Ateme to acquire Anevia

French video distribution infrastructure provider Ateme has entered into exclusive talks to acquire fellow French OTT and IPTV software specialist Anevia.

The main shareholders of Anevia, who together hold 87% of the share capital and 90% of the voting rights, have entered into exclusive negotiations to transfer their shares to Ateme. The deal has secured the support of the boards of directors of both companies and the pair will now launch a consultation with employee representatives.

Ateme plans to acquire the majority shareholder’s stakes before launching a mandatory tender offer or squeeze out for the remainder.

Ateme says that the combination of the two companies will create a major player in video broadcasting infrastructure, with combined revenues of more than €80 million.

Michel Artières, chairman and CEO of Ateme, said: “A merger with Anevia and its high-performance solutions for optimizing video flow delivery is a key step in our expansion strategy in our customers’ value chain and the conquest of new markets. Both companies share the same values of respect and innovation. Based on our mission to deliver the best quality of experience, our ambition is to become the reference video solution for billions of consumers. The shared vision of the two companies and their strong culture should enable us to rapidly create significant value for our customers, employees and shareholders.”

Laurent Lafarge, chairman and CEO of Anevia, said: “Anevia’s management is delighted with this project to combine with Ateme, the leader in video distribution infrastructure. This combination is a tremendous opportunity to accelerate development in a buoyant market, thanks to a value proposition which is rich and strong in innovation.”