i5invest

What i5invest does

i5invest is a boutique M&A advisory firm specialized in cross-border transactions for European and US tech scale-ups. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Vienna with its US base in San Francisco, the firm targets deals in the USD 50 million to USD 1 billion range and reports 250+ international transactions completed and over USD 50 billion in cumulative transaction value generated for clients. Its service suite spans M&A Advisory, Corporate Development, Advisory Board Services, and an "AI Roll-ups" service thesis oriented to consolidation plays in the AI sector, complemented by annual publication of the European Unicorn and Soonicorn Report via its affiliated entity i5growth.

The firm's go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting C-level executives, founders, and board members of scale-ups, augmented by participation in 100+ industry events per year and direct relationships with a curated network of more than 1,000 executives across six continents at acquirers including Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, Verizon, Canva, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Samsung. Three customer segments are served: tech scale-ups and founders (primary, buying exit advisory), global strategic acquirers (cross-border sourcing support), and VC/PE funds (portfolio exit and co-investment). Revenue is generated almost entirely through M&A advisory and corporate development fees on closed mandates; pricing is engagement-specific and not publicly disclosed.

The firm is privately held by Cielo Privatstiftung and operates through three entities — i5invest corporate development GmbH (Austria, primary), i5growth Inc. (Delaware), and i5equity LLC DBA i5invest.us — a structure consistent with its cross-border European-to-US mandate. Management is led by Co-CEO/MD Justus Lumpe and Johannes Raidl, Chairman Herwig Springer, and Chief of Staff Ramona Petritz, with offices in Vienna, San Francisco, Berlin, Bogotá, Madrid, Paris, and Seattle. Differentiators emphasized by the firm are operator-founder credibility, the breadth of its executive network, and its boutique scale, with positioning focused on mandates where bulge-bracket coverage is over-engineered and pure local advisors lack cross-border reach.

Name

i5invest

Legal name

i5invest corporate development GmbH

Website

https://i5invest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

i5invest is a Vienna-headquartered boutique M&A advisory firm founded in 2007 that runs cross-border exit and acquisition mandates for tech scale-ups in the USD 50M–USD 1B range, leveraging a 1,000+ executive network across six continents and a track record of 250+ transactions and USD 50B+ in client transaction value.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

M&A Advisory Services

NAICS

Miscellaneous Intermediation (523910)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry-Specialist / Sector-Focused M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sell-Side M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAA), Buy-Side M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAB)

Keywords

• Merger acquisition advisory
• Corporate development services
• Cross-border transactions
• Strategic exit advisory
• Venture capital partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. M&A Advisory Fees: Revenue generated from providing strategic acquisition and M&A support for cross-border transactions. Works with tech scale-ups on strategic exit processes, corporate development, and advisory board services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

i5invest is a boutique strategic M&A advisory firm that helps technology scale-ups manage strategic exit processes and cross-border acquisitions. The firm focuses on deals valued between USD 50 million and USD 1 billion across software, AI, automation, and deep tech sectors, leveraging a network of 1000+ executives across six continents to connect sellers with global strategic acquirers and financial investors.

Product overview

i5invest is a strategic M&A advisory firm for tech scale-ups, not a software product company. The company offers a suite of advisory services including M&A Advisory Services, Corporate Development support, Advisory Board Services, and AI Roll-ups thesis. Their primary offering is facilitating strategic exit processes and cross-border acquisitions for technology companies, managing deals in the USD 50 million to USD 1 billion range. They also publish the annual European Unicorn and Soonicorn Report as a market intelligence product tracking high-growth European technology companies. The firm maintains partnerships with venture capital and private equity funds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• M&A Advisory Services Strategic merger and acquisition advisory services for tech scale-ups, focusing on cross-border transactions and strategic exit processes with deal sizes ranging from USD 50 million to USD 1 billion.
• Corporate Development In-house experts and founders provide strategic acquisition and M&A support for cross-border transactions on behalf of tech scale-ups.
• Advisory Board Services Access to global strategic buyers and international financial investors through support and network expansion, covering strategic exits, growth equity, and late-stage fundraising.
• AI Roll-ups A strategic thesis and service offering focused on AI-driven roll-up strategies in the technology sector.
• Venture Capital Partnerships Collaboration services working closely with venture capital funds for investment and divestment opportunities.
• Private Equity Partnerships Collaboration services working closely with private equity funds for investment and divestment opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250+ international transactions completed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• i5growthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated entity that co-publishes the European Unicorn and Soonicorn Report, a market intelligence publication tracking high-growth European technology companies.
• VC and PE Funds NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExtensive network of venture capital and private equity funds that i5invest works closely with for deal flow, co-investment opportunities, and portfolio company exit pathways.
• Strategic Acquirers NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of global strategic acquirers that i5invest connects with tech scale-ups for exit transactions. Includes major technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, Nvidia, Qualcomm, Samsung, and others.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AGC Partners: US-headquartered tech-focused M&A advisor with transatlantic deal flow; competes with i5invest for tech sell-side mandates involving US acquirers and European targets.
• Silverpeak: Independent advisory firm focused on technology and growth companies, advising on M&A and capital raises; comparable in mid-market tech transaction focus and founder client base.
• Drake Star Partners: Global tech-focused M&A advisor with deep European presence advising software, AI and digital media companies on cross-border transactions in the same mid-market range as i5invest.
• GP Bullhound: London-headquartered boutique M&A advisor focused on technology and digital companies across Europe; competes head-to-head with i5invest in mid-market tech sell-side and growth equity mandates.
• Hampleton Partners: International M&A and corporate finance advisor for technology and digital services companies; closely comparable boutique competitor in European tech sell-side advisory.
• Clipperton: Paris-based independent M&A advisory firm dedicated to European tech and digital businesses; directly comparable in deal size band, founder-led ethos and cross-border US/Europe mandate focus.

Broad incumbents

• Moelis & Company: Global investment bank with a strong technology M&A practice; competes for larger mandates at the upper end of i5invest's $50M-$1B range and provides a broader service portfolio.
• Rothschild & Co: Global advisory firm with a long-standing European mid-market M&A practice; competes for tech-adjacent and founder-led mandates in i5invest's stated deal size band.
• Morgan Stanley Investment Management: Bulge-bracket bank with a dedicated European tech M&A practice that competes for the larger mandates within i5invest's addressable deal range.
• Lazard: Global financial advisory firm with a sizeable technology M&A franchise; relevant as a larger incumbent competitor for European tech mandates and as a benchmark for advisory economics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i5invest
• Facebookfacebook.com/i5invest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments22 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about i5invest