May saw 11 PE-backed acquisitions across Europe, representing an 66% decline year-over-year with 21 acquisitions less in May 2025 than 2024.
Number of announced PE-backed acquisitions over the past 12 months*
- Number of PE-backed Acquisitions
Roll-Up Market Insights
In May, PE-backed acquisitions reached their lowest number in the last 12 months, presenting a 48% decline since April and a 66% decline year-over-year.
With 3 acquisitions, both the Netherlands and the UK present the countries with most PE-backed acquisitions.
In May, Xeinadin Group acquired KBG Accountants, already presenting the groups third acquisition in 2025.
FinTech, Software, and Consulting are the most mentioned acquired industries.
This month’s case study: Front Row Group‘s first acquisition after new PE investment
Founded in 2012, in New York, New York, USA, Front Row Group (previously Fortress Brand) partners with e-commerce brands to accelerate their growth in the beauty, health, well-being and other consumer industries.
Under previous private equity co-ownership from Trivest, Front Row Group (back then Fortress Brand) conducted 2 acquisitions. After the companies PE-backing changed to Charlesbank, the most recent acquisition was publicized in May 2025.
- Vortex Companies Acquisitions
Front Row Group’s most recent acquisition, publicized in May 2025, was the acquisitions of Build in Amsterdam.
Founded in 2013 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Build in Amsterdam is a digital consulting firm that offers marketing, branding, e-commerce, web development, and designing services.
PE interest in broader service industries extends into marketing and e-commerce
Next to financial, human resources, insurance, and other services, marketing and e-commerce extend the list of industries interesting for PEs, as exemplified by the investments from both Trivest and Charlesbank into Front Row Group.
Case study:
Charlesbank’s investment in Front Row Group represented the culmination of a multi-year thematic focus on e-commerce enablement, marketing and branding services and represents the ongoing PE interest in the industry:
- Founded in 2012, the brothers Alex and Matt Beer, launch Fortress Brand, which now represents Front Row’s Amazon Marketplace partnership.
- In 2020, Fortress Brand already partnered with Trivest Partners, foreseeing holistic service expansion for clients and long-term success for the company.
- Under the first PE co-ownership, Fortress Brand merges with marketing agency School House in 2021.
- One year later, they acquired European digital marketing agency Finc3 (including B2B marketing agency BizMut) in 2022, extending its offering to European markets.
- In 2022, also marketing and advertising company Taylor & Pond joined Fortress, before all agencies unite to launch Front Row Group in 2023.
- Trivest’s stake in Front Row Group is sold to Charlesbank in September 2024, who plan to grow Front Row Group organically and via M&A.
- With Build in Amsterdam, Front Row Group conducts its first of potentially many more acquisitions under Charlesbank co-ownership in May 2025.
You can read more on Charlesbank’s investment in Front Row Group here, and more on Front Row Group’s acquisition of Build in Amsterdam here.
*All data from CrunchBase, as of June 4, 2025.
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