International private equity group Bridgepoint Development Capital (BDC) has acquired a 40% stake in high-growth UK tech business MVF, the parties have announced.

Mid-market M&A firm Cavendish Corporate Finance (CCF) has led on the deal, which represents its fifth completion of 2015.

MVF is a tech firm focusing on online customer acquisition and lead generation. Since it was founded in 2009 by five entrepreneurs it has been recognised as one of the UK’s most successful tech growth companies on more than one occasion. It was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2014 and named on the Sunday Times Tech Track 2013 list.

The company currently has more than 1,500 clients across 50 countries – including British Gas, Mars and Nestle. It is based in Kentish Town and is part of the “Kentish Cluster”, a group of North London tech companies supporting start-ups in the area.

This latest deal will support the continued accelerated growth, potential acquisitions and international expansion. Despite heavy involvement in a number of new start-ups since 2005, the five founders – Jules Hopkinson and Titus Sharpe, both previously co-founders of Moodia Ltd and Approved Index, Tom Morgan, David Walton and Simon Venturi – will remain invested in MVF.

CCF is looking to build on a successful 2014, in which it completed 20 transactions. The firm advises on company sales to private equity firms – including Freedom Finance Holdings Limited to Pollen Street Capital and Avantia Limited to ECI Partners.

CCF partner Michael Jewell called the MVF deal a “great result” for the client and claimed it will allow them to “continue to exploit the fast growing digital marketing sector”.

“The transaction also demonstrates the growing trend for private equity firms to invest in the UK’s expanding technology sector; and we expect this development to continue as high-growth companies seek capital to expand and private equity firms continue to be drawn to the strong returns these growth companies offer,” he added.

MVF CEO Titus Sharpe said he was “delighted to partner with Bridgepoint”.

“Bridgepoint has proved to be the perfect match for MVF because they understand the company vision and culture and have the financial capability and international reach to support the continued growth of the business,” he said.

“All five founders are still invested in MVF and it was important for us to maintain our unique values that have made MVF so successful, while getting a partner to help with our expansion.”

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