Eurazeo's Smile backs Sensio Labs

Smile intends to facilitate the growth of Sensio Labs and enable it to expand internationally. 

Listed PE firm Eurazeo, via its PME mid-cap arm, acquired a majority stake in French open-source IT business Smile in 2017 from Keensight Capital, backed with a unitranche debt facility amounting to approximately €50m from Idinvest. Capzanine also provided a debt package to support the transaction.

The acquisition of a majority stake in Sensio is Smile's third since Eurazeo came on board, after the business acquired the Swiss digital strategy consultant Virtua in January and France-based open-source CMS specialist Adyax in September. 

Smile's digital services range from consulting to design and execution. The business employs 1,300 people and generated €84m revenues in 2017.

Previous funding
In December 2013, CM-CIC invested €5m in Sensio, acquiring a minority stake. The company intended to use the funds to accelerate its international growth and continue its PHP language tool development.

Company
Established in 1998 and based in Paris, Sensio creates open-source software. It has developed a consultancy and training division to support its clients, based on its PHP and Symfony Open-Source technologies. It also manages tools to improve the day-to-day challenges faced by web developers.

People
SensioLabs – Fabien Potencier (co-founder).
Smile – Marc Palazon (chairman).

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Google plus  
• Send to  

• Topics
• Expansion
• France
• Technology
• France