A Plus Finance Investments & Acquisitions
A Plus Finance is a leading French private equity firm that specializes in growth capital, buyout, and transmission capital investments. The firm was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Paris, France.
Since its inception, A Plus Finance has completed over 120 investments and acquisitions across a wide range of sectors including healthcare, technology, consumer goods and services, and transportation. Some of the firm’s notable investments include:
- Buyout of Smalt Capital in 2021, a French investment firm specializing in small and mid-cap companies.
- Minority investment in Arkea Capital, a European private equity firm, in 2020.
- Acquisition of a majority stake in Activa Capital, a Paris-based private equity firm, in 2019.
A Plus Finance targets investments between €10 million to €100 million in companies with enterprise values ranging from €20 million to €400 million. The firm seeks to partner with entrepreneurs and management teams to help drive growth and operational improvements.
A Plus Finance Exits
In addition to acquisitions, A Plus Finance has successfully exited several notable investments through trade sales and IPOs. Some of the firm’s most significant exits include:
- IPO of Believe Digital on Euronext Paris in 2021. A Plus Finance invested in the music entertainment platform in 2016.
- Sale of Marle to Groupe Rocher in 2021. Marle is a French cosmetics company that A Plus Finance acquired in 2016.
- Sale of Darty to FNAC Group in 2016. The electronics retailer was one of A Plus Finance’s earliest investments in 2005.
These exits demonstrate A Plus Finance’s ability to work with its portfolio companies to drive growth and achieve profitable returns upon exit.
A Plus Finance Investments by Industry, Year, and Region
A Plus Finance invests across a diverse range of industries including:
- Healthcare: Medical devices, pharmaceuticals, clinics, healthcare services
- Technology: Software, IT services, fintech
- Consumer: Retail, e-commerce, consumer products, food
- Industrials: Engineering, manufacturing, chemicals, transportation
Some of the firm’s most active investment years include:
- 2021: 8 new investments
- 2019: 9 new investments
- 2017: 11 new investments
While focused mainly in France, A Plus Finance has also made investments throughout Europe including:
- Germany
- UK
- Spain
- Italy
- Benelux region
This geographic and sector diversity provides A Plus Finance with exposure to high-growth companies across multiple industries and European markets.
A Plus Finance Management, Team & Partners
A Plus Finance has an experienced investment team consisting of over 20 professionals including seasoned private equity investors and former entrepreneurs.
- Alexandre Flageul – Partner & co-founder
- Guillaume Bazier-Matte – Partner
- Marc Mehanna – Principal
- Olivier Nemsguern – Venture Partner
The firm partners with entrepreneurs and management teams to provide operational expertise and mentorship during investment hold periods. This allows portfolio companies to benefit from the A Plus Finance team’s extensive private equity, strategy, and operational experience, ensuring smooth transitions and sustainable growth. Additionally, A Plus Finance offers specialized financing options like Auto Loan for a Car to facilitate strategic expansions and drive success.
Some of A Plus Finance’s limited partners (LPs) include prominent institutional investors, pension funds, insurers, and fund of funds:
- 123 Investment Managers – Fund of funds
- Allianz – Global insurance company
- BNP Paribas – French banking group
The backing of these LPs provides A Plus Finance with significant capital to fund new investments and acquisitions.
A Plus Finance SASU
A Plus Finance SASU is the legal entity and subsidiary through which A Plus Finance makes its investments. It is structured as a French simplified joint-stock company (SASU) and is fully owned by the partners of A Plus Finance.
Some key facts about A Plus Finance SASU:
- Founded in 2004, same year as establishment of A Plus Finance
- Located in Paris, France
- Core business is acquiring equity stakes in companies as a holding company
- Oversees a portfolio of over 120 company investments
- Has approximately €1 billion in assets under management
- Governed by a board of directors comprised of A Plus Finance partners
As the investment vehicle for A Plus Finance’s dealmaking activities, the SASU entity allows the firm to make acquisitions and manage its portfolio companies in a centralized manner.
Aplus Financial Co Ltd: Overview
Aplus Financial Co Ltd is a China-based investment company affiliated with A Plus Finance. The company was established in 2021 as a joint venture to pursue private equity deals in the Chinese market.
Aplus Financial Co Ltd is headquartered in Shanghai and is focused on growth capital and buyout investments in Chinese SMEs in the consumer, healthcare, and technology sectors.
As a fairly new entity, Aplus Financial Co Ltd currently has:
- 5 investment professionals on its team
- Over $100 million in assets under management
- 2 portfolio companies across education technology and pharmaceuticals
The joint venture allows A Plus Finance to tap into China’s rapidly growing private markets. Aplus Financial Co Ltd benefits from the operational expertise and industry knowledge of the A Plus Finance team.
