mynth
12/2018MinorityGrowth

Initiative & Finance invests in Primelis

FRANCE Media & Internet / Content & Publishing / Digital Marketing, SEO, SEA, Data Analytics REV €5–25M

Context

Initiative & Finance has invested €11M into Primelis to support its ambition of becoming the European leader in organic search (SEO). This investment follows a period of strong performance where the agency successfully met its previous three-year revenue target of €5M. The funding is specifically intended to support the agency's organic development and its initial external growth projects, which were already under review at the time of the transaction.

Primelis, which reported an EBITDA margin of [members only] in 2018, 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

Primelis is a high-growth digital marketing agency that has evolved into a "SaaS-enabled" platform, specializing in organic search (SEO), paid search (SEA), and social media advertising. Originally a pure consulting firm, the company shifted its strategy in 2017 to develop proprietary tracking and optimization software. These tools, which were initially for internal use by consultants, are now marketed directly to advertisers as a standalone or bundled SaaS offering. This hybrid model allows the firm to act as a "tech-tooled agency" or a "consultancy-backed SaaS platform," effectively using technology as a Trojan horse to enter major accounts.

Ent. Value

[members only]

Equity Value

[members only]

Multiples

EV / Revenue

[members only]

EV / EBITDA

[members only]

EV / EBIT

[members only]

Historical Financials (EUR)

Year
Rev
EBITDA
EBIT
2018
€5–25M
[members only]
[members only]
2017
€5–25M
[members only]
[members only]

Other operations with Primelis

Other operations with Primelis
DateAcquirerTargetCountrySector
03/2024SAGARDPRIMELISFRANCEDigital Marketing, SEO, SEA, Data Analytics

Other operations with Initiative & Finance

Other operations with Initiative & Finance
DateAcquirerTargetCountrySector
05/2026INITIATIVE & FINANCEAIRESSFRANCEHVAC
10/2025INITIATIVE & FINANCEYMAGFRANCEIndustry-Specific Software
05/2019INITIATIVE & FINANCENORD COFFRAGEFRANCEEquipment Rental
05/2015INITIATIVE & FINANCE / ISATIS CAPITALPURE TRADE WORLDWIDEFRANCEPackaging & Containers

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07/2017INPROVA GROUPVALUEWORKSUNITED KINGDOME-commerce & Marketplaces
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REFERENCES

Revenue range: REV €5–25M

Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of Primelis by Initiative & Finance 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.

Press release: view release

Target: primelis

Acquirer: initiative & finance

FAQ

What transaction does this page cover?

This page covers the acquisition of a minority stake in Primelis, a French company specialised in Content & Publishing, by Initiative & Finance in 2018, structured as a growth equity investment to support its development. Ownership has since evolved, leading to a subsequent transaction with Sagard in March 2024 (see the dedicated deal page for details).

What was Primelis’s revenue at the time of the deal?

At the time of the transaction, Primelis’s annual revenue was estimated within the €5–25M range (FY 2018). Detailed financial figures are available to members.

How does the valuation of Primelis 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?

The details of this transaction are sourced directly from the official corporate announcement published on the parties’ institutional website, ensuring primary-source verification of the closing and perimeter.

What is mynth?

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