05 Feb 2020

Nova Partners advises Traxens on crossborder deal

Traxens raises €20 million to continue its conquest of the smart container market with legal advice received from MSI's Marseille based law firm Nova Partners.

Traxens is a company providing high-value data and services for the supply chain industry. The C series of the start-up was conducted with Itochu, Bpifrance and Supernova Invest. Traxens has great ambitions in the maritime transport market. The start-up has developed a box to allow the tracing of containers (and to provide information on their routing), based on the IOT. This technology has attracted Bpifrance, Supernova Invest and the Japanese conglomerate Itochu. All three are now investing EUR 20 M to enter the capital of the start-up, during a third round. Traxens is therefore further expanding its shareholding structure. The company had already received assistance from Tertium and affiliated vehicles from the Crédit Agricole and Banque Populaire galaxies. But it had also received decisive support for its development from two shipowners, in this case CMA-CGM and the Swiss Italian MSC. Another player from this sector, Maersk, should normally join this duo within the capital. In further news: Private equity Nova Partners advises the bank Caisse d’Epargne CEPAC (acting as a LP) on the acquisition of ACG Management (private equity fund’s GP – with approximately € 1 billion of assets under management (AUM)). M&A Château d'Esclans, world leader in luxury rosé wine, joins forces with LVMH - Moët Hennessy - Legal counsel: Nova Partners. Château d'Esclans, the leader in « Rosé de Provence » wines on the American market, joins Moët Hennessy's portfolio in the Wines & Spirits branch of LVMH. Moët Hennessy, who takes a majority stake, will work alongside Mr Alexis Lichine who retains indirectly 45% of the capital and remains CEO of Château d'Esclans. He retains the management of the domain and the responsibility for future development, sealing a long-term alliance with Moët Hennessy.