UNICEPTA starts next growth phase with new majority shareholder Paragon

“With absolute customer orientation and a genuine love of innovation, we have become the market leader in Germany and a very strong international supplier. We intend to consistently continue along this path. We are delighted to have gained a prestigious partner in Paragon who shares our vision and strategy”, said Georg Stahl, managing partner at UNICEPTA.

“The market for media intelligence is entering another exciting phase because of the increasing digitization and internationalization. We see very good opportunities for us to make our customers more attractive and better offers, especially under these circumstances. This requires further investment. At the same time, we want to remain independent and act entrepreneurially. This is why the management team continues to have a direct stake in the company and steers strategy and business,” said Claas Sandrock, managing partner at UNICEPTA.

“In recent years, UNICEPTA has greatly expanded and digitalized its range of products and services, thereby continuously increasing customer benefits. This is documented by the satisfied and very loyal customers from the DAX and medium-sized companies. With Paragon’s investment, UNICEPTA will work to make its media monitoring and analysis services even more relevant to strategic communications”, said Mario Sabljo, Principal at Paragon.

“Decision-makers in business, politics and public institutions need reliable information about their perception in media and social networks. We invest in the successful work of UNICEPTA, so that it can win further customers in Germany and internationally. We look forward to working with the management team in a spirit of trust,” said Krischan von Moeller, managing partner at Paragon.

Paragon will take the place of the previous group of shareholders around Ippen Media Group and Hartmut Ostrowski, the former CEO of Bertelsmann SE. Georg Stahl: “It has always been a very constructive and open-minded colaboration, which has also been demonstrated by the smooth transition to Paragon. We want to thank our former investors for the very good cooperation.”

UNICEPTA has grown at an annual rate of 18 percent in sales over the last ten years, is the market leader for media intelligence in Germany and the fastest growing full-service provider in Europe. In the 2016/17 financial year, sales amounted to around 32 million euros. UNICEPTA offers media monitoring, analytics & insights and consulting services. The company works for around 300 clients, including two-thirds of the DAX companies and numerous other multinationals. UNICEPTA is also one of the leading providers of so-called newsroom solutions for corporate communications in Germany.

About UNICEPTA
UNICEPTA is a leading global provider for smart media intelligence in innovations/digital consulting, media monitoring, media analysis and research/consulting. Around 700 experts continuously structure the news flow – both around the clock and around the world. UNICEPTA compiles and presents highly relevant information from print and online media, TV, radio and social-media sources. This day-to-day work serves as a platform for the company to provide analysis and research-based advice for issues related to strategic communication.

About Paragon
Paragon is one of the leading independent private equity firms in Europe with approx. €650 million of equity under management. Paragon works closely with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth and operational excellence. The investment portfolio covers various industries and currently comprises 8 companies. Paragon was founded in 2004 and is based in Munich, Germany. For further information please refer to www.paragon.de.