What Clipperton does

Clipperton is a pan-European investment bank exclusively dedicated to technology companies, founded in September 2003 by Nicolas von Bülow and Stéphane Valorge. Its core offering comprises four advisory services — M&A Advisory (sell-side and buy-side transactions), Tech Buy-Out (leveraged buyouts and VC-to-PE transitions), Growth Financing (Series A through later-stage equity raises), and Debt Advisory (unitranche, syndicated facilities, refinancing) — delivered across twelve dedicated technology verticals including FinTech & Payments, Healthcare, Industrial & IoT Software, Cybersecurity & Digital Trust, Data/Analytics & AI, MarTech & Digital Commerce, HR & Workforce Tech, and Hospitality & Travel Tech, among others. Since inception the firm has closed more than 500 transactions with technology businesses, private equity sponsors, and corporate clients.

The firm operates from six owned offices — Paris (headquarters), London, Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam, and New York (opened 2025) — supplemented by formal alliance partnerships that extend its coverage into North America (Solomon Partners, via the Natixis M&A alliance) and Asia (Vermilion Partners, China). The senior bench is anchored by founders Nicolas von Bülow (Managing Partner) and Stéphane Valorge (Senior Partner, Head of Research), Managing Partners Thomas Neveux, Thibaut Revel, Thomas de Montille, Antoine Ganancia, Nikolas Westphal (Head of Germany), and the recently added US-based Managing Partners Richard Hooper (ex-MD at RBC Capital Markets) and Emily Anderson (ex-Union Square Advisors, Goldman Sachs). The firm has 50+ professionals and is privately held, with Natixis holding a minority equity stake since 2018 that grants access to a 300+ banker global alliance while preserving operating independence.

Clipperton's business model is transactional fee-based across all four service lines, with fees typically structured as a percentage of deal value. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by transaction size, complexity, and side (sell vs. buy). Go-to-market is enterprise field sales led by Managing Partners and Partners, with pipeline generated through decades of trust-based relationships, referrals within the European and US tech ecosystem, content/thought-leadership research, and industry event presence. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; deal cadence has been 17 transactions (2020), 30 (2021), and 30 (2022), with named recent transactions spanning SkillCorner ($60M growth round), Didomi ($83M investment by Marlin Equity Partners plus Addingwell acquisition), Peter Park (€100M+ total funding led by Great Hill Partners), Hublo (Five Arrows investment), N2F (FTV Capital growth investment), Equativ (Eurazeo unitranche), and VSORA (€40M from Otium Capital).

Name

Clipperton

Legal name

Clipperton Finance SAS

Website

https://clipperton.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Clipperton is a pan-European investment bank founded in 2003, dedicated exclusively to technology companies. It provides M&A advisory, growth financing, leveraged buyouts, and debt advisory services across twelve technology verticals, with offices in Paris, London, Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam, and New York.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Banking Advisory

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Divestitures, Carve-Outs & Spin-Off Advisory (FSAEAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Divestitures, Spin-offs & Carve-outs Advisory (BPAHADAJ), Distressed Business Sales & Turnaround Brokerage (FSAEAIAJ)

Keywords

• Technology M&A advisory
• Growth financing advisory
• Leveraged buyout advisory
• Tech debt advisory
• Pan-European investment banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. M&A Advisory: Advisory fees for merger and acquisition transactions, typically a percentage of transaction value
2. Growth Financing Advisory: Advisory fees for growth equity and financing rounds
3. Tech Buy-Out Advisory: Advisory for leveraged buyout transactions with private equity
4. Debt Advisory: Advisory services for debt financing and refinancing transactions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Clipperton is a boutique investment bank providing M&A advisory, leveraged buyout (Tech Buy-Out), growth financing, and debt advisory services exclusively to technology companies, private equity sponsors, and corporate clients. The firm advises on sell-side and buy-side transactions, growth equity raises, unitranche and structured debt facilities, and cross-border deals, operating across 12 specialized technology verticals including FinTech, Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Data/AI, MarTech, and HR Tech. Since 2003, Clipperton has completed over 500 deals for tech champions across Europe and internationally.

Product overview

Clipperton is a pan-European investment bank dedicated to technology and growth companies. The firm offers four core advisory services: M&A Advisory (sell-side and buy-side transaction support), Tech Buy-Out (facilitating LBOs and VC-to-PE transitions), Growth Financing (equity capital raises), and Debt Advisory (structured debt solutions). Founded in 2003, the firm has completed over 500 transactions with technology businesses, blue-chip corporates, and financial investors across sectors including FinTech, Healthcare, Digital Media, HR Tech, Cybersecurity, Data/AI, MarTech, and Hospitality Tech. Clipperton operates offices in Paris, Berlin, Munich, London, Amsterdam, and New York, with partnerships in China, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• M&A Advisory

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 tech champions partnered with since 2003
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments12 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 and minor.

• Vermilion PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for China coverage through Vermilion Partners based in Beijing, enabling cross-border advisory capabilities in Asia.
• French Tech Grand ParisminorOthersMember of French Tech ecosystem supporting technology companies in the Paris region.
• France DigitaleminorOthersMember of France Digitale, the leading French association for digital and tech companies.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lazard: Global investment bank with established European tech M&A practice through Lazard Tech and dedicated sector teams. Broader incumbent competing for premium mandates in Clipperton's core verticals.
• Rothschild & Co: Global independent advisory group with substantial European tech M&A practice alongside diversified sector coverage. Broader incumbent that competes for larger mandates Clipperton cannot lead but overlaps on cross-border European tech deals.
• Qatalyst Partners: Independent tech-focused M&A advisor with US-centric base but active in global tech deals. Larger boutique incumbent with overlapping tech M&A franchise and similar relationship-driven execution model.

Direct peers

• GP Bullhound: Technology-focused advisory and investment firm headquartered in London with pan-European and US presence. Highly comparable as a tech-only M&A and growth financing advisor serving similar founder/PE clientele.
• Oakley Advisory: London-based independent advisor to technology, media, and telecoms companies on M&A and capital raising. Closely comparable specialist boutique serving European mid-market tech M&A.
• Cambon Partners: Paris-based independent M&A advisor focused on technology and digital transformation transactions. Direct comparable given similar European tech boutique positioning and recent hires (e.g., Charles Gasquet from Cambon Partners to Clipperton).
• DC Advisory: International mid-market M&A advisor with significant European tech practice and pan-European office footprint. Direct comparable given overlapping deal sizes, sector focus, and recent hires moving between the two firms.
• Arma Partners: London-based independent advisor focused on technology M&A advisory with a strong European and cross-border practice. Closely comparable as a specialist tech boutique with similar transaction profile and senior-led relationship model.
• Drake Star (formerly Star Mountain Capital Advisory): Global tech-focused investment bank advising on M&A, growth financings, and capital raises across software, digital media, and tech-enabled services. Direct comparable in tech-only boutique positioning.

Others

• Tech M&A Advisor (boutique network): Network and conference platform supporting cross-border tech M&A dealmaking in Europe. Thematically related enabler rather than direct competitor, sharing Clipperton's tech-only positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clipperton-finance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Clipperton