AnaCap takes majority stake in Italian insurance broking platform Edge Group
AnaCap, a market-leading private equity investor specialising in partnering with founders and entrepreneurial management teams across services, technology and software within the European financial ecosystem, today announces that it has closed the acquisition of a majority stake in Edge Group (“Edge”).
This acquisition marks one of the initial platform investments for AnaCap’s latest flagship fund. Additionally, it is the second platform acquisition for AnaCap in Italy, following the investment in Yard Reaas in April 2024.
Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Milan, Edge serves a large and diversified customer base of policyholders, distributing commercial insurance lines such as liability, multi-risk polices, accidents and health. Edge’s extensive breadth of offering and quality of services positions the business as a recognised name within the Italian insurance brokerage industry with its fully integrated approach. Edge provides broker, risk management, managing general agency (“MGA”) and welfare solutions to a number of corporate clients in Italy, including both SMEs and large corporations.
Edge’s mission statement is to deliver the best products and services possible at every stage of the client growth journey for commercial insurance activity. Edge offers tailored solutions that meet the continually evolving needs of its client base and seeks to deliver thoughtful and balanced outcomes.
AnaCap will partner with Edge’s Founder and CEO, Manfredo Sciarretta, to execute on his vision to build the leading broking consolidation platform in Italy. The existing management team will continue to lead the platform’s operations and growth under the new AnaCap ownership, driven by its capital investment, sector expertise and operational support to further accelerate its organic and inorganic growth strategies.
The partnership will also strengthen Edge’s ability to accelerate its inorganic growth strategy across the Italian fragmented insurance brokerage market. Since 2019, Edge has successfully executed this strategy, executing and integrating 12 acquisitions. In the next phase of growth, Edge plans to enhance its in-house capabilities across specific insurance lines, attracting entrepreneurial brokers with unique skills and sector specialties.
AnaCap’s investment in Edge will be closed alongside the acquisition by Edge of several other brokers. These investments will increase the Group’s gross written premiums to over €100 million, positioning it among the top 10 commercial insurance brokerage group in Italy. This growth is further supported by a robust bolt-on pipeline with several advanced-stage opportunities driving additional growth potential and enhanced product offerings and services to clients.
Alberto Sainaghi, Managing Director at AnaCap, commented:
“We are excited to work with Manfredo and the Edge team to drive operational excellence as well as further developing their specialised inorganic growth strategy in the fragmented Italian brokerage market. We look forward to building upon Edge’s impressive achievements in recent years and their strong market reputation. The dedication to building an entrepreneurial culture with first-class industry skills positions Edge as the natural Italian born broking consolidation platform.”
Nassim Cherchali, Managing Partner at AnaCap, added:
“We are delighted to announce this investment into Edge in what is one of the first investments in our latest flagship fund. The insurance market is one that AnaCap know well further supported by a strong track record of investment activity in Italy more broadly in recent years. Today, there are a number of market tailwinds benefitting brokers in Italy and Edge has an extremely attractive positioning in the market with exposure to the fastest growing business lines while also serving a strong corporate client base.”
Manfredo Sciarretta, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Edge, concluded:
“By joining forces with AnaCap, we have the perfect financial and strategic partner to further accelerate the inorganic growth trajectory that Edge began in 2019. They seek to partner with entrepreneurs who bring both competence and excellence to a project and are an integral part of the growth journey together. Their in-depth sector knowledge, operational support and capital availability makes them a leading figure in the private equity market across the financial and insurance sectors. We are very proud that AnaCap has chosen Edge as the platform to attract customers, entrepreneurs and talent.”
AnaCap were advised by Orrick as legal counsel for this transaction.