BrandMaker Prepares for Further U.S. Growth with More Than $30 Million Capital Raised

One of Europe's largest fundraising rounds for Software as a Service (SaaS) to support further expansion in the U.S. and Europe

MUNICH & KARLSRUHE, Germany & ATLANTA--()--BrandMaker GmbH, a leading provider of Marketing Resource Management (MRM) systems, is readying itself for further growth with over $30 million dollars (23 million Euros) of capital. Its investors are PINOVA Capital, an independent private equity firm based in Munich, and a fund run by L-Bank (State Development Bank of Baden-Württemberg), which specializes in high growth technology companies.

The capital will be used to further expand the company’s operations, technology capabilities and marketing in Europe and the United States. Its U.S. subsidiary, BrandMaker, Inc., headed by veteran MRM software entrepreneurs Bill McInerny and David Ryan, is based in Atlanta.

Marko Maschek, co-founder and partner at PINOVA Capital says, “BrandMaker has everything needed to extend its leadership position in the MRM market, not just in Europe, but across the globe. The current financing will be used to further develop the technology, set new standards in the industry, and to continue international expansion, focusing particularly on the development and growth potential in the United States. BrandMaker’s office in Atlanta is enjoying great success, winning a number of very important customers in a short period of time."

Marketing Resource Management is a key technology that has fundamentally changed the marketing industry in recent years. With the large number of communications channels now available and more precise targeting of individual groups possible, modern marketing is a discipline largely driven by technology. Efficient workflows, transparent results and the automation of repetitive processes are prerequisites for effective and creative communication. Solutions such as those provided by BrandMaker can help marketing efforts gain greater strategic importance within companies and create the foundation for all-important marketing automation. Today marketing technology is one of the most business-critical applications in many industries.

Maschek continues, "Marketing technology is a highly dynamic market with fantastic growth opportunities. Software as a Service (SaaS) is the preferred delivery model in this sector, and BrandMaker's Marketing Efficiency Cloud is the right product at the right time. We look forward to supporting BrandMaker’s continued success.”

BrandMaker's solutions help companies to organize and monitor their marketing campaigns, maintain a consistent brand presence, and prepare and adapt relevant marketing content. BrandMaker's Marketing Efficiency Cloud includes modules for brand management, marketing planning, campaign control, digital asset management, the automation of advertising material production, and advertising logistics, as well as for advertising performance evaluation and local area marketing.

BrandMaker has exhibited above market sales growth over many years. Gartner, the global information technology research and advisory company, has named BrandMaker as a Leader in its Magic Quadrant for Marketing Resource Management for the third year in a row.

Well-known companies that use BrandMaker solutions in their communications and marketing departments include: Audi, Bayer, Butlers, Carl Zeiss, Ernst & Young, Hewlett Packard, Humana, Kyocera, Maybank, MetLife, Michelin, Pandora, Roche, UBS, and Volkswagen.

BrandMaker is headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany and employs more than 185 people. It has built a global partner network, opened branch offices in various European countries as well as BrandMaker Inc., to support BrandMaker's international customers.

Mirko Holzer, CEO and co-founder of the company, explains, "There are a number of competitors in each of our market areas, but none connects the fields of application using a single, holistic solution – a decisive feature for medium and large customers. We believe that with BrandMaker, we can contribute to the excellent reputation that ‘Business Software, Made in Germany’ enjoys across the globe."

About the L-EA SME Fund run by L-BANK (State Development Bank of Baden-Wuerttemberg)
The size of L-Bank's L-EA SME Fund currently stands at Euro 500 Million. Its investment focus is established SMEs. A tranche of Euro 50 Million is reserved for high growth technology companies (Venture Capital portfolio). In recent years L-EA has invested in successful firms such as Netviewer, BEONTRA and legodo.

About PINOVA Capital
PINOVA Capital is an independent Private Equity firm focusing on high-growth Engineering and Services companies in German speaking Europe.
The fund invests equity between € 3 million and € 15 million, taking minority and majority positions in companies within a revenue bracket of € 10 million to € 75 million.

PINOVA Capital was founded by Marko Maschek, Martin Olbort and Joern Pelzer, who have longstanding experience in Private Equity, an entrepreneurial Mittelstand background and an international network.

PINOVA Fund I currently holds investments in nine companies (BrandMaker GmbH, CLARUS Films GmbH, deconta GmbH, fabfab GmbH, Hemoteq AG, INVENT Umwelttechnik AG, Norafin Industries GmbH, Utimaco Safeware AG and WENDT SIT GmbH & Co. KG).

It is supported by the European Union through the "Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme" ("CIP"). www.pinovacapital.com

Contacts

BrandMaker
Beth Walsh, +1-760-230-2424
beth@clearpointagency.com
or
L-Bank
Cordula Bräuninger, +49 (0)721/150-1259
cordula.braeuninger@l-bank.de
or
PINOVA Capital GmbH
Marko Maschek, +49 (0)89/1894254-40
marko.maschek@pinovacapital.com

Release Summary

BrandMaker, leader in marketing resource management software in Europe, has raised $30 million to further its growth in the US. Investment was from Pinova Capital and a fund run by L-Bank in Europe.

Contacts

BrandMaker
Beth Walsh, +1-760-230-2424
beth@clearpointagency.com
or
L-Bank
Cordula Bräuninger, +49 (0)721/150-1259
cordula.braeuninger@l-bank.de
or
PINOVA Capital GmbH
Marko Maschek, +49 (0)89/1894254-40
marko.maschek@pinovacapital.com