Deal Details

WoB Is Acquired By Livingbridge

Technology & Services
Consumer

WoB, a portfolio company of Bridges, acquisition by Livingbridge

Summary

World of Books Group (“WoB” or the “Company”), a portfolio company of Bridges Fund Management (“Bridges”), has been acquired by Livingbridge LLP (“Livingbridge”) to support the company’s continued growth for an undisclosed amount.

Baird served as exclusive financial advisor to World of Books Group on this transaction.

About

Founded in 2008, WoB is a re-commerce business operating within the books sector, committed to acting as a force for good and is a certified B-Corp company. WoB’s purpose driven actions focus on three areas – the promotion of used goods; championing literacy by helping to make books more widely accessible; and taking action to reduce carbon emissions. The Company sources its books via well-established charitable partnerships and directly from consumers through the Ziffit app, and then sells them through its own website as well as via Amazon, eBay and other specialist marketplaces. WoB has built a data-driven proprietary technology platform, which integrates with its three highly automated warehouses in Coventry, Goring-on-Sea and Cincinnati. This year, WoB expects to generate revenues of over £100m, a 30% YOY increase. The Company is headquartered in Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex, the United Kingdom.

Bridges is a specialist fund manager focused exclusively on sustainable and impact investing – using commercial investment strategies to generate financial returns alongside positive social and environmental impact. In the last 20 years, Bridges has demonstrated that by using impact as a lens to identify and engage with investments, it is possible to deliver returns for investors and positive societal impact. Bridges has now raised almost ~£1bn across its Sustainable Growth, Property and Outcomes Contracts funds in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Livingbridge is a mid-market private equity firm with offices in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia, investing in fast growing companies valued up to £300m. Livingbridge have been backing growing businesses together for twenty years and have made over a hundred investments, turning many into household names both at home and abroad. Livingbridge back growing companies in consumer markets; healthcare and education; technology, media and telecommunications; financial services and business services.

Technology & Services
Consumer

WoB, a portfolio company of Bridges, acquisition by Livingbridge