Year Founded: 2004
AUM: $3.6B | Dry Powder: $258.9M
2nd Floor, 12 Charles II Street, London SW1Y 4QU, England, UK
Founded in 2004, Helios Investment Partners is a private equity firm based in London, UK. The firm seeks to invest in the retail, consumer products, media, technology, financial service, power, energy, transportation, logistic and distribution sectors across Africa
Key Contacts
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Babatunde Soyoye
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
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Paul Cunningham
Chief Financial Officer & Partner
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Luciana Germinario
COO, Member of Executive Committee & Partner
Investment Preferences
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Preferred Industries
Energy Equipment, Energy Services, Exploration, Production and Refining, Insurance, IT Services, Logistics, Media, Media and Information Services (B2B), Office Services (B2B), Other Business Products and Services, Software, Transportation, Utilities, Other Energy, etc.
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Geographical Preference
Africa
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Preferred Deal Types
Buyout/LBO, Debt – General, Loan, PE Growth/Expansion
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Other Investment Preferences
Prefers majority stake, Seeks ESG investments, Seeks Impact investments
Investments By Year
Funds Closed
Size: $100M
Dry Powder: $99M
Details: The fund focuses on mid-to-large cap growth equity investments across Africa
Size: $100M
Dry Powder: $100M
Details: The fund prefers impact investments related to financial services
Size: $1.1B
Dry Powder: $0M
Details: The fund focuses on financial services, health care, power & utilities, telecommunications, agribusiness sectors
Investments By Industry
Investments By Region
Key Investments
In December 2022, Helios entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Maroc Datacenter for an undisclosed amount. Maroc Datacenter, an operator of a data center, intends to serve the domestic public and private institutions
In November 2022, IXAfrica Data Centre, a data center operator, secured $50 million of development capital from Helios Investment Partners. The investment will accelerate the development of IXAfrica’s Nairobi campus
In April 2022, Helios Investment Partners and NAU IB Capital backed ISC- Total Test Solutions acquired a 97.9% stake in Prowell Co. Ltd. for KRW7.41 billion. Prowell manufactures pogo pins and pogo sockets intended overseas for semiconductor manufacturers
In December 2021, Helios Investment Partners agreed to acquire IM Alliance for an undisclosed amount. IM Alliance is a distributor of medical equipment across Morocco and Africa
In September 2021, Zola Electric, a developer of smart storage solar power systems raised $90 million funding in a deal co-led by Vulcan Capital, TotalEnergies Ventures, DBL Partners, Electron Capital Partners and Helios Investment Partners. The funds will be used to enter new markets, improve product development and commercial efforts and drive distributed renewable energy
In May 2020, ISC- Total Test Solutions, a developer and manufacturer of chip sockets for the semiconductor manufacturing industry entered into a definitive agreement to receive $132.28 million of development capital from Helios Investment Partners
In April 2019, Helios Investment Partners acquired 25% stake in Axxela Limited from Oando for an undisclosed sum. With the acquisition, Helios Investment Partners became the sole owner of Axxela. Earlier in 2016 Helios acquired a majority stake in Axxela’s gas and power business following Oando’s divestment. Axxela is a designated natural gas shipper on the West African Gas Pipeline
In February 2018, African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), together with Helios Investment Partners acquired the stake of Starsight Power Utility. Starsight is a Nigeria-based energy services company providing solar- diesel-battery hybrid and cooling and lighting solutions to its commercial and industrial clients
In January 2018, Off Grid Electric – a rooftop solar provider in Africa raised $55 million in Series D funding led by Helios Investment Partners with support from GE Ventures. Off Grid Electric through its consumer brand Zola, combines Silicon Valley technology with local expertise to offer African homes and businesses rooftop solar as a solution to an unreliable or non-existent grid
Other Details
Helios is an Africa-focused private investment firm, managing funds totaling over $3 billion. Helios has offices in London, Paris, Lagos and Nairobi, and manages geographically diversified portfolios of private equity and credit investments in over 30 African countries.
The firm’s latest open fund Helios CLEAR Fund is a $51 million buyout fund. The fund will invest and develop sustainable, climate-aligned companies and assets to accelerate decarbonisation in Africa and build climate resilience.
Albright Capital Management, Adlevo Capital, Bioenergy Infrastructure Holdings, BTG Pactual, Foresight Group, Helios Towers, IFC Asset Management Company, International Finance Corporation, Providence Equity Partners, Pitango Venture Capital, RIT Capital Partners, The World Bank Group, TowerBrook Capital Partners, Wellcome Trust, Spice Private Equity and Vitol are some of the co-investors who invest alongside Helios Investment Partners.
Source: Pitchbook, Company Website, Press Release