Hambro Perks has completed an investment in Comet, which works with over 10,000 specialist freelancers to provide technical IT staff to leading French corporates. Comet currently supplies freelance staff to over 30% of CAC40 companies including BNP Paribas, Renault and Allianz.
The investment was made via Access Fund II, the venture secondaries fund which invests in stakes in European private technology companies, providing liquidity to former and current management, employees and shareholders, to enable investors to access high-performing companies which are not otherwise accepting external investment. Access Fund II was launched in 2021, following the success of the debut fund in 2019, and to date, has received investment from several notable private and institutional investors.
Led by an experienced management team, including seasoned CEO Eric Didier, Comet is well positioned to serve the growing need for highly-skilled and specialist technology freelancers to support project rollouts, system upgrades and general maintenance for IT departments within large corporate organisations.
Working with over 10,000 freelance professionals, Comet has demonstrated its ability to work with a broad segment of the economy, delivering high quality freelancers in a time efficient manner, ensuring projects are delivered on target. This has seen Comet achieve consistent revenue growth, thanks to a loyal client base, and strong client acquisition programme.
Eric Didier, CEO of Comet said: “Since our inception in 2016, Comet has grown to become the leading provider of specialist technology freelance staff in France. We are proud of the strong reputation we have built as being the go-to for corporates looking for high-quality professionals to fulfil their IT requirements, thanks largely to our ability to fulfil over 80% of our clients’ requests within one week.
“We have strong growth plans for the coming years, and it was important for us to find an investment partner who shares our vision and ambition, and we are delighted to have found that in the Hambro Perks Access team. We look forward to working alongside them in 2022 and beyond.”
Jemma Bruton, co-Head of Access Fund said: “We have been following the exciting growth of Comet, and have been continually impressed by Didier and his team as they achieve strong growth. The management team and approach sets them apart from others in this space, and we are excited to be joining them as an investor at this pivotal time for the business.”