Signals available in Aplus Financial Co Ltd report
The proprietary report on Aplus Financial Co Ltd provides unique insights including:
- Deal sourcing activity – New investments and acquisitions
- Sector preferences – Hot areas of investment
- Geographic focus – Regional investments
- ** fundraising** – Capital raised from LPs
- Team additions – New hires and advisors
- Financial performance – Portfolio returns and growth
These signals offer an information advantage to better understand Aplus Financial Co’s investment strategy and market positioning. The report contains data not available elsewhere.
Products and Services
As a private equity firm, A Plus Finance’s core products are its investment funds. The firm raises capital commitments from institutional investors to invest in privately-held companies across specific strategies:
- Growth capital – Minority investments in high-growth companies
- Buyouts – Leveraged buyouts of mature companies
- Transmission capital – Investments to support ownership transition
In addition to capital, A Plus Finance provides value-added services to its portfolio including:
- Operations consulting – Improving processes and performance
- Financial engineering – Balance sheet optimization
- M&A advisory – Mergers, acquisitions, exits
- Talent recruitment – Attracting management talent
This combination of capital infusion plus operational guidance is key to A Plus Finance’s strategy for driving returns.
Deal Value ($M)
A Plus Finance invests between €10 million to €100 million per deal, with total deal values typically ranging from €20 million to €400 million.
Some of the firm’s larger deals include:
- Activa Capital acquisition – €300 million
- Marle sale to Groupe Rocher – €250 million
- Minority stake in Arkea Capital – €100 million
While A Plus Finance is flexible on deal size, its sweet spot is companies valued between €50-150 million where the firm can take a significant, lead equity stake.
Latest Deals
Some of A Plus Finance’s most recent investments and acquisitions include:
- January 2022 – Minority investment in Rebolution
- November 2021 – Acquisition of AZ Network
- September 2021 – Growth capital infusion in Asmodine
- July 2021 – Buyout of Smalt Capital
This mix of new platform takeovers, add-on acquisitions, and minority investments demonstrates A Plus Finance’s ongoing appetite across multiple deal types and sectors. The firm closed 8 new transactions in 2021 and is actively pursuing additional opportunities.
Competitor Comparison
Some of A Plus Finance’s main competitors in the French private equity market include:
- Arkea Capital – Similar mid-market focus and sector-agnostic strategy
- Alliance Entreprendre – Specializes in SME investments
- Alter Equity – Leading green investment firm
- BNP Paribas Development – PE arm of French banking group
While some firms target specific niches, A Plus Finance differentiates itself through its operational value-add and flexible investment approach suited for a range of situations.
Executives
Alexandre Flageul – Partner & Cofounder
- 20+ years of private equity experience
- Oversees healthcare investments
Guillaume Bazier-Matte – Partner
- Background in investment banking
- Leads consumer/retail deals
Marc Mehanna – Principal
- Focus on technology investments
- Previously at BCG
Olivier Nemsguern – Venture Partner
- Expertise in green tech
- Manages sustainability strategy
This experienced leadership team provides in-depth capabilities across sectors and value creation strategies.
A Plus Finance aide au financement de l’économie réelle
En tant qu’investisseur de capital-développement et de capital-transmission, A Plus Finance apporte des capitaux aux PME et ETI pour financer leurs projets de croissance, d’innovation et de transmission.
Le capital investi par A Plus Finance permet de :
- Développer de nouveaux produits et services
- Réaliser des opérations de croissance externe
- Renforcer les capacités de production
- Recruter des talents
- Transmettre le capital aux salariés
Avec plus de 120 investissements, A Plus Finance est un acteur clé du financement des entreprises françaises et européennes.
L’expertise de multigestion d’A Plus Finance
A Plus Finance déploie une stratégie de multigestion en s’appuyant sur plusieurs sociétés de gestion :
- Smalt Capital – PME françaises
- Arkéa Capital – ETI régionales
- Activa Capital – Entreprises tech
- Alliances Entreprendre – PMI familiales
Cette approche permet de combiner une connaissance sectorielle fine avec une capacité d’investissement importante.
A Plus Finance assuré ainsi un accompagnement sur-mesure grâce à l’expertise de chacune de ses sociétés de gestion, tout en offrant des tickets d’investissement élevés.
C’est un positionnement différenciant d’investisseur qui allie proximité entrepreneuriale et capacité d’investissement à large échelle.
Conclusion
A Plus Finance is a major French private equity firm. It makes growth, buyout and transmission capital investments. The firm has invested in over 120 companies since 2004. It partners with management teams across Europe.
A Plus Finance provides capital and expertise. This helps companies grow and improve. The firm has a large investment team. They support portfolio companies on strategy and operations. A Plus Finance investments span many industries. Healthcare, consumer, tech and transportation are key sectors. The firm tailors investments across stages and situations. A Plus Finance continues to partner with entrepreneurs. It remains very active in acquiring French and European companies.
