The marketplace market has been boosted, to a large extent, thanks to the lockdown caused by the pandemic. Already 2020 was a year in which the venture capital Marketplace was very active and maintained the investment numbers and even surpassed 2019. And in 2021 the number of investments is expected to exceed those of the previous year and, in terms of the amount invested through financing rounds, it has already almost doubled compared to 2020.
On the other hand, the number of acquisitions already has a higher value compared to the previous year. If you would like more information on the sector, our research department has carried out a analysis sector.
In this post, we will focus on the most active investors in the Marketplace sector in terms of acquisitions carried out on companies in the sector.
FJ Labs, the most relevant Venture Capital Marketplace
As usual, the top VCs that have made the most investments in the Marketplace sector are the well-known 500 Startups and Techstars. These Venture Capitals make hundreds of investments in numerous companies from different sectors, which is why they are always at the top of the ranking in terms of number of investments. Both investors mainly focus their operations on software companies.
In third place is FJ Labs, a US investment firm with a total of 530 investments. Of that total, 57 have been to companies in the sector and made in the last 5 years, making FJ Labs our benchmark venture capital marketplace. It has invested in companies such as Letgo, an American company that offers a second-hand shopping app that helps local users buy or sell their products.
Fresha, a British online platform for booking beauty and wellness appointments with local businesses, or Jobantalent, the Spanish company that helps to find or fill jobs. As can be seen, FJ Labs is committed to companies that promote local commerce.
Tiger Global Management, the Private Equity firm with the largest number of investments
The PE with the most investments in the last 5 years is Tiger Global Management. This US firm focuses mainly on software companies and e-commerce companies. It invests all over the world. The latest investments made in Marketplace companies have been in Loft, a Brazilian Marketplace that helps in the process of buying and selling houses, StockXVestiaire Collective, an American online marketplace for buying and selling limited-edition, high-demand trainers, or Vestiaire Collective, a global online marketplace for buying and selling second-hand luxury fashion products. As can be seen, the focus is mainly on companies that buy and sell exclusive products.
Plug and Play Tech Center, the most active Corporate Venture
The world's largest corporate innovation platform, Plug and Play Tech Center, has made 9 investments in 2021, crowning itself as the most active investor this year. Etvas, Lifo, newrtul or Vesttoo are the type of companies in which it has invested, companies dedicated to providing added value to companies.
Etsy, the company with the most acquisitions
This American company is an e-commerce company that, through its smartphone application, allows you to buy and sell handmade or handmade items. vintage. Etsy has made in the last 5 years three acquisitions to pure Marketplace companies, two of them in 2021. These three acquired companies are Elo7Depop and Reverb. The former is a Brazilian markeptlace that allows users, like Etsy, to buy and sell handmade products.
The second, Depop, is a British company with a more general objective, as it allows through its application to search for unique products, but with a wide variety of themes. Third is the US company Reverb, a more specific company that provides an online marketplace for new, used and vintage musical equipment.
Etsy is seen to be seeking to help these companies grow in the marketplace through its industry expertise and then to benefit from Etsy's knowledge of the local commerce of each acquired company.