Otium Capital injects €3m into Merci Handy

Otium acquired a minority stake through the transaction, while founders remain in control of the group.

It is the first time the Parisian startup has raised money from external investors, having been self-financed so far.

With Otium's backing, Merci Handy – which recently launched an e-commerce platform – will look to diversify its product range, hire new talent and further expand across Europe, with plans to hire country managers in charge of establishing new partnerships in the UK, Germany, Spain and Benelux in the coming months.

Founded by Louis Marty and Roland Jais-Nielsen in Paris in 2014, the startup registered €300,000 of revenues for its first year of activity, which more than tripled the year after, with a turnover amounting to €1m.

Otium's team of entrepreneurs will now look to triple this number again, hoping for a €3m turnover for the 2016 financial year.

Company
Merci Handy is a Paris-based cosmetics brand offering hygienic products such as hand cleansing gels, face mists and teeth whitening pastes. The brand operates through a network of 3,000 selling points, including Parisian boutiques and international brands such as Sephora, Colette, Douglas, Le Bon Marché and Urban Outfitters.

Founded in 2014, the company currently makes a third of its revenues abroad. The company employs 17 people.

People
Otium Capital – Antoine Fine (partner).

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• Topics
• Expansion
• France
• Consumer
• France
• Venture