Company / / Occhio kicks off next phase of growth with EMH Partners

18 years after its founding Occhio kicks off a new phase of growth. In order to continue the company’s dynamic development in the years to come, Axel Meise has brought on board – for the first time – an entrepreneurial and financially strong partner in the form of the Munich and London-based private equity company EMH Partners. By means of a capital increase EMH Partners invests growth capital running well into the tens of millions and has thus acquired a minority share of 44 per cent. Axel and Susann Meise remain the majority shareholders in Occhio GmbH.

»We are among the fastest-growing companies in the lighting industry, but we are nowhere near having exhausted our potential yet,« says company founder and CEO Axel Meise. »With EMH Partners, we have gained a strong partner that does not just bring along capital, but also an entrepreneurial mindset, and will actively help us to continue expanding. We want to make the unique possibilities of lighting design that Occhio offers accessible to as many people as possible – because quality of light means quality of life.«

EMH Partners is a private equity firm that is run by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs and invests in fast-growing SMEs. The company is pursuing a long-term »build and scale« strategy and assists its portfolio companies above all with the internationalisation and digitalisation of the entire value chain.

»We are delighted that we will be able to contribute to writing the next chapters of Occhio’s success story,« says Maximilian Kuss, Managing Partner of EMH Partners. »With its strong brand, its consistent design concept and innovative lighting and control technology, Occhio is an exceptional case in the lighting industry. We will be assisting in the company’s expansion domestically and abroad, above all with our expertise in digitalisation.«

As part of its partnership with EMH Partners, Occhio will expand its brand presence, continue increasing sales via selected partners, invest in complementing its product portfolio and continue to digitalise the value chain, while pushing ahead with internationalisation. In the long term, the company aims to generate more than half of the Group’s sales outside of Germany.