ONESTAFF acquired by PROMAN
Context
PROMAN has completed the acquisition of the French startup Onestaff. This transaction marks the group's second major digital acquisition within a year, following the integration of the online agency Iziwork. The strategic rationale for the deal is to bridge the gap between traditional temporary staffing and the burgeoning freelance economy. By integrating Onestaff’s AI-driven matching technology and its database of 60,000 independent professionals, PROMAN can now offer corporate clients a seamless choice between temporary employment contracts and freelance service agreements. The deal is particularly significant given Onestaff's resilience, having secured its legal standing after a five-year judicial procedure, and its recent pivot to profitability. For PROMAN, the partnership provides an immediate foothold in the retail, beauty, and events sectors with a scalable, low-overhead digital model. This move highlights a broader trend among European staffing giants to "buy rather than build" digital capabilities, ensuring they remain relevant to a workforce increasingly seeking flexibility and digital-first interactions.
ONESTAFF, which reported an EBITDA margin of in 2024, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of , a level to compare with the average currently observed in the Business Services sector (11.4x).
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Target
Onestaff is a 100% digital platform specializing in the on-demand connection of specialized freelancers with corporate clients. Originally focused on the hospitality and catering sectors, the company expanded its scope to include beauty, fashion, retail, and events. The platform leverages proprietary Artificial Intelligence tools to validate the skills of independent workers and optimize matching with specific corporate profiles. With a community of 60,000 connected freelancers and 10,000 corporate clients, Onestaff provides a streamlined, tech-enabled alternative to traditional staffing. After successfully navigating a long-term legal battle regarding the legitimacy of its business model (2017–2022), the startup achieved profitability in 2021. Strategically, it addresses the modern "gig economy" by offering high-quality, flexible labor solutions for sectors facing significant staffing fluctuations.
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REFERENCES
Revenue range: 25M - 50M EUR
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Authors: This transaction was contributed by a verified mynth contributor and cross-checked against available transaction documents and official company communications.
Target: onestaff
Acquirer: proman