Eurazeo Capital and IK Partners have acquired a majority stake in Questel, alongside Raise Investissement and the management team. The strategic rationale for the deal is to finance and accelerate Questel’s ambitious external growth strategy, particularly in Europe, the US, and Japan. The transaction is supported by a €555 million ESG unitranche debt facility co-arranged by CAPZA, which includes an innovative margin adjustment mechanism based on the achievement of specific environmental, social, and governance criteria. This partnership aims to consolidate Questel’s leadership in the fragmented IP solutions market, leveraging the combined expertise of its new majority shareholders to continue its rapid scaling. For CAPZA, this marks a renewal of a long-term relationship with the group, transitioning from a previous shareholder role to a key debt provider.

IK Partners entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire a significant stake in Questel, with a structured mechanism to become the majority shareholder over time. This transaction marks the exit of Capzanine as a shareholder (though it remains the unitranche debt provider) and the reinvestment of Raise alongside IK Partners and CEO Charles Besson. The strategic rationale for the deal is to fund and accelerate Questel's aggressive build-up strategy following a period of exceptional performance where EBITDA tripled to reach €18M. The partnership allows Questel to leverage IK's pan-European network to further its international expansion, particularly capitalizing on its dominant position in patent databases and high-value services for multinational corporations.