In a significant move for the European tech landscape, French business software firm LumApps has merged with Swiss counterpart Beekeeper, creating a new unicorn valued at approximately $1.1 billion.
The deal, announced Wednesday, is set to close later this month. It is backed by British private equity group Bridgepoint (BPTB.L), which was already a major investor in LumApps and will retain a majority stake in the newly formed company.
“Midterm, an IPO or a trade sale are options,” said Cristian Grossmann, CEO of Beekeeper. “With the U.S. and Europe being our core markets, both would be great IPO venue candidates.”
The merged entity will be headquartered in Lyon, France—home to LumApps—with LumApps CEO Sebastien Ricard taking the reins of the combined business. Together, the companies will employ around 600 people globally.
A Rare European Unicorn
The term unicorn refers to private startups valued at $1 billion or more—a status still relatively rare in Europe’s tech ecosystem. The union of LumApps and Beekeeper marks a milestone not only for the firms involved but for the broader European enterprise software sector.
LumApps specializes in software designed to power company intranets, aiming to modernize or even replace traditional tools like Microsoft’s SharePoint. Its platform is used by major global companies such as Airbus and LVMH.
“We are trying to augment or even replace products like Microsoft’s SharePoint,” said Elie Melois, Chief Technology Officer at LumApps.
Beekeeper, meanwhile, is known for its mobile-first platform that connects frontline workers with management and internal systems—offering a complementary value to LumApps’ more desktop-centric solutions.
Strategic Synergy and Global Ambitions
The merger brings together two complementary technologies and customer bases, positioning the new firm to scale rapidly across key markets in North America and Europe. Backing from Bridgepoint provides the financial firepower and strategic support needed for international growth and potential IPO ambitions in the near future.