Category: Deals

Yogurt Factory, the French frozen yoghurt specialist, is reorganising its capital structure with the entry of Socadif Capital Investissement as a minority shareholder. Joffe & Associés (Virginie Belle, Paddy Pascot & Alexia Guyot) advised Socadif on this LBO.

 

Yogurt Factory, the French leader in low-fat frozen yoghurt, welcomes Socadif Capital Investissement as a minority shareholder. The deal, which was completed in November 2024, enabled the company to buy out most of its existing shareholders, mainly business angels and people close to the founders.

 

Founded in 2011 by Ouriel Hodara and Emmanuel Tedesco, the brand has enjoyed rapid growth thanks to its fun, gourmet concept of customisable frozen yoghurts with a wide variety of products and flavours. In 2018, it strengthened its market position by acquiring seven shops from the Boon network.

 

With 80 shops, of which 60 are franchises and 8 are international, Yogurt Factory plans to open 10 to 15 new outlets, in France and abroad. This expansion will be mainly organic, while remaining open to opportunistic acquisitions.

Click here to read Socadif’s original post.

 

Joffe & Associés (Virginie Belle & Rémi Rodriguez) is advising Seb Alliance, Groupe SEB’s investment fund, and Socadif, a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole Ile-de-France, on their investment in Kuantom, the creator of an innovative cocktail solution generating revenues of almost €5m.

 

French start-up Kuantom recently raised a significant €5 million in a combination of equity and debt, backed by SEB Alliance, the SEB Group’s investment fund, and SOCADIF, a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole Île-de-France. This round of financing will enable Kuantom to step up production and marketing of its machines and solutions, designed for the CHR (cafés, hotels, restaurants) sector. SEB Alliance and SOCADIF are playing a strategic role in supporting Kuantom’s expansion, in particular by strengthening its industrial capacity.

 

SEB Alliance, known for its targeted investment in innovation, sees in Kuantom an opportunity to diversify into the professional market, already marked by acquisitions such as WMF (coffee machines) and Pacojet (emulsifiers). SOCADIF, for its part, relies on promising local initiatives; by joining forces with Kuantom, these two investors intend to promote French know-how while supporting more responsible production, mainly located in France.

 

Thanks to this joint investment, Kuantom will not only be able to expand its customer network in the hospitality sector, but also improve its technology and ecological footprint. The synergy between SEB’s industrial expertise and SOCADIF’s institutional support provides Kuantom with a solid foundation to position itself as a market leader in connected cocktail solutions.

 

---

 

Participants in the transaction :

 

• Purchaser(s) or Investor(s) : SEB ALLIANCE , Thierry de La Tour d’Artaise , Lorraine Schmit , SOCADIF , Samya Glangetas , Vérane Fady-Bonnet , Emmanuel David
• Company Corporate Lawyer : LERINS , Laurent Julienne , Yohann-David Saadoun
• Purchaser Corporate lawyer : JOFFE & ASSOCIES , Virginie Belle , Rémi Rodriguez
• Acq. DD Legal and/or Tax: JOFFE & ASSOCIES , Virginie Belle , Rémi Rodriguez
• Acq. DD Financial : PKF ARSILON , Guilhem Pinot de Villechenon , Maxime Legrand

Click here to read the original CFnews article.

 

Leakmited, a software company that improves the monitoring and maintenance of water networks, has raised €5m from Starquest and Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations. Joffe & Associés (Thomas Saltiel, Paddy Pascot & Clémence Bressolin) advised Starquest and Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations on this transaction.

 

A French startup founded in 2019 specialising in the intelligent management and optimisation of water networks, Leakmited offers software solutions based on artificial intelligence to help local authorities monitor, locate and prevent water leaks, thereby optimising the use of water resources.

 

The company has raised €5 million in a Series A financing round, welcoming investors to its capital for the first time. The round was led by Starquest, via its Starquest Protect fund, and the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, both of which are committed to preserving essential resources and infrastructure.

