Marlin signs definitive agreement to acquire and merge Smarp with existing portfolio company COYO

LOS ANGELES and LONDON, September 16, 2021 – Marlin Equity Partners (“Marlin”) is pleased to announce that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Smarp, a leading Finland-based global provider of employee communications and advocacy software. Smarp will be merged with COYO, a Marlin portfolio company, combining COYO’s leading social intranet and employee engagement functionality with Smarp’s powerful employee communications and advocacy platform. Together, the combined business will serve over 700 customers across the U.S., U.K. and Europe, and provide an integrated solution for the next-generation digital workplace.

“Prior to the pandemic, forward-thinking businesses were already beginning to embrace the digitization of employee communications, and today, all companies must recognize the need and opportunity for technology to sustain employee engagement as they adapt to new and innovative ways of working,” said Jan Marius Marquardt, CEO of COYO. “We are truly excited about joining forces with the team at Smarp and together we will have an unrivaled ability to help our customers prioritize engagement at the center of their strategy as a key differentiator in driving their success.”

“COYO and Marlin are excellent partners to help us propel our vision forward and build upon our values,” said Roope Heinilä, CEO and Founder of Smarp. “COYO’s social intranet and employee engagement analytics platform naturally complement Smarp’s competencies in employee communications and social advocacy. Our combined offering will be welcomed as a highly differentiated solution in the marketplace that provides customers a one-stop shop for all of their employee communication and engagement needs.”

“We are thrilled about the opportunity to support the combination of two highly successful vendors in social intranet and employee engagement as well as communication and advocacy,” said Mike Wilkinson, a principal at Marlin. “The merger opens a market with high demand for an integrated platform to centrally address all employee communication and engagement needs. We look forward to serving customers globally with an end-to-end solution, investing further in product development and help supporting the growth opportunities of the combined business.”

About Marlin Equity Partners

Marlin Equity Partners is a global investment firm with over $7.7 billion of capital under management. The firm is focused on providing corporate parents, shareholders and other stakeholders with tailored solutions that meet their business and liquidity needs. Marlin invests in businesses across multiple industries where its capital base, industry relationships and extensive network of operational resources significantly strengthen a company’s outlook and enhance value. Since its inception, Marlin, through its group of funds and related companies, has successfully completed over 190 acquisitions. The firm is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with an additional office in London. For more information, please visit www.marlinequity.com.

About COYO

COYO is one of the leaders in the modern intranet software market space. The company offers a comprehensive B2B communication and engagement software platform that is delivered via desktop and mobile applications. COYO’s platform allows employers to engage with their employees at any time and place, which provides valuable tools to support connectivity and collaboration in the transforming global working environment. Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, COYO employs over 140 professionals and provides its software solution to over one million end users. For further information, please visit the company website at www.coyoapp.com.

For additional information, please contact Peter Spasov at (310) 364-0100 or via email at pspasov@marlinequity.com.