School of Arts, a portfolio company of Seven2 and Finoli, has acquired WaterBear Education
WaterBear Education
Founded in 2018, WaterBear is a specialist higher education provider for contemporary music with campuses in Brighton and Sheffield and online. It is the UK’s fastest-growing music school serving more than 1,000 students, recognized for delivering a truly authentic student experience. WaterBear delivers degree courses for musicians and music industry professionals in partnership with Falmouth University. Its approach combines academic study with practical industry experience, small class sizes and access to world-class equipment and a network of live music venues.
The Deal
School of Arts, backed by Seven2 and Finoli, has acquired WaterBear in its first international acquisition, establishing a presence in the UK and adding a leading contemporary music institution to its existing group of creative arts schools.
Lincoln International acted as the exclusive financial adviser to School of Arts. Drawing on its knowledge of the UK education market, Lincoln facilitated the introduction of School of Arts to WaterBear and provided support throughout the acquisition process. This is Lincoln’s fourth UK transaction involving a French-headquartered, private equity-backed trade buyer in the last three years; the others being the acquisition of Knovia Group by Eureka Education, the sale of Corndel to Galileo Global Education and the sale of ICMP to AD Education.
Our Perspective
Edward Lethbridge, Lincoln International Managing Director who led the transaction, commented, “It has been a pleasure working with School of Arts to help them realize their strategic goal of entering the UK market. There is a perfect fit with WaterBear with opportunities to collaborate closely with School of Arts and shared ambitions to expand into new UK cities and broaden WaterBear’s degree course portfolio.”
School of Arts
School of Arts is a leading French higher education group dedicated to artistic and creative professions. Its schools and training centers provide courses across performing arts, visual arts, contemporary music and the technical professions supporting the creative industries. Backed by Seven2 and Finoli, School of Arts is pursuing a growth strategy combining organic development with targeted acquisitions in France and across Europe.
This acquisition is an important first step in our international growth plans. WaterBear is a well-established business with an excellent reputation delivering strong organic growth. It also opens up new opportunities for international exchange for all our students. Lincoln understood our ambitions from the outset, introduced us to WaterBear and supported us throughout the transaction.
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