Investment in AfterBuy and DreamRobot

Oakley Capital (“Oakley”) is pleased to announce that Oakley Capital Origin Fund (“Origin Fund”) has acquired controlling stakes in Afterbuy and DreamRobot, two leading providers of e-commerce software in the German-speaking region, which will be combined to become the newly formed ECOMMERCE ONE Group (the “Group”).

The two companies provide a comprehensive suite of Software as a Service (“SaaS”) solutions for small to mid-sized online merchants selling their products through web shops and online marketplaces, such as Amazon or eBay. The platform enables its users to manage and automate difficult, manual and time-critical processes, such as multi-channel product listing, data collection and stock management. Together, more than €50 billion of Gross Merchandise Volume has been processed across the businesses to date.

The two investments mark the beginning of a strategy aimed at solidifying the Group’s position as the market-leading provider for small and medium-sized online merchants in the DACH region. Oakley will support the growth of the businesses through its operational experience and software buy-and-build expertise, drawing on its track-record of successful investments in WebPros and Ekon.

The e-commerce software market is experiencing rapid growth, underpinned by a structural shift as consumers increasingly transact online and retailers launch and expand their online offerings. Software tools such as Afterbuy and DreamRobot enable merchants’ e-commerce success by simplifying tasks and providing a comprehensive overview and control centre for all sales and transaction processes, which results in loyal customer bases and recurring subscription revenues.

The deal was introduced to us by Valentin Schütt, who Oakley partnered with on Oakley Capital Fund IV’s investment in Wishcard Technologies Group in 2019. The investment demonstrates the importance of Oakley’s entrepreneur network for both repeated sourcing of proprietary deals and leveraging deep knowledge of businesses and growth industries.