Ardian growth invests in software publisher IWD

Founded in Paris in 2000 by Gabriel Becker and Nicolas Martin, IWD controls the entire life of the product, from its creation to its enhancement at the point of sale. The firm enables brands to build, communicate and analyze their merchandising strategies. Having established itself as a leading player in the French market with a global reach, IWD stands out with a diversified portfolio of loyal customers made up by more than 300 brands. The company’s international expansion began in 2007, with the opening of its office in New York. It continued in 2017 with the opening of two more offices in Los Angeles and Singapore, allowing IWD to build closer relationships with its international clients. Today, the company has more than 50 employees worldwide.

Ardian is partnering with IWD to support the company’s organic growth and potential acquisitions. The initial focus will be on strengthening IWD’s offering and broadening its customer portfolio, particularly through expansion into new markets.

Nicolas Martin, co-founder of IWD, commented: "Thanks to its strong digital experience and excellent track record in France and internationally, Ardian Growth stood out as our preferred partner to support our development. We really look forward to collaborating with the Ardian team to continue our growth journey.”

Gabriel Becker, co-founder of IWD, added: "In order to accelerate our development and consolidate our leading market position, we have entered a new stage of growth, which will involve targeted acquisitions and expansion of our offer into more markets. For this new stage, Ardian is the natural partner thanks to its proven ability to provide expert support across international markets and expertise in areas relevant to our strategic challenges.”

Frédéric Quéru, Director at Ardian Growth, added: "The management of IWD has great expertise in digital and retail, which has allowed the company to become a leader in its market, as evidenced by its long-term relationships with major luxury brands such as Dior, Estée Lauder, Shiseido and L’Oréal. We look forward to working with IWD on its expansion strategy acquiring new customers and rolling out its offer to new markets.”