mynth
12/2014100%

Optimizely acquired by Accel-KKR

UNITED STATES Software / MarTech REV 1m USD - 100m USD

Context

The IK Partners has reached an agreement to sell EPiServer to Accel-KKR (AKKR). This transaction represents an exit for the private equity sponsor following a multi-year investment period characterized by significant internationalization and product portfolio expansion. Under the stewardship of the previous owner, the company broadened its service offerings and strengthened its global footprint through both organic development and the acquisition of e-commerce and search capabilities. The transition to AKKR is intended to support the company’s next phase of growth, with a specific focus on leveraging AKKR’s resources to better serve customers, particularly within the North American region. This change in ownership allows the management team to continue its strategy of market leadership while maintaining business continuity and pursuing new commercial opportunities in the digital marketing and e-commerce sectors.

It is worth noting that the fund IK Partners took control of Optimizely through an LBO in 2010.

Optimizely, which reported an EBITDA margin of [members only] in 2014, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of [members only], to compare with the average currently observed in the TMT (Tech, Media, Telecom) sector (14.6x in 2026).

-> Deep-dive in TMT (Tech, Media, Telecom) market trends

Target

Optimizely is a global provider of digital experience solutions, offering a comprehensive platform that integrates intelligent content management, digital commerce, and omnichannel marketing automation. Headquartered in the United States, the company serves a diverse portfolio of mid-to-large scale enterprises, enabling them to streamline the end-to-end customer journey through its flagship "Digital Experience Cloud." By leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning, Optimizely provides organizations with the tools necessary to deliver highly personalized and data-driven interactions across multiple digital touchpoints. From a market positioning perspective, Optimizely is widely recognized by industry analysts as a Leader in the Digital Experience Platform (DXP) and Web Content Management (WCM) segments. It competes effectively against legacy enterprise suites by offering a more agile, cloud-native architecture that facilitates faster time-to-market. The company's business model is primarily driven by a high-margin Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) revenue stream, supplemented by a robust global partner ecosystem that handles large-scale implementations.

Ent. Value

[members only]

Equity Value

[members only]

Multiples

EV / Revenue

[members only]

EV / EBITDA

[members only]

EV / EBIT

[members only]

Historical Financials (USD)

Year
Rev
EBITDA
EBIT
2014
$1–100M
[members only]
[members only]
2013
$1–100M
[members only]
[members only]

Other operations with Optimizely

Other operations with Optimizely
DateAcquirerTargetCountrySector
09/2018INSIGHT VENTURE PARTNERSOPTIMIZELY (EX EPISERVER)UNITED STATESMarTech
11/2010IK PARTNERSOPTIMIZELY (EX EPISERVER)UNITED STATESMarTech

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REFERENCES

Revenue range: REV 1m USD - 100m USD

Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of Optimizely by Accel-KKR are reserved for mynth community members. Register for free to unlock full data.

Authors: This transaction was contributed by a verified mynth contributor and cross-checked against available transaction documents and official company communications.

Target: optimizely

Acquirer: accel-kkr

FAQ

What transaction does this page cover?

This page covers Accel-KKR’s acquisition of 100% of Optimizely, an American company specialised in MarTech, in 2014. This followed a prior holding cycle initiated by IK Partners in November 2010, before ownership was subsequently transferred to Insight Venture Partners in September 2018 (see dedicated deal pages for details).

How does the valuation of Optimizely compare to benchmarks in the TMT (Tech, Media, Telecom) sector?

Transaction multiples for this specific deal are exclusively reserved for mynth members. By way of comparison, in 2026 companies in the TMT (Tech, Media, Telecom) sector are valued at a multiple of 14.6x EBITDA.

What sources support the information on this transaction?

Transaction data and operational intelligence were compiled from independent financial press reporting by specialized M&A publications.

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