TA Associates invests in Babilou

Cobepa, Raise Investissement and Societe Generale will stay on as shareholders, while the company remains majority-owned by the founding Carle family.

TA director Patrick Sader will join the company's board of directors, and will work alongside existing board member Jean-Marie Laurent Josi, CEO of Cobepa.

Over the last few years, Babilou has largely grown by way of external acquisitions. The company said it looked for an investor that could help it focus on its international expansion.

Babilou recently launched the Mes Solutions Family service, which provides tutoring for students, as well as homecare and other services for seniors.

TA was not available for comment at the time of writing.

Previous funding
In May 2015, French mid-cap minority investor Raise joined existing backer Cobepa to structure a €40m expansion round for Babilou. At the time, the daycare specialist recorded €200m in revenues.

Cobepa and Societe Generale joined the investor group in September 2013, buying Alpha Associés Conseil's minority stake for an undisclosed amount. Alpha had invested €15m in Babilou in 2003 via Alpha Private Equity Funds 5, with the management retaining a majority stake.

Company
Founded in Paris in 2003 by Rodolphe and Edouard Carle, Babilou is a provider of childcare and nursery services. Catering for children under the age of three, the company primarily runs company-owned nurseries serving corporate clients such as L'Oréal, Danone, Calyon and others, as well as municipalities. It also manages municipally-owned public facilities.

Babilou operates international booking platform 1001 Crèches, which alows individuals and businesses to book spaces at 1,400 daycare centres. The group manages 400 nurseries that can accommodate around 20,000 children in France, Germany, Belgium, Dubai and Switzerland.

People
Babilou – Rodolphe Carle (co-CEO/co-founder).
TA Associates – Patrick Sader (director).
Cobepa – Jean-Marie Laurent Josi (CEO).

Advisers
Company – Rothschild (corporate finance); Acetis Finance (corporate finance); KPMG (corporate finance); Linklaters (legal); Jeausserand-Audouard (legal); Reboul & Associés (legal). Equity – KPMG (corporate finance); Latham & Watkins (legal).

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• Topics
• Expansion
• Exits
• France
• Consumer
• France
• Societe Generale
• TA Associates