Autotech & Mobility
- Enterprise Applications
- Embedded Software and Systems
- Internet Commerce and Content
- Mobility and Fleet Management
Hampleton‘s Autotech & Mobility practice comprises a strong international team and is headed by Michael Brecht and Miro Parizek.
With our combined 70+ years in the industry, our team’s experience spans six continents with long-standing buyer relationships in the US, Brazil, the UK, Spain, France, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Russia, South Korea, China, Australia and Japan, complemented by the industry’s broadest network of innovative vendors of relevant technologies such as autonomy systems, AV simulation, electrification, embedded systems, IVN testing & simulation, sensor fusion technology, vehicle dynamics simulation, as well as AI, AR/VR, data analytics, computer vision, and much more.
Hampleton’s Autotech & Mobility team has executed dozens of transactions with the largest OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, insurers, data vendors, private equity investors and financial buyers; and led our automotive clients to success with industry leaders such as Ansys, Autodesk, Bosch, IAV, Ford, Luxoft (now part of DXC), Spectris, Zurich Insurance and many more.
Hampleton advised the shareholders of Bright Box, creators of the connected car SaaS platform, Remoto, in the sale of their company to one of the world’s largest insurers, Zurich Insurance Group. Traditional enterprises and industrial conglomerates are a major force in tech M&A. Finding a non-tech buyer for a technology vendor requires in-depth knowledge of the relevant industry and its ecosystem. The Bright Box / Zurich transaction underscores Hampleton’s understanding, creativity and capabilities in finding the best matches in Autotech, Insurtech and SaaS.
Featured transaction
The sale of Apostera to HARMAN International
Hampleton Partners advised Apostera, the market-leading provider of AR/MR technology for the automotive industry, on its acquisition by HARMAN International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets.
Apostera's augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) software solutions will expand HARMAN's automotive product offerings and position the company at the forefront of automotive AR/MR experience design.
Featured transaction
The sale of Simi to ZF Friedrichshafen
Hampleton Partners advised Simi Reality Motion Systems GmbH, a leading developer of fully markerless video-based motion capture and analysis software, on its acquisition by ZF Friedrichshafen, the global automotive supplier and front-runner in developing the next generation of autonomous vehicle technology. This is the second transaction that Hampleton has closed with ZF Friedrichshafen in two months.
Featured transaction
The sale of a majority stake in 2getthere to ZF Friedrichshafen
Hampleton advised 2getthere Holding B.V., a leading manufacturer of driverless electric shuttles for future urban mobility, on its majority acquisition by ZF Friedrichshafen, the global automotive supplier and front-runner in developing the next generation of autonomous vehicle technology.
The transaction offers ZF Friedrichshafen a world leader in autonomous urban transit and e-mobility solutions, while globally extending 2getthere’s commercial and technology reach.
Featured transaction
The sale of VI-grade to Spectris
Hampleton Partners advised VI-grade GmBH, a leading provider of best-in-class turnkey solutions for driving simulation, on its acquisition by Spectris Plc., a supplier of productivity-enhancing instrumentation and controls. VI-grade provides simulation software and hardware for advanced vehicle dynamics simulation, including electric and autonomous vehicles, reducing the need for OEMs and T1s to build costly prototypes in early design phase.
The transaction offers Spectris an outstanding opportunity to provide its current and new clients with a complete turnkey simulation including hardware, software and services.
Featured transaction
The sale of Bright Box to Zurich Insurance
Hampleton Partners advised Bright Box on its acquisition by the leading multi-line insurer, Zurich Insurance Group. Bright Box is a global vendor of solutions and platforms for the connected car industry and the Connected Car platform from Bright Box is sold to automotive OEMs and dealerships from Europe through the Middle East to Asia.
Technavio announced Bright Box as one of the top five vendors in the Connected Car market from 2017 to 2021. The company is also recognised as one of the top 300 companies in the Internet of Things field according to Berg Insight.
This acquisition helps Zurich expand its focus on mobility through tailored services, enhanced by digital interactions with car drivers and closer collaboration with car dealerships, NSC and OEMs.
Featured transaction
The sale of Symtavision to Luxoft
Hampleton Partners advised on the sale of Symtavision, an automotive simulation company, to Luxsoft, an international custom software development company. Symtavision provides software and testing tools allowing T1s and OEMs to simulate load and response times for in-vehicle networks to ensure desired functionality is achieved. This is often a safety-critical task, especially for ADAS components as well as LiDAR/radar/camera signaling for autonomous driving.
This acquisition fits into Luxoft’s solution-based, end-to-end offering strategy and will help the company expand its embedded software expertise into the growing automotive segment.
Sector Principal
Michael joins Hampleton as Sector Principal in the fields of automotive technology & software, mobility, energy and urban infrastructure. He is a seasoned executive with more than 20 years of experience in IT and software services, digital commerce and smart mobility. Michael is globally known as a panel host and keynote speaker, with recent participations at E-Mobility and EV Summits, Start-up Conferences or the World Economic Forum Seoul.
Michael was a partner with German IT Services company CompuNet before selling to GE Capital in the 90s. Subsequently he ran their IT Solutions arm in the UK before spending six years with his family in Australia, his second home. Since returning to Europe he became CEO of scheduling champion Doodle and started working as a Strategy Advisor for digital media companies and European mid-caps. In the past years he served start-ups and strategic investors alike as a growth advisor with capital acquisitions and M&A transactions.
Michael carries both a German and an Australian passport and holds an MSc in Business Administration and Economics from WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management. His special interests include all sorts of sports. Currently residing south of Munich in the Bavarian alps, Michael is fluent in German, English and French.
Contact Michael Brecht
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Autotech & Mobility Report 2H2024
Our latest Autotech & Mobility M&A report reveals that 38 deals took place in 1H2024. This is the second consecutive decline in half-year deal numbers since the 77 transactions recorded in 1H2023, which was the second-highest volume on record.
The shift in activity reflects a general caution among investors and acquirers, with macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures instilling a more risk-averse approach. However, soaring global sales of electric vehicles, which reached a record-high in Q2 2024, together with the concurrent demand for next-gen automotive technologies such as ADAS and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems, indicate that the Autotech M&A market is poised for an upwards trajectory.
News
Why Urban Mobility is a Critically Important Space Within Autotech
The recently-published Autotech & Mobility M&A Report 2H2024 by Hampleton Partners shines a spotlight on several megatrends defining the sector right now, including how urban mobility is presenting a “critical challenge for today’s cities”.
As the report puts it, “The climate emergency and rising population densities present a daunting challenge for policy makers and city planners who must develop sustainable solutions for cutting greenhouse gasses while also ensuring communities function in an efficient, comfortable way.”
