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Swanlaab Venture Factory SGEIC, SA, and Scipio Capital BV have partnered to launch Scipio Swanlaab SF SCR, a fund that will invest in Search Funds on a global scale.
The fund aims to capitalize on the growing opportunity presented by tens of thousands of family-owned SMEs generating millions in annual profits, where the owner seeking retirement lacks a successor.
Scipio brings over 3 years of experience in investing in this innovative asset class. Having already funded nearly 30 searchers (Bass Capital, Japan Bullseye Capital, Tasman Capital, Cornisa Capital, Origo Capital, Sly Capital…) and completed 10 acquisitions (Recambio Facil, CW Group, Amix, ASP Group, Harlow Printing, among others) across 4 continents, they are positioned to identify, evaluate, attract, and support the world’s best searchers. Scipio-selected searchers engage with hundreds, if not thousands, of business owners, possessing the expertise and capability to identify and negotiate the acquisition of businesses with the greatest potential to create value with proper management and professional guidance.
To date, Scipio has invested its own capital in Search Funds (more than €6M already invested) and has now chosen to partner with Swanlaab to launch this fund.
Aitor Sancho, Managing Partner of Scipio Holding, shared, “After over 3 years in the sector, we needed to take the next step and launch a regulated investment vehicle if we aimed to seize the multitude of excellent investment opportunities presented to us. Swanlaab, with its track record in tech investments, shares many of our values and was a natural partner for Scipio.”
Mark Kavelaars added, “At Swanlaab, we believe that Search Funds represent a natural complement to our core investment strategies in B2B Software and AgroTech. Through this fund, our investors can invest in established, cash-generating businesses at extraordinary valuations. The fund will offer our investors attractive returns uncorrelated to other asset classes such as investments in private tech companies or investments in listed markets.”
Scipio Swanlaab SF SCR has a global mandate and will invest in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. Scipio and Swanlaab aim to leverage their respective tech expertise to invest in established businesses that have or can develop a significant technological component.
The fund has a target size of €25M and is expected to commence operations in the first half of 2024. Over five years, it will invest in 30 searchers and complete 20 acquisitions. Given Scipio’s backing of over 20 actively seeking Search Funds, the Fund will start strong and swiftly deploy its capital into cash-generating businesses.
