Babilou Family welcomes a new key shareholder to accelerate its development

Paris, August 7th, 2020. Babilou Family, the leader in company and local community crèches in Europe and a major player in Early Years Education (0-6 years) worldwide, has entered into exclusive discussions to welcome Antin Infrastructure Partners as a new key shareholder. Alongside the group's current shareholders, including the Carle family, the company's founders, this new partner will support Babilou Family in its development and innovation strategy for children’s education and well-being. 

"We are delighted to welcome Antin Infrastructure Partners. Their understanding of the challenges of early childhood education for both families and professionals, the values held by their team members, their expertise as shareholders in high-growth companies and their long-term vision convinced us that they were the right partners to help us address the challenges Babilou faces in tomorrow's world. This is a new strategic partnership for the entire international community of entrepreneurs that we have built around Babilou Family. We are very enthusiastic about the idea of continuing to develop and export our know-how in early childhood care around the world," say Rodolphe and Edouard Carle, Co-Chairs and co-founders of Babilou Family. 

Founded in 2003, Babilou quickly became the French and European leader in its sector and a key player in Early Years Education worldwide. After creating the 1001Crèches network in 2009, the most comprehensive intercompany daycare solution in France, Babilou began its international development in 2013 with Belgium, before extending its presence to Germany, Dubai and Switzerland in 2015, then to the United States, Asia and Latin America in 2018. In 2019, the group launched Babilou Family, its new brand signature, which reflects a major collective project bringing together a community of early childhood entrepreneurs in each of the countries where the group operates to enhance the quality of daycare and educational approaches while professionalizing management methods. 

Today, Babilou Family offers high-quality education in nearly 800 facilities around the world, run by a network of more than 10,000 professionals in 12 countries. 

With the support of Antin Infrastructure Partners, the group enters a new stage in its development, enabling it to strengthen its service offering in France and continue its international growth. With extensive expertise in social infrastructure, Antin is recognized for its ability to provide long-term support to the companies in which it invests, working in close coordination with their management teams with a common objective of virtuous growth and development. Rodolphe and Edouard Carle remain key shareholders of the group alongside Raise and TA Associates and remain Co-Chairmen of the company’s Supervisory Board. 

Alain Rauscher, CEO and Managing Partner of Antin Infrastructure Partners, states: "A true French entrepreneurial success story, Babilou has established itself in just a few years as a major player in company daycare centers, thanks to a model based on quality and innovation in children's education, well-being and development. We are delighted to join this adventure, alongside the founders, in order to support the company in a new chapter of its development in France and abroad.”

The transaction remains subject to the customary legal and regulatory approvals and is also subject to consultation by employee representative bodies of Babilou Family. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Media Contacts

Christophe Menger

Solène Deguet

Email: AntinIP@brunswickgroup.com

Delphine Bosc

Email: delphine.bosc@shan.fr

About Antin Infrastructure Partners

Antin Infrastructure Partners is a leading independent private equity firm focused on infrastructure investments. Based in Paris, London and New York, and fully owned by its 14 partners, the firm employs over 100 professionals. Antin targets majority stakes in infrastructure businesses in the energy and environment, telecom, transport and social infrastructure sectors. The firm has raised close to €15 billion across four funds and has made investments in 24 companies.

About Babilou Family

Founded in 2003, Babilou Family is one of the biggest Early Years Education networks in the world, present in 12 countries, with a significant presence in Europe, the Middle East, South America, The United States, India and South Asia. With more than 800 nurseries, daycare and afterschool centers and 10, 000 committed professionals, the family-owned Group welcomes nearly 50,000 families and remains dedicated to fostering the highest quality educational standards throughout its network of entrepreneurs worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.babilou-family.com