lopez-Cruz, Head of Investcorp’s European Private Equity group, said: “Vivaticket is a formidable customer-oriented software solutions provider with an impressive and entrepreneurial management team. As global demand for entertainment and experiential content continues to increase, Vivaticket is ideally positioned to capitalize on multiple growth opportunities that directly align with Investcorp’s investment expertise. We look forward to partnering with the Vivaticket team to support their international growth strategy, both organically and through add-on acquisitions to expand the Company’s geographic footprint and further strengthen its presence in existing markets.”
Luca Montebugnoli, co-founder of Vivaticket, added: “Investcorp is a distinguished and highly professional partner that will be able, together with the existing management team, to further accelerate the growth of Vivaticket with the aim of competing amongst the top 3 players globally. Our Company is committed to achieving global leadership by geography and by market, whilst respecting the ethical and professional principles that have always guided us. Technological innovation and the ability to attract talent will remain at the heart of what we do.”
Investcorp has a strong track record in the business services and technology sectors with Vivaticket marking its third European investment of the year in the space following the acquisitions of Cambio Healthcare Systems, one of Scandinavia’s leading suppliers of healthcare information systems; and Contentserv, a leading global provider of product information management software. Vivaticket also adds to Investcorp’s extensive experience in the Italian market, in which it has been present since 1985.