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Global investment firm KKR has acquired Superstruct Entertainment from Providence Equity Partners for an undisclosed amount.
Superstruct is a European live entertainment group, which owns and operates more than 80 music festivals across 10 countries. Established in 2017 by Providence, the group has grown its portfolio to include festivals such as the UK’s Boardmasters festival, Hungary’s Sziget and Defqon.1 in the Netherlands. Defqon.1 has also previously held events in Chile and Australia.
KKR will support Superstruct in its next phase of development, with Providence also having the option to invest €250m (£212m/$268m) into the group.
“We are delighted to partner with Roderik Schlösser, James Barton and the team at Superstruct who have established themselves as a leader in delivering unparalleled live music experiences globally,” said Philipp Freise, partner and co-head of European Private Equity and Franziska Kayser, partner at KKR, in a joint statement.
“With a robust foundation as a top-tier live entertainment platform, we see significant growth opportunities ahead for Superstruct. Drawing on our strong partnership approach and experience in the digital entertainment and ticketing space, such as BMG, ProSiebenSat1, GetYourGuide, and Trainline, as well as KKR’s global resources and extensive network, we will support the company and its entrepreneurial team to bring their compelling portfolio of live event formats to a wider audience and drive further growth.”
Goldman Sachs acted as the financial advisor for KKR, while Kirkland & Ellis acted as legal advisor. Providence was jointly advised by HSBC and LionTree, with White & Case acting as legal advisor.
“The founding vision for Superstruct was to create a natural home for successful entrepreneurs, creative visionaries, and business-minded professionals in live entertainment,” commented Superstruct chief executive Roderik Schlösser and chairman James Barton.
“We wanted to create a network of influence setting the standards for live experiences. Through our development, we are a leader in the professionalisation of this industry, enabling our dedicated teams to excel in a collaborative and inspiring environment and create and deliver best-in-class events for millions of fans. We are proud to have secured the backing of KKR, whose expertise and network will strengthen our ability to scale and innovate in the vibrant experiential economy.”
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