- Clipperton and Natixis Partners acted as financial advisors to DENTRESSANGLE Capital who has entered into exclusive talks to acquire Presto Engineering from current shareholders including Verto, the majority shareholder since 2018.
- A French company based in Meyreuil, Presto Engineering specializes in the design and production of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for major players in the manufacturing, healthcare, automotive, and telecom sectors.
- With DENTRESSANGLE’s support Presto is establishing itself as a platform for consolidation in Europe’s ASIC sector.
About Presto Engineering
- Founded in 2006 in the United States, Presto Engineering later set up its head office in France and now has a presence in Denmark, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Asia. The company is recognized as a leading one-stop-shop in the ASIC market, and its growth is being driven by the digitalization of the economy and by the development of AI and the Internet of Things.
- With strong roots in R&D and commercial links with major foundries such as Globalfoundries, STMicroelectronics, and X-Fab, Presto has been able to contract with major clients from the automotive, manufacturing, and healthcare industries.
- Presto Engineering has established itself as a key partner to medium-sized OEMs that want to acquire and develop their own ASICs, providing them with services covering circuit design, industrialization of ASICs, and production.
Deal Rationale
- With the support of DENTRESSANGLE Capital, Presto Engineering will open a new phase of its growth story, to become a European consolidation platform for semiconductor services. The company aims to leverage the ever-growing demand for ASICs worldwide driven by the accelerating digitalization of the economy and the essential nature of semiconductors for industrial products and consumer goods, but also in industries such as transport and healthcare infrastructure.
- Shortages and supply chain issues that have arisen since the start of the 2020s have highlighted that Europe and the United States are heavily dependent on Asia for the production of integrated circuits. The European Union, aiming to strengthen its sovereignty, has a €43 billion investment plan to double Europe’s production capacity by 2030.
- With its operations in Europe (France, United Kingdom, Denmark), the United States, and Asia and its 150 semiconductor experts, Presto Engineering is ideally positioned to benefit from growth in the European market – worth €1.4 billion and set to grow by 7-8% per year – and become a leading player in it.
- Accordingly, Presto will rely on its combined design, industrialization, and production capabilities to increase its revenue to €60 million in the very near future. It is targeting all large EMEA markets and North America through local hubs that ensure close links with clients, and it is aiming to bolster its ASIC design operations through recruitment and acquisitions.
- Presto will continue to be led by Cédric Mayor (CEO since 2023), who is making a significant investment in the company alongside DENTRESSANGLE.
Clipperton’s expertise in the micro-electronics/semiconductor industry
- Over the past two decades, Clipperton has advised numerous clients in the micro-electronics and semiconductor industry, from fabless IP-focused companies to large manufacturing operations, with a diversified customer base including Sequans, DiBcom, Linxens, Famoco, and many more.
Deal Team Clipperton
- Thibaut Revel, Managing Partner
- Martin Vielle, Partner
- Capucine Viard, Analyst
Deal Team Natixis Partners
- Driss Mernissi, Managing Director
- Andrea Bossetti, Associate
About Clipperton
Clipperton is a leading investment bank dedicated to technology and growth companies. We provide strategic and financial advisory to entrepreneurs, corporates, and top-tier investors in Europe who are willing to execute transactions such as strategic M&A private equity transactions, and private placements. Founded in 2003 and with offices in Paris, Berlin, Munich, London, New York, and Beijing, Clipperton has completed over 400 M&A and private placement transactions with fast-growing technology start-ups, blue-chip corporates, and renowned financial investors.