New European powerhouse in the tech and software services sector
Hits the ground running with a portfolio of 35 companies
More deals to be announced across Europe in coming months
Stockholm April 18, 2023
Two leading companies in the business-to-business tech and software services sector have been brought together today to form Lyvia, a new Stockholm-based business group with operations spanning Europe.
The collaboration brings Lyvia immediate scale and credibility, with a pan-European group of 35 specialist companies in software and expert services, digital marketing, creative consulting and software-as-a-service.
With around 1,500 dedicated professionals, offices across Europe and pro forma FY2022 revenues of approximately SEK2bn, Lyvia enters the European market as one of the biggest and strongest performing companies in its sector.
Its portfolio has a robust track record of organic growth, strong cash generation and capital raising capability. Lyvia is poised in coming months to announce a series of further acquisitions and partnerships across Europe.
The company not only owns and manages brands, but also seeks to enhance collaboration between the companies in which it is involved. This includes operational and financial synergies as well as access to an ecosystem of like-minded entrepreneurs.
Lyvia brings specific skills to the European market that differentiate it from its competitors. It has been founded and run by entrepreneurs, forming an immediate bond with the companies with whom it seeks to partner.
It targets entrepreneur-led companies in its chosen sectors with best-in-class financial track records and profitability. It estimates approximately 10,000 such European companies lie within its addressable market.
“Lyvia is a company that believes in entrepreneurial spirit. As entrepreneurs ourselves we pledge to respect the autonomy of the companies with whom we partner and to stick with them through thick and thin,” said Sebastian Karlsson, chief executive.
Lyvia is seeking to list on NASDAQ OMX in Stockholm within the next 12 to 18 months, depending upon market conditions.
Financial Highlights
As part of its formation, Lyvia has compiled pro forma financial results for the newly-created entity for the 2022 financial year, in order to provide a picture of the company’s financial and operational strengths.
They highlight the underlying strength of the portfolio, with organic growth of over 12 per cent and an EBITDA margin of over 20 per cent.
Management
Lyvia’s management has deep experience in industry and entrepreneurialism, with a backbone in B2B software services and a successful track record of building companies since 2003.
Sebastian Karlsson, chief executive and co-founder, worked previously as CEO and co-founder of Mirovia, a partner in Serendipity, one of Sweden’s well renowned private incubator, the CEO of HomeMaker, a scale up within the real estate and construction industry.
Lyvia also today announces the appointment of Mikael Ericson as chairman. Mr Ericson previously worked as Group CEO of Intrum and has a long and successful background within the banking industry from both Danske Bank and Handelsbanken.
Business philosophy
Lyvia’s starting point is to identify companies in which it can be a long term owner and partner, rather than entering into a partnership with the sole ambition of selling.
This means it is prepared to work with companies through the economic cycle, placing long term performance before the pressure of any short-term volatility.
Lyvia believes this helps allow entrepreneurs to focus on nurturing their businesses by making decisions that drive organic growth, recurring revenues and attractive margins.
Crucially, Lyvia believes no one is better qualified to run a business than the entrepreneur that created it.
This is in line with its Nordic corporate heritage, which places transparency, governance and responsibility at the centre of operations.
Contact:
Media Enquiries, +46 72-371 75 09
Footnote: Lyvia was created from the collaboration of Mirovia, a European group that invests in entrepreneur driven companies that offer software, application, and/or specialized IT advisory or consultancy within business-critical areas, and Äleven, an agency accelerator that invests in entrepreneur driven companies that offer software, application, and/or specialized IT advisory or consultancy within business-critical areas.