Scanntech fecha rodada de US$ 180 milhões; Warburg faz saída parcial

Catterton is leading a US$180 million investment in Scanntech, a real-time supermarket sales monitoring technology company, according to sources close to the deal. The round also includes participation from Partners Group and Bradesco. The deal was signed this Thursday after nearly a year of negotiations. The operation combines the sale of current shareholder stakes with an injection of capital, resulting in a near 50/50 primary and secondary division.

The investment, at a valuation of about 5.5 times annual revenue, is expected to give new shareholders roughly 30% stake in Scanntech. This marks a partial realization for Warburg Pincus, which invested $40 million in the company in 2023 and is now selling part of its position. Warburg decided to return some of the capital and renewed its bet to capitalize on upside potential for longer, said a source.

Over the past year, global private equity funds such as General Atlantic, GIC, and Advent also engaged in the process. The timing of the market is notable, as the scarcity of IPOs and difficulties in exiting technology investments have made funds more selective in deploying capital in the sector. For Scanntech, the combination of growth and profitability, along with the prospect of a strategic sale or capital raising in the future, helped attract investors.

The company has been growing at an annual rate of over 30%, a pace still high but lower than previous years. Part of the new funds will be allocated to Scanntech's international expansion, which already operates in Mexico and Colombia and plans to enter new markets from next year. The company also considers opportunities in other Latin American countries and potentially in regions outside the region.

Founder Raúl Polakof will continue leading the company. Scanntech processes over R$1 trillion in retail sales annually, capturing transactions from supermarket cash registers and converting that information into commercial intelligence for industries and retailers. The technology tracks the sell-out - effectively sold goods to consumers - and provides detailed data on prices, volumes sold, market share, and promotion performance.

This information helps major food, beverage, and hygiene manufacturers, as well as supermarkets, to set prices, inventories, and commercial strategies. Scanntech's history began in Uruguay in 1992, when entrepreneurs Raúl Polakof, Benny Szylkowski, and Soledad Fernández developed software that transformed computers into cash registers for small merchants.

From this technology, the founders created a network that allowed corner stores to offer financial services and promotions, a practice previously only available to large chains. The company entered the Brazilian market in 2013, becoming its main market. The model attracted the attention of Sequoia Capital, which made Scanntech's first Latin American investment, putting $10 million in 2011.

Sequoia later returned to invest in the company in 2014 and sold its stake since. Another historic investor is Hindiana, Alfredo Villela's investment vehicle, which entered the capital before Warburg and will remain a shareholder after today's transaction. J.P. Morgan assisted Scanntech.