Clearwater advises Synova on its investment in Learnlight

Transaction

Beech Tree sold Learnlight to Synova

Buy-side

Undisclosed

Role

Adviser to Synova on its investment in Learnlight

Sector

Business Services

Region

United Kingdom

Clearwater has advised Synova on its investment in Learnlight, a leading provider of digital-first language and skills training to multi-national corporations.

Learnlight was founded by Benjamin Joseph (CEO) and Rupert Hillier (COO) in 2007 with the mission to improve people’s communication by providing language, intercultural and skills training. Learnlight has successfully disrupted the traditional face-to-face corporate language training market through its virtual training, where their teachers deliver bespoke lessons in real time via the Company’s best-in-class technology platform, supported by excellent customer service.

In recent years, there has been a structural shift in the delivery of language and skills training from face-to-face to virtual. Learnlight has capitalised on these trends and has scaled rapidly, growing its virtual training service by +40% p.a. It is now one of the largest digital-first platforms, delivering a service to over 1,200 customers across more than 40 countries, including Spain, Germany, Italy, France, UK, USA and Mexico. Learnlight works with global corporations with complex learning needs across multiple countries, with customers such as Siemens, Deutsche Telekom, and Hyundai.

Synova and Beech Tree will support Learnlight to deliver its ambitious strategy, which is focused on a combination of continued organic growth, targeted acquisitions to support further international expansion and continuing to develop the company’s bespoke content and technology offering.

Learnlight’s industry-leading and digital-first proposition offers a multitude of expansion opportunities in a very large and fragmented global market. It’s tremendously exciting to be partnering with Ben, Rupert and the rest of the Learnlight team to help them deliver their growth ambitions. I’d like to say thank you to the team at Clearwater for playing a key role in identifying and curating this off-market opportunity and acting as our adviser. Their connections across the industry are first class, and their private equity relationships, specifically with existing investor Beech Tree in this case, add enormous value. We’re delighted to be joining the team alongside Beech Tree on this next phase of the Company’s evolution.
Tim Ashlin, Partner at Synova

We are thrilled to have closed this investment from Synova, who we see as the ideal partner for the next leg of our journey. This will allow us to accelerate our plans for further innovation and expansion of our services and to continue to deliver the best experience for our clients and learners. Synova’s deep knowledge of commercial growth strategy and international markets will help drive the expansion of our global footprint. We are also delighted to see Beech Tree invest again, which is a testament to the great relationship built over the last five years and the huge opportunity we all see ahead.
Ben Joseph, CEO of Learnlight

We are delighted to be investing alongside Synova and backing the team at Learnlight again. The fact that we have attracted a first-class investor like Synova, is testament to the management team and what we have built at Learnlight over the past five years. The business has seen a five-fold increase in profitability and expansion into 5 countries here in Europe and Mexico since we invested and has significant opportunity to grow further in these territories as well as new ones.
Andy Marsh, Managing Partner at Beech Tree

We are thoroughly delighted to have worked with Synova on this buy-side transaction. Learnlight is a great business, there’s lot of growth opportunity and with the investment from Synova, it’ll have the firepower it needs to maximise future opportunities. It was a pleasure working with Tim and the rest of the Synova team and we’d like to wish them all the best as they move forward with Learnlight under its portfolio.
Sarah Taylor, Partner, Clearwater