New Immo Group, a leader in digital real estate in France through the SAFTI and megAgence brands, announced today that Permira has acquired a 36% stake through its Permira Growth Opportunities Fund. This operation will allow the Group to significantly speed up its human, technological and international expansion to become the clear regional leader in the digital real estate sector. The company’s co-founders and managers are the majority shareholders. Qualium Investissement, who originally invested in New Immo Group in 2018, will retain its stake in the company.
"In addition to the growth achieved by SAFTI and megAgence, this investment reinforces our strategic vision. Customers and real estate agents are always looking to reduce the time transactions take, costs and the lack of transparency. We think that our innovative model as a “digital agency” is a real strength in answering those problems. With Permira as a shareholder, their track record in tech investment and their experience in companies’ internalization, New Immo Group is now right on track to become tomorrow’s leader in European real estate. We would also like to thank Qualium Investissement for their support over the last few years and appreciate their confidence by being at our side in this new chapter” commented Gabriel Pacheco, founder of and CEO of New Immo Group.
Founded in 2010 and based in Toulouse, New Immo Group is a leading digital-native platform in its industry, operating under two brands: SAFTI and megAgence. New Immo Group’s digital model combines the power of digital marketing with independent real estate agents on the ground, allowing them to create, develop and manage their portfolio of properties and clients without the costs incurred by physical agencies while preserving a network dynamic. Digital real estate has proved resilient throughout a fluctuating market and keeps gaining market share – digital real estate is expected to account for more than 30% of real estate transactions over the next five years.
SAFTI is a network comprising 5,500 agents in France, which have generated nearly 20,000 operations last year and has recently expanded in the Spanish and Portuguese markets. The megAgence network has 1,600 agents in France.
Real estate agents who use New Immo Group benefit from unique entrepreneurial experience in the market, combining full operational autonomy, enhanced flexibility in the management and execution of real estate transactions, attractive remuneration, online multiservice support and professional training provided by the head office.
A partnership that significantly fuels the company's development and growth
This investment from Permira will enable New Immo Group to speed up the execution of its strategic roadmap, with three key priorities: growth, technology, and international development. The funds raised will allow the company to strengthen its head office teams, invest in new tools to improve the performance of its agents, improve the platform, and bolster the notoriety of both brands. It will also support the company's international expansion, particularly in high-potential markets such as Spain, Portugal, and soon Germany and Italy, with the aim to become a European leader.
"Since 2010, New Immo Group has experienced outstanding growth while disrupting its market. The company’s digital offering represents the future of real estate: for customers, SAFTI and megAgence offer a large variety of properties with lower commissions and more entrepreneurial agents. On the other side, agents are able to earn a higher share of the commission pool, whilst also creating and developing their own network through the digital platform. We are honored that the three founders have chosen us as partners in this new phase of growth, and we look forward to working together to create the new European leader in digital real estate," said Alexandre Margoline, Partner and Head of Permira in France.
“New Immo Group has seen an impressive growth trajectory in recent years and has continued to perform strongly in spite of the current environment, proving the resilience of the model and the competitive differentiation of the business. We are very excited to support Gabriel and the whole team at New Immo Group in the next phase of this exciting journey,” added Roy Awad, Investment Executive at Permira.
To keep up with its current pace of “hypergrowth”, New Immo Group intends to double the number of independent real estate agents within three years, and to accelerate its footprint in regions where the digital real estate development market has not reached its full potential, both in France and internationally.