20 August 2021
CataCap sells LanguageWire to international PE fund
CataCap sells LanguageWire, which has now taken a leading position in the market for translation solutions. Add-on acquisitions, strengthened management and integration of artificial intelligence in the product have been the driving forces in the transformation. With the sale, CataCap steps out of the ownership, and the international private equity fund Bridgepoint becomes the new majority owner.
CataCap took over the majority shareholding in Danish LanguageWire in 2017 with the ambition of through active ownership and close collaboration with the company, to create growth both organically and through acquisitions. Today, LanguageWire has taken a leading position in the market for digital translation solutions with a strong organisation geared to expand globally.
”We are extremely proud of the journey we have taken with LanguageWire. From the beginning, we were ambitious with our objectives for the company, which have been achieved through hard work and great dedication from the management team and the entire organisation. Today, LanguageWire is ready to take the next steps and cement its position globally, and we are convinced that Bridgepoint is the right owner to support the company’s continued development”, says Rasmus Lokvig, partner in CataCap.
LanguageWire was founded in 2000 by Henrik Lottrup as a translation platform that connects customers with a network of translators. Since then, a massive investment has been made in technology that can execute translations quickly using artificial intelligence, while human translators adjust, and quality assure.
”It has been a positive collaboration with CataCap, who as active owners has had an eye for the strategic opportunities in the company. We have transformed our product and today we offer a unique technology translation solution that can be implemented in our customers’ existing tools. At the same time, we have developed the organisational strength to take the next step on the journey”, says Søren Bech Justesen, CEO of LanguageWire.
Under CataCap’s ownership, turnover has more than doubled, while earnings have quadrupled. Today, LanguageWire has offices in several European countries as well as the USA, and the plan is to expand further globally.
”LanguageWire has been prepared for further growth. In 2018, we acquired a Belgian company of the same size as our own, and the experience and scale benefits from that have made it possible to develop our technological platform, as well as our management and administrative routines. It is a profitable and well-run company that Bridgepoint acquires”, says chairman of the board of directors of LanguageWire, Jens Harsaae, who will continue in the role together with Bridgepoint.
Closing is expected during September. CataCap has been assisted by EY Corporate Finance, Gorrissen Federspiel and Deloitte as advisers in the sales process.
RASMUS LOKVIG
Partner, CataCap
JENS HARSAAE
Chairman of the board of directors
SØREN BECH JUSTESEN
CEO of LanguageWire.
About CataCap
CataCap invests in SMEs that hold a significant development potential and have an innovative business model with long-term sustainability.
CataCap’s business concept is to act as a catalyst for sustainable step changes through a systematic and consistent approach to strengthening business development, operational processes and leadership development in active interaction with management and employees of the portfolio companies.
CataCap operates through an extended organisation in which CataCap’s own employees are supplemented by Operating Partners, Development Partners and Executive Advisors. The teams for each investment are recruited from this group.
CataCap is a proactive and dedicated owner. The systematic hands-on approach to developing CataCap’s businesses is intended to increase both the speed and sustainability of business step changes, thereby creating long-term value for all stakeholders as well as stable excess returns for investors.
www.catacap.dk/about
