Fedrigoni announces the acquisition of an equity stake in connected solutions pioneer SharpEnd / io.tt
The Fedrigoni Group, reference global player in the manufacture of high added value specialty papers for luxury packaging and other creative applications, premium labels and self-adhesive materials, has announced the acquisition - through a capital increase - of a minority stake in SharpEnd / io.tt, the IoT solutions and consulting company led by Cameron Worth, the CEO and founder. The deal consists of an initial investment with a path to acquire their entire capital in the longer term and is part of a new corporate venture capital programme launched by Fedrigoni to identify innovative start-ups to accelerate its innovation process and the acquisition of new technologies.
SharpEnd was founded in 2015 as the world's first Internet of Things (IoT) agency, with a mission to help brands evolve their products, packaging and customer engagement through connected solutions, leveraging a proprietary SaaS (software as a service) platform, launched in 2019, called io.tt that is now managing billions of touchpoints across packaging and retail for many leading global brand owners across drinks, beauty, wellness, fast moving consumer goods and luxury fashion.
“The world of connected products is increasingly strategic for us, and this highly complementary and synergic transaction with the recent bolt-on acquisitions of Tageos, a French company specialized in the manufacturing of UHF and NFC inlays (acquired in 2022), and the Grenoble Research and Development Center (which joined the group in 2023), will enhance our solutions portfolio in the world of smart labels and papers - says Marco Nespolo, CEO at the Fedrigoni Group - SharpEnd provides solutions and consulting services to support major brands, particularly in the luxury and FMCG sectors, in the creation of smart products and packaging, which are essential for product safety, authenticity and traceability but also to provide end users with increasingly engaging shopping experiences.”
“Fedrigoni and SharpEnd / io.tt is a perfect match in this connected world" comments Cameron Worth, founder and CEO of SharpEnd / io.tt, "that strengthens our position in the global market to develop new products and high-performing integrated solutions. The potential synergies with the Group's two businesses of specialty papers and premium labels are countless, and Fedrigoni's network and global footprint in more than 130 countries will be a strong growth accelerator for us."
He continues “I am excited and very proud to welcome Fedrigoni to our Cap Table as a strategic investor, and close partner, as we make our io.tt platform the glue across the packaging ecosystem.