Ports Group join forces with BRANDIT – forming a European IP powerhouse

Fast-growing IP and domain management veteran, Ports Group, is rapidly approaching its goal as Europe's number one powerhouse. The Swedish company partnered with the award-winning and high-profile European IP-expert BRANDIT.

Known under different names, Ports Group has paved its road and today is a veteran company within the industry since its founding in 1994. More recently, the company has had a growth spurt, adding three new companies. In their latest move, Ports Group announces partnering up with maverick and industry challenger, BRANDIT.

- Partnering  with BRANDIT sharpens our offering and advances our market position. The fusion adds expertise within domains, trademarks, and in five new markets: Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, and Turkey. Adding more top-ranked industry experts will strengthen our market position even more. Together, we will become a European leader and the obvious choice concerning IP and domain solutions, says Magdalena Bonde, CEO of Ports Group.

BRANDIT is a big name in the market, representing many high-profile brands and IP experts around Europe. The company has more than 700 clients in 33 countries. Danish CEO and founder Jesper Knudsen is a top global thought leader with a robust network and 20 years of industry experience. Their head office is in Zürich, and the client portfolio includes some of the world’s leading brands. The company is also connected to some of the most powerful networks within the industry, such as INTA (International Trademark Associations), Marques, and ECTA.

– We have analyzed all options, and with our values in mind, concluded that joining forces with Ports Group is the perfect match. Ports Group is a company that shares the same values as BRANDIT, and they want to be the best in the world. I believe that together we have an opportunity to become the most influential company within the industry, says Jesper Knudsen, founder and CEO of BRANDIT.

In 2022, Ports Group added three companies to its portfolio by acquiring Otmore Limited, Corebiz Solution, and Inbrand. The new additions strengthen Ports Group's position as the leading European player and provider of platform-based IP and domain management services. These acquisitions create a more full-service tech solution – further benefiting and meeting the user's needs.

This acquisition aligns with Ports Group’s ambitious growth strategy, where one of the objectives is to expand the company through one to two new acquisitions per year during the coming five years. So far, the strategy has paid off as the company’s revenue increased from 14 million EUR in 2021 to north of 22 million EUR in 2022. The goal is to reach at least 100 million EUR in revenue by 2027.  

– We are looking forward to entering 2023 with more muscles. We are building an IP and domain powerhouse with BRANDIT, and this will put our name on the international market. 2023 will be a year to remember, says Magdalena Bonde.

EY Corporate Finance has acted as a financial advisor and Setterwalls Advokatbyrå as legal advisor to Ports Group. The parties have chosen not to disclose the agreement price.