News
LARK advises Afinum on the sale of Threema Holding AG
Afinum has sold Threema Holding AG to Comitis Capital. Threema is a leading provider of highly secure digital communication solutions. These are currently used by more than 15 governments globally and by a broad base of enterprises operating in security-sensitive environments.
Under Afinum's ownership, Threema tripled its annual recurring revenue and significantly strengthened its position as a trusted partner for public institutions and enterprises. The management team will continue to run the company after the sale.
The Business Law Powerhouse LARK advised Afinum on the German law aspects of this transaction with Ludger Schult and Eva-Maria Bayer (both Private Equity/M&A).
LARK advises Afinum on its investment in Ergon Informatik AG
Afinum has invested in Swiss Ergon Informatik AG. To this end, Afinum has entered into a partnership with Ergon's management and reinvesting shareholders to jointly invest in Ergon.
This is the second platform investment of the recently launched Afinum X fund. The transaction strengthens the strategy of Afinum to invest in succession situations and promote technology-oriented companies.
Ergon is a leading Swiss provider of software solutions and services with a cybersecurity software suite under the Airlock brand. The company employs more than 400 people and serves customers worldwide.
The Business Law Powerhouse LARK advised Afinum on the German law aspects of this transaction with Ludger Schult and Franziska Lang (both Private Equity/M&A) as well as Philipp Büchler (Finance).
LARK nominated for the azur Awards 2026
We are proud that LARK has been nominated for the azur Awards 2026! This nomination means a lot to us, as it highlights what we truly care about: making a real difference for young professionals and the legal talent market.
After being honored with three “Newcomer of the Year” awards last year, we see this nomination as an important next step on our journey, demonstrating that we are increasingly being recognized as an attractive employer.
A huge thank you to the azur editorial team for the nomination. And above all, heartfelt thanks to our amazing team – for your daily commitment with excellence and passion!
The azur Awards ceremony will take place on March 19, 2026, in Cologne.
LARK promotes Eva-Maria Bayer to counsel
Business Law Powerhouse LARK has promoted transaction lawyer Eva-Maria Bayer to counsel. With this promotion, LARK further strengthens its successful private equity and M&A practice.
“We are proud to have appointed Eva as our first counsel from within our own ranks in the LARK private equity practice,” says Dr Ludger Schult, private equity partner and co-founder of LARK. “With her high level of professional expertise, entrepreneurial thinking, and strong team spirit, she embodies the values our firm stands for. Eva's appointment as counsel demonstrates LARK's consistent focus on internal development and long-term perspectives.”
Eva-Maria Bayer began her career in 2019 as part of Dr Ludger Schult's team and moved to LARK with his team at the beginning of 2024. From the outset, she advised national and international private equity firms – including Afinum, EMERAM Capital, and FSN Capital – as well as companies on complex transactions.
In addition to her extensive transaction experience, Eva has built up particular expertise in corporate law, especially in advising on management and employee participation programs.
LARK's private equity practice currently has 5 partners, 2 counsels, and 7 associates.
LARK advises CertHub GmbH on EUR 6.2 million seed round
CertHub GmbH has successfully completed a seed financing round in the amount of EUR 6.2 million. In addition to lead investor Cusp Capital, other participants in the round included D11Z. Ventures, Calm/Storm, and UnternehmerTUM.
CertHub was founded in Munich in 2024 and is developing an AI-powered compliance platform designed to make the regulatory hurdles for medical device approval more transparent and scalable. To this end, the team led by founders Leon Kobinger and Nicolas Gehring is automating technical documentation in line with MDR and ISO requirements. This allows innovative medical devices to reach the European market more quickly without bypassing the necessary regulatory diligence.
Business Law Powerhouse LARK comprehensively advised CertHub on this transaction with Dr. Daniel Gubitz and Dr. Janosch Engelhardt (both Venture Capital/Corporate Law).
LARK advises Mercer on the acquisition of Profil M
International consulting firm Mercer has acquired Germany-based and internationally active consulting firm Profil M. Following the completion of the transaction, Profil M will operate under the Mercer Profil M brand. The Profil M management team will become part of the Mercer Career Leadership Team.
Mercer is a subsidiary of Marsh McLennan (NYSE:MMC) headquartered in New York and a leading consulting firm in the areas of people and investment. With approximately 25,000 employees in 43 countries, Mercer operates in more than 130 countries.
Profil M is a leading consulting firm in the field of leadership development. With around 120 employees and an international team of freelancers, it provides consulting services in the areas of leadership assessment, executive development, leadership culture, and transformation.
The Business Law Powerhouse LARK advised Mercer on this acquisition with Dr. Patrick Droese, Dr. Ludger Schult, Jennifer Blümlein, Fabienne Pflug, and Nino Häberlein (all Corporate/M&A) as well as Dr. Tobias Stuppi and Jakob Heimrich (both Tax).
Mercer was advised on labor law by Ingo Sappa and Anne Broll from Pusch Wahlig Workplace Law, on IP/IT/data protection by Dr. Thomas Schafft from SSH Rechtsanwälte, and on antitrust law/FDI by Dr. Andreas Boos and Julian