Houlihan Lokey Advises woom

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that woom, the most sought-after brand for kids' bikes globally, has received a growth investment from Jebsen Capital and Bregal Unternehmerkapital. The investment agreement was signed on December 23, 2022 and closed on February 2, 2023. 

At the beginning of 2023, Jebsen Group will be joining the company as a co-investor with a minority share. In addition to the investment from Jebsen, the funds advised by Bregal Unternehmerkapital, woom’s core investor, will also be increasing its capital commitment. woom can thus push its own international expansion plans even further.

For Jebsen Group, the investment in woom means a further investment in a fast-growing premium lifestyle brand. The global business has special know-how in market entries and expansions in the Asian region and thus also represents an important strategic partner for woom. In the future, Jebsen will approximately hold a 15% stake in woom.

woom, founded in a garage in Vienna, celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2023. Since its foundation in 2013, woom has recorded consistent growth—both locally and internationally—and continues to maintain this course. Over the past 10 years, woom has reached an annual growth rate of around 50% every year. In 2021, the children's bike expert achieved a turnover of EUR 86 million. In addition, woom founders Marcus Ihlenfeld (who also founded woom USA) and Christian Bezdeka, funds advised by Bregal Unternehmerkapital, and Runtastic founder Florian Gschwandtner, among others, also invested in woom.

Founded in 1895, Jebsen Group is a leading brand builder and a focused marketing, investment, and distribution organization. A family-owned private company with more than 125 years of continuous presence in Greater China, Jebsen is committed to supporting its partners’ needs in building market demand, generating sales, and connecting customers across the region. Under the master brand of Jebsen, the Group has four core business lines: Motors, Beverage, Consumer, and Jebsen Capital. As a strategic co-pilot to entrepreneurs and management teams, Jebsen Group offers a selection of tangible value creation solutions together with its more than 2,000 employees in the region.

Jebsen Capital is the Jebsen Group’s growth equity investment business line and in-house asset manager. Its thesis is centered around investing in category-defining companies that bring new products, services, and experiences to the modern consumer. From offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Berlin, Jebsen Capital puts its own capital behind entrepreneurs it believes in, which enables it to be a long-term partner not bound by fund lifecycles. Jebsen Capital aims to take significant minority positions in outstanding consumer-focused companies with proven business models and market acceptance. Partnering with Jebsen Capital allows its portfolio companies to harness more than a century of experience building iconic brands in Greater China.

Bregal Unternehmerkapital (BU) is a leading family-backed investment firm with offices in Munich and Milan. As a part of a family-owned business that has grown over several generations, the BU funds invest in mid-sized companies based in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Northern Italy. With the mission to be the partner of choice for entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses, BU seeks to partner with market leaders and "hidden champions" with strong management teams and outbreak potential. Since its foundation in 2015, the funds managed by BU have invested more than EUR 2.6 billion in more than 90 companies, supporting over 25,000 employees and working in partnership with entrepreneurs and families to develop, internationalize, and digitize their businesses while helping them generate sustainable value on a responsible basis with the next generation in mind.

Houlihan Lokey acted as financial adviser to the shareholders of woom and assisted in marketing, structuring, and negotiating the transaction. It has previously also advised Bregal Unternehmerkapital on the acquisition of a minority stake in woom in 2020. This transaction further highlights Houlihan Lokey’s leading position in advising strong brands in the active lifestyle sector, and especially bike companies, around the world.