Nordic Capital acquires digital identity pioneer Signicat
- Signicat takes aim at the fast-growing global digital identity market
- Nordic Capital will accelerate Signicat’s international expansion and strengthen its position as the leading digital identity hub
- The acquisition reinforces Nordic Capital’s leading position in the Northern European Technology & Payments sector
Nordic Capital Fund IX (“Nordic Capital”) today announced the acquisition of Signicat, a high-growth provider of digital identity and signature solutions that operates the leading digital identity hub in the market. Nordic Capital will, in close partnership with the company’s management and existing shareholder Viking Venture, accelerate Signicat’s international expansion and strengthen the company’s market leading position and unique product offering.
Founded in Trondheim, Norway in 2007, Signicat leads innovation in verified digital identity solutions, reducing risk while providing a smart and intuitive user experience. Its solutions enable companies and institutions, both in regulated and non-regulated industries, to offer efficient and user-friendly advanced online authentication, identification verification and electronic signature solutions.
Signicat has more than 500 clients, with a stronghold in the financial services sector where the company works with providers such as DNB, Klarna, Rabobank, Santander, Société Générale and Western Union. The company’s solutions are also increasingly adopted across new verticals, being used for instance by blue-chip companies such as BMW, Konica Minolta and Schibsted Media Group. Among Signicat’s largest customers are also several of Nordic Capital’s current and former portfolio companies including Nordax, Nordnet, Intrum and Resurs Bank. In 2018, Signicat generated revenues of approximately NOK 180 million (EUR 19 million), primarily consisting of recurring subscription or transaction based revenues. The company has circa 115 employees across offices in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal.
Signicat was acquired from Secure Identity Holding AS and other shareholders. Viking Venture III AS, Signicat’s other major shareholder, will re-invest all proceeds and continue as a minority owner, together with employee shareholders and with Nordic Capital as the majority owner.
“As one of the most prominent and experienced investors in the FinTech sector with a long and proven track record of growing businesses, Nordic Capital is the perfect partner to support Signicat’s accelerated international expansion strategy,” said Gunnar Nordseth, CEO and Co-Founder of Signicat. “We live in a digital society where interactions between consumers and institutions are predominantly online and mobile-first. Trust is at a premium, and digital identity is the solution. Over the last 12 years Signicat has built a digital identity platform with all the tools any institution requires to establish mutual trust with its customers. With the ongoing global digital transformation, we are ideally placed to address this burgeoning market opportunity.”
“Born from the most advanced digital identity market in the world, Signicat is a recognised leader in one of the most exciting and fast-growing technology areas globally acting as a key enabler for the digital economy,” said Fredrik Näslund, Partner at the Advisor to the Nordic Capital Funds. “The company has shown consistent high growth since inception, driven both by a rapidly increasing number of customers and strong volume growth among existing customers. Signicat’s highly experienced management team is well positioned to capitalise on enormous growth opportunities across geographies, customer verticals and products, as the digital transformation of the economy continues. Drawing on Nordic Capital’s significant experience across enterprise software, payment technology, financial services, and from scaling businesses globally, we are enthusiastic about the opportunity to help Signicat to further strengthen its market position and customer offering.”
“As a leading Nordic growth software investor, we at Viking Venture have backed Signicat to become the market leader within digital identity in the Nordics. Together with Nordic Capital, we will support the company to become a global leader,” said Jostein Vik, Partner, Viking Venture.
The acquisition of Signicat is the ninth investment by Nordic Capital’s latest fund, Nordic Capital Fund IX with EUR 4.3 billion in committed capital and which closed in May 2018. The acquisition builds on Nordic Capital’s recognised expertise and outstanding track record in the technology sector. Nordic Capital has made 14 Technology & Payment platform investments, including Bambora, Point and Trustly, and more than 40 add-ons since 2001.
The parties have agreed to not disclose any financial details.
-ENDS-
About Signicat
Based in Trondheim, Norway, and founded in 2007, Signicat operates the largest digital identity hub in the world, offering the only complete identity platform in the market, trusted to reduce the burden of compliance in highly regulated industries. With Signicat, institutions can build and leverage existing customer credentials to connect users, devices and even ‘things’ across channels, services and markets transforming identity into an asset rather than a burden. By ditching manual, paper-based processes and replacing them with digital identity assurance, customer on-boarding is accelerated and access to services is made simple and secure. Signicat has over 500 financial services and other organisations as clients, connects to more than 20 schemes globally and verifies more than 20 million transactions per month. For further information about Signicat, please visit www.signicat.com
About Nordic Capital
Nordic Capital is a leading private equity investor with a resolute commitment to creating stronger, sustainable businesses through operational improvement and transformative growth. Nordic Capital focuses on selected regions and sectors where it has deep experience and a proven track record. Core sectors are Healthcare, Technology & Payments, Financial Services and in addition Industrial Goods & Services and Consumer, Key regions are the Nordics, Northern Europe and globally for Healthcare. Since inception in 1989, Nordic Capital has invested EUR 14 billion in over 100 investments. The most recent fund is Nordic Capital Fund IX with EUR 4.3 billion in committed capital, principally provided by international institutional investors such as pension funds. The Nordic Capital Funds and vehicles are based in Jersey and are advised by advisory entities, which are based in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Germany and the UK. For further information about Nordic Capital, please visit www.nordiccapital.com
About Viking Venture
Viking Venture is a leading Nordic growth software investor with more than NOK 2 billion under management. The fund is headquartered in Trondheim, Norway and is an active minority investor in fast growing software companies with international potential. For more information about Viking Venture, please visit www.vikingventure.com
Media Contacts:
Nordic Capital
Katarina Janerud, Communications Manager
Advisor to the Nordic Capital Funds
Tel: +46 8 440 50 50
e-mail: katarina.janerud@nordiccapital.com
Signicat
Nordic press contact
Johanna Puustinen
Tel +47 918 78 673
e-mail: johanna.puustinen@signicat.com
CCgroup for Signicat
Daniel Lowther and Elvina Soogun
Tel: +44 20 3824 9200
e-mail: signicat@ccgrouppr.com
Viking Venture
Jostein Vik, Partner
Viking Venture
Tel: +47 922 22 392
e-mail: jostein.vik@vikingventure.com
