Stockholm/London, 14 February 2023. Today, CORDET Capital Partners (CORDET) announces that it has partnered with ODDO BHF Private Debt to provide a financing solution to EMZ Partners for the acquisition of Aspire Education Group (Aspire Education). The financing package was completed by a Super Senior RCF provided by Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich AG, Zweigniederlassung Süddeutschland.

Aspire Education is a hybrid lifelong learning platform dedicated to adolescents as well as young and experienced professionals in Austria and Germany. Formed in 2014 through the merger of ibis acam, Stepin and ARS, Aspire Education comprises eight different brands that are complementary in their offerings and focus areas. The company is headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and operates more than 80 facilities with approximately 1,200 employees.

Aspire Education’s services include continuous training and coaching for jobseekers such as vocational training measures, integration and language courses, up-skilling as well as IT training, career and management training. Being one of the largest education providers in Austria, Aspire Education’s offerings cover public and corporate funded training as well as individual clients.

With its portfolio, Aspire Education is tapping into an important trend: in times of skills shortages and structural changes in the labour market, such as digitisation and new work, continuous education and training is essential and offers sustainable growth potential.

“We are delighted to be able to support the acquisition of Aspire Education by EMZ Partners and to help promote valuable training and development opportunities.”, says Jakob Lindquist, Managing Member at CORDET. “As a company, we are passionate about professional development. This is something we practise in-house and are now extending to our portfolio”, Lindquist continues.

CORDET and ODDO BHF Private Debt acted as joint Mandated Lead Arrangers in setting up the financing structure. Both lenders’ cooperation goes hand in hand with the growing trend of club situations in the private debt sector.

Since its 2013 launch, CORDET has focused with laser precision on Northern Europe’s alternative credit market. CORDET tailors private debt and direct lending solutions for mid-market companies with a stable record of cash flow generation. Based in London, Luxembourg and Stockholm, CORDET acts as a trusted partner to the companies it invests in, to ensure that they are optimally positioned to succeed. It makes a select number of investments each year, taking the time to thoroughly vet prospects and establish longstanding relationships with all stakeholders. CORDET has assembled a team of finance, risk and investment specialists to collaborate with investors and company executives to nurture mutual growth. For more information see www.cordet.com.