In a bold move set to reshape the landscape of equity investments in Europe, Crowdcube, the continent’s premier private market investment hub, has just announced its acquisition of Semper, a frontrunner in providing secondary liquidity solutions for the region’s rapidly growing companies. This move isn’t just an expansion; it’s a revolution in the way liquidity is offered to founders, employees, and investors within Europe’s vibrant startup ecosystem.
Semper’s founders, Mathias Pastor and Balthazar de Lavergne, will remain at the helm of their creation, joining forces with Crowdcube’s dynamic leadership duo, Bill Simmons and Matt Cooper. Together, they aim to steer the secondary business towards new horizons, fueled by a shared vision of innovation and growth.
The venture market’s contraction and the scarcity of new public listings have sparked a surge in alternative liquidity avenues for early investors and employees — a trend that Crowdcube and Semper are uniquely positioned to capitalize on. The acquisition marks a first in the industry, allowing founders not just to acknowledge their team’s performance through equity but also to cement the loyalty of early angel investors by offering a tangible stake in the company’s future.
Retail investors, often sidelined in secondary transactions, now have a front-row seat alongside seasoned institutional investors to partake in the growth of Europe’s most promising startups. This inclusive approach disrupts the traditional investment narrative, enabling a diverse community of backers to invest outside primary fundraising periods and partake in the startups’ success stories.
Balthazar de Lavergne shared his excitement about the acquisition, noting, “Semper was born from a desire to make equity more tangible for the incredible talent driving Europe’s top companies. We’ve crafted a network that spans the continent, empowering companies to grant liquidity to their teams and early backers. Now, in alliance with Crowdcube, we’re poised to scale these solutions, welcoming a broader investor base into the fold.”
Since its inception in 2021, Semper has facilitated over €10 million in secondary sales for star European startups and has built robust relationships across the continent’s entrepreneurial and investment spheres. With this acquisition, these connections are set to deepen, as Semper’s seasoned team integrates with Crowdcube to orchestrate and manage secondary liquidity events for UK and European startups.
Bill Simmons, Co-CEO of Crowdcube, enthused about the potential: “The scope to forge Europe’s largest private market investment platform is tremendous. Semper’s prowess in secondary liquidity events is unrivaled, and together, we’re now equipped to offer the paramount secondary liquidity solutions. This deal is a milestone, bolstering our mission to empower companies and investors from seed to public.”
Crowdcube has been on a trajectory of unprecedented growth since its pan-European regulatory nod in 2022. Helping 66 companies from 10 European nations raise upwards of €70 million, Crowdcube has already facilitated over £1 billion in funding. The surge in secondary share sales on the platform — £20 million worth in just 18 months — signals a robust appetite for alternative investment routes.
This partnership not only cements Crowdcube’s stature as a leading investment platform but also heralds a new era where companies and their supporters can journey together from the startup phase to the public domain, reinforcing the integrity of the investment lifecycle.
In the unfolding narrative of Europe’s private markets, Crowdcube’s acquisition of Semper is more than a merger — it’s a beacon for what the future of startup financing could look like: inclusive, innovative, and infinitely promising.
