Sophora Unternehmerkapital acquires shares and expands shareholder base / Managing Director Bärbel Maempel retires / Growth path will be continued

auxalia GmbH (“auxalia”), headquartered in Hamburg and one of the leading Autodesk-based software providers for the construction industry in the DACH region, is reorganizing its shareholder structure: Long-time Managing Director and shareholder Bärbel Maempel is retiring. At the same time, Sophora Unternehmerkapital (“Sophora”), an owner-managed investment company from Munich with a focus on medium-sized companies, is taking over shares in the company. The previous shareholders Andreas Hofherr (Managing Director), Carsten Dohrmann (Darmstadt Site Manager) and Bernd Schlenker (Head of Marketing and Business Development) will retain significant stakes in the company. Arno Funk will also remain with the company as Head of Development.

The new auxalia shareholder team (from left to right): Benjamin Hubner (Sophora), Bernd Schlenker (auxalia), Jennifer Regehr (Sophora), Carsten Dohrmann (auxalia), Andreas Hofherr (Managing Director auxalia)

For auxalia CEO Andreas Hofherr, this builds a future-oriented foundation for successful corporate development: “auxalia is doing extremely well economically, and with our product and service portfolio and competent employees, we are ideally equipped for the future. With our innovative business and technology offerings, our strong customer base and our clear positioning in a promising digital market, we have the necessary ingredients for future success. At the same time, the entry and expertise of Sophora opens up new opportunities for us to exploit our potential even better and to lead auxalia to further growth together with our existing management team.”

Andreas Hofherr (Managing Director auxalia)

“After more than 35 years, I am very happy to hand over the baton and wish Andreas Hofherr, the shareholders and all auxalia employees all the best for the future,” Bärbel Maempel commented on her departure. “I would like to thank all customers for their partnership and loyalty, as well as all employees for their great commitment in overcoming all challenges, big and small.” Andreas Hofherr added: “I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks for the enormous commitment with which Bärbel Maempel has led the company over many years. Without her, her expertise and creative power, we would not be where we are today.”

The retiring auxalia managing director and shareholder Bärbel Maempel welcomes the new shareholder and Sophora Managing Partner Benjamin Hubner

Benjamin Hubner, Managing Partner of Sophora, comments: “We are thrilled with auxalia’s development to date and will continue to fully support the growth course it has embarked upon. As a long-term partner for strategic corporate development, we are very much looking forward to working with Andreas Hofherr and his team.” Jennifer Regehr, Managing Partner of Sophora, added: “auxalia represents an important investment for us and, as a customer-focused quality leader in the field of digital transformation, brings all the prerequisites to continue operating highly successfully in the future.”

The Sophora team working on the transaction consisted of Benjamin Hubner, Jennifer Regehr, Neil MacDougall and Joop Heijenrath, who will also serve as Chairman of the Advisory Board in the future.

Sophora was advised by Alvarez & Marsal (Financial), Simon-Kucher & Partners (Commercial), PwC (Tax, Structure, Legal), POELLATH + Partners (Structure), Goodwin Procter (Legal, Financial) and Houlihan Lokey (Financing Advisor).

The shareholders of auxalia were advised by UniCredit (M&A) and Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek (Legal).

About auxalia
Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, auxalia has been one of the leading Autodesk-based construction software providers in the DACH region since 1987. As an Autodesk Platinum Partner and Autodesk Construction Cloud Elite Partner, the company sells the entire Autodesk AEC and BIM portfolio. In addition, it develops and sells its own applications that specifically complement and extend Autodesk solutions. auxalia’s goal is the digital transformation of processes in the planning and execution of construction projects as well as the networked collaboration of architects, planners, engineers, builders, contractors and other project participants. Individual consulting, technical support, and comprehensive training and continuing education complete the service portfolio. Around 70 employees work for over 5,000 customers at 9 locations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
www.auxalia.com

About Sophora
Sophora Unternehmerkapital (“Sophora”), based in Munich, is an independent and owner-managed investment company with a focus on medium-sized companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Sophora consists of an interdisciplinary team of entrepreneurs with many years of experience in the investment business and as founders and Managing Directors of companies. As a value-creating partner of entrepreneurs and management teams of medium-sized companies, Sophora provides strategic and operational know-how as well as a comprehensive network of experts and flexible capital in order to jointly discover and develop potentials. Sophora is a signatory of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (“PRI”) and the Women’s Empowerment Principles (“WEPs”).
www.sophora.de/en/