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 includes Miro Parizek, Michel Annink, Axel Brill, Henrik Jeberg and Geoff Fletcher.
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.
Managing Director
Michel is a Managing Director and Head of Nordics. His 25+ years’ experience spans three continents and multiple industries. He is based in Stockholm and advises clients in e-mobility, automotive, IT and other sectors with a very high degree of change and innovation.Prior to joining the Hampleton team, Michel was at NEVS (a.k.a. Saab cars) where he was responsible for the company’s transformation to a global provider of mobility solutions. Before NEVS, he spent several years at Salesforce where he held the role of Vice President Nordics, Benelux and Emerging Markets and worked directly with enterprise clients and partners on business and technology transformations.
Earlier, Michel held multiple sales and marketing leadership positions during his twelve-year tenure at Microsoft Corporation including Worldwide Managing Director Retail, based from the company’s HQ in Seattle, USA, and Senior Director for Microsoft’s consumer division in the Nordic region.
Michel loves photography and cooking and is passionately curious about how technology can benefit people, businesses and society at large. Michel moved with his wife and three children from The Netherlands to Sweden in 2001 and speaks Swedish, Dutch, English and some German and French.
Contact Michel Annink
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Autotech & Mobility Report 1H2024
Two years on from the largest-ever number of deals recorded in a six-month period, we’re continuing to see strong M&A momentum within the automotive sector. Challenges abound for legacy OEMs, however.
News
How Autonomous Driving Is Accelerating Towards Its Own ChatGPT Moment
There’s no denying that the autonomous driving industry has hit more than a few speed bumps of late. Earlier this year, the sector witnessed one of the most high-profile failures we can ever remember seeing in tech: the abrupt shutdown of Project Titan, Apple’s long-gestating, much-whispered-about self-driving car project.
Back in 2015, Apple COO Jeff Williams set tongues wagging when he described the car as the “ultimate mobile device”. Yet, despite tantalising rumours of high-level meetings with legacy OEMs, thousands of Apple staff being brought onto the programme, and at least 450,000 miles of autonomous driving testing logged, the almost decade-long project was unceremoniously junked in February.