 

With this funding, the start-up plans to strengthen its presence in France and internationally, with partnerships already established in Italy, the UK and South Africa. In 2024, Leakmited generated sales of nearly €2 million and is aiming to achieve profitability in the next 18 to 24 months, while continuing to expand into new strategic markets.

Read the official press release on Turenne Groupe’s LinkedIn account here.

 

Génération Snacking, an SME based in the Oise region, specialising in the manufacture of top-of-the-range pastries and sandwiches, has joined forces with Turenne Groupe’s Regain 340 fund to accelerate its development. Joffe & Associés (Christophe Joffe, Rudy Diamant & Marie-Camille Degrugillier) advised Génération Snacking on this transaction.

 

The company offers a standard range of products, while supporting its key account customers in the creation of customised recipes. The company has won over a loyal customer base thanks to the adaptability of its services, the quality of its products and its capacity for innovation.

 

Thanks to a strategic partnership with Turenne Groupe’s Regain 340 fund, Génération Snacking aims to become a leader in the snacking market, both in France and internationally. The fast-growing company plans to double its current sales of €10 million over the next four years through strategic development and expansion. This plan is based on strengthening its production and research and development capabilities.

 

Founded in 2013 by Michael Dana, Génération Snacking embodies an approach based on excellence, innovation and responsiveness. This partnership with Turenne Groupe will enable the company to consolidate its position in France while exploring international opportunities, with a shared vision of sustainable growth and customer satisfaction.

Kapsera, a Bordeaux-based start-up specialising in agricultural biotechnology, has announced that it has raised €4.2 million to further develop its innovative microencapsulation technology aimed at improving the efficiency of sustainable agriculture. Joffe & Associés (Thomas Saltiel, Océane Christmann & Clémence Bressolin) advised the Banque des Territoires (on behalf of the French government as part of France 2030) and The Yield Lab Europe.

 

The funding, led by Banque des Territoires and The Yield Lab Europe, will help the company to build up its industrial capacity and launch its first production units in 2025. Kapsera’s technology, which uses biodegradable materials to improve the efficiency of natural agricultural inputs, promises significant improvements in crop protection and fertilisation, particularly for vineyards.

 

The capital raised will be used to set up production units and reach a target of 200 tonnes per year by 2027. In addition to the aforementioned agricultural applications, the technology should also be applied to human and animal nutrition. This follows promising results from trials in which Kapsera demonstrated its ability to reduce insect damage, while improving grape harvests through microencapsulated solutions. The first unit should be operational in 2025 at the company’s current premises in the Bordeaux Lac district.

 

Kapsera’s leadership in this field could create significant employment opportunities, with the company planning to hire 20 people over the next two years. The company’s innovation places it at the forefront of sustainable farming practices, with a strong focus on ecological and economic growth.

 

‘This round of financing marks a decisive step in Kapsera’s development. It will enable us to begin our industrialisation phase, to support our customers in their commercial ambitions and in their desire to offer high-performance, sustainable and healthy solutions to their markets’, says Antoine Drevelle, CEO and co-founder of Kapsera, speaking to La French Tech Bordeaux magazine. ‘We are delighted to welcome two new visionary investors who share our ambition to accelerate the transition to sustainable agriculture and healthy food. They join our long-standing shareholders as well as the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region and Bpifrance. Together, we’re going to meet the major challenges facing the food of tomorrow.

ChapsVision, a French player specialising in digital transformation and data management, is accelerating its development in the field of artificial intelligence with the acquisition of Sinequa, a company renowned for its AI-based search and analysis solutions. Joffe & Associés (Thomas Saltiel, Camille Malbezin, Charlotte Viandaz and Alexia Guyot) advised SINEQUA and the sellers on this transaction.

 

This strategic acquisition consolidates ChapsVision’s position as a major player and strong competitor in the information technology sector, often compared to the emblematic Palantir, but with a European and sovereign approach. At the same time, the company closed a third round of financing, for an amount close to €85 million, with its historic investors (Tikehau Capital, a specialist in alternative asset management, Qualium Investissement, Bpifrance and GENEO Capital), as well as its new investor, Jolt Capital. Joffe & Associés (Thomas Saltiel, Camille Malbezin, Charlotte Viandaz and Alexia Guyot) advised JOLT on this transaction.

 

The integration of Sinequa into the ChapsVision portfolio will merge Sinequa’s advanced data analytics capabilities with ChapsVision’s business solutions. This move is part of an overall strategy to create an integrated data monetization platform for regulated sectors such as finance and defence, while affirming a strong commitment to technological sovereignty.

 

With this acquisition, ChapsVision has strengthened its position in the European AI market, consolidating a unique expertise that should enable it to become ‘the European benchmark publisher in massive data processing’, according to BPI France.

 

---

ADVISORS :

•  Sinequa shareholders

• M&A : Joffe & Associés (Thomas Saltiel, Camille Malbezin, Charlotte Viandaz et Alexia Guyot)
• Advisory bank (M&A): Clipperton

 

• ChapsVision 

• Conseils due diligence : E&Y (Juridique), Grant Thornton (Finance, Social et Fiscal)
• M&A : Valther Avocats (Idris Hebbat, Thibault Germain)
• Strategy : Altman Solon
• Tax : Arsène Taxand
• Fiance : Accuracy

 

• Historic investors in Chapsvision: Qualium Investissement, Tikehau, Bpifrance and GENEO Capital

• M&A : Goodwin Law, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Proskauer Rose LLP

 

• New Chapsvision investors: Jolt Capital

• M&A : Joffe & Associés (Thomas Saltiel, Camille Malbezin, Charlotte Viandaz et Alexia Guyot)

 

OpenAirlines, a world leader in fuel-saving solutions for aircraft pilots, has announced a €45 million round of financing to accelerate its global expansion and reduce the carbon footprint of aviation. Joffe & Associés (Thomas Saltiel, Antoine Lamy, Rudy Diamant & Clément Peillet) advised MIROVA on this transaction.

 

This transaction, led by Eiffel Investment Group and supported by Mirova and Caisse de Retraite du Personnel Navigant (CRPN), will enable the company to step up its expansion in North America and Asia, and strengthen its portfolio of solutions dedicated to the ecological transition. Founded in 2006 by Alexandre Feray, the company has been profitable since 2021, with annual growth of 30%. Its flagship product, SkyBreathe, analyses flight data using artificial intelligence to optimise fuel consumption, reducing CO₂ emissions per flight by 3% to 5%.

 

SkyBreathe has already analysed more than 15 million flights for airlines such as Air France, EasyJet and Korean Air, saving 420,000 tonnes of fuel and avoiding the emission of 1.4 million tonnes of CO₂ by 2023. OpenAirlines is also innovating with SkyBreathe OnBoard, a real-time connected application to optimise pilots’ in-flight decisions based on variables such as the weather. At the same time, the company is developing tools for air traffic controllers and ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) solutions to help airlines meet growing regulatory requirements.

 

With this round of funding, OpenAirlines aims to triple its sales in five years, notably through strategic acquisitions. The company also plans to recruit 25 additional employees, on top of its current 95 staff spread between Toulouse, Hong Kong, Montreal and Miami. OpenAirlines is thus positioning itself as a key player in the ecological transition in aviation, offering efficient alternatives to sustainable fuels to achieve the sector’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

Find the official press release here.

 

The PILOCAP group, a leader in professional training, announces the acquisition of the SCAF France and ODF training centres. Joffe & Associés (Aymeric Dégremont, Clémence Bressolin, Marie-Camille Degrugillier and Clément Peillet) advised the PILOCAP Group on these transactions.

 

The PILOCAP Group, which specialises in risk prevention training, recently strengthened its strategic development by acquiring SCAF France and ODF (Organisme de Développement de la Formation). These acquisitions follow the recent inauguration of the group’s training centres in Lille and Rennes, enabling it to extend its national coverage and offer a wider range of training courses, more in tune with current prevention and compliance requirements.

 

With these acquisitions and new locations, the PILOCAP Group is confirming its determination to become a key partner for French companies and local authorities. Building on its recent successes, the PILOCAP Group is strengthening its role as a benchmark in risk prevention, providing expertise, innovation and proximity to meet the challenges of the future.

Read the original CFnews article here.

 

Jolt Capital acquires the IP power management and signal processing activities of Dolphin Design. Joffe & Associés (Thomas Saltiel, Camille Malbezin, Alvyn Gobardhan, Joanna Verissel & Clémence Bressolin) advised Jolt Capital on this transaction.

 

Jolt Capital has acquired the IP activities of Dolphin Design via a new company, Dolphin Semiconductor, and has committed to invest €26 million in the business. The deal will enable Jolt Capital to consolidate its position in the advanced semiconductor market, building on Dolphin’s expertise in IP for mixed-signal semiconductors, renowned for their energy efficiency and performance.

 

Under the leadership of Laurent Monge, Dolphin Semiconductor now aims to meet the growing demand for more energy-efficient solutions, particularly in key sectors such as automotive, IoT and industry. The company plans to invest progressively in technology development, strengthen its R&D and make targeted strategic acquisitions.

 

Soitec, which acquired Dolphin in 2018, is now looking to refocus and is letting the business continue to expand under the leadership of Jolt Capital. The new leadership aims to position Dolphin Semiconductor as a partner of choice for semiconductor manufacturers looking to integrate high-performance, energy-efficient components.

Read the original CFNews article here.

 

Pony, a start-up specialising in shared urban mobility, has just raised €23 million from Blast Club, Ademe Investissement, Colam Impact, La Poste Ventures and its historic investors. Joffe & Associés (Thomas Saltiel & Océane Christmann) advised Pony on this transaction.

 

Pony, a Bordeaux-based company and leader in the shared urban mobility market, has just raised €23 million in a Series B financing round. This strategic financing will enable the company to strengthen and expand its fleet of self-service bicycles and scooters, with a target of 30,000 units deployed in new towns and cities. Pony stands out for its innovative self-financing model, in which users can co-invest in the vehicles, an approach that is appealing to local authorities looking for sustainable mobility solutions.

 

This round of financing was backed by Blast Club, Ademe Investissement, Colam Impact and La Poste Ventures. The funds raised will enable the company to accelerate its expansion into additional cities, while improving its fleet management and vehicle geolocation technologies. Pony’s participative model, in which users can buy and hire bikes and scooters themselves, continues to gain in popularity thanks to its local and collaborative dimension.

 

Pony, which has already made its mark in cities such as Bordeaux and Angers, intends to play a leading role in transforming urban transport habits. With this round of funding, the company aims to respond to ecological challenges and provide alternatives to the private car, while increasing citizen involvement in the management of shared mobility.

 

---

• Purchaser(s) or Investor(s) : BLAST.CLUB (BLAST CLUB) , Anthony Bourbon , ADEME INVESTISSEMENT , Karine Mérère , Sylvain Waserman , COLAM IMPACT , Marie-Capucine D’Epenoux , LA POSTE VENTURES , SMART LENDERS ASSET MANAGEMENT , Zola Bahoumina , Erich Bonnet , EPOPEE GESTION , DEMETER , NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE CO-INVESTISSEMENT (NACO)
• Acq. DD Financial : 2CFINANCE (2CGROUP) , Jacques Haccoun , Julien Solyjan , Germain Buquet , Antoine Naudo , Neil Tchoffo
• Fundraising Advice / Agent : CAMBON PARTNERS , Thomas Bertier , Nicolas Olivier, DIDIER AVOCATS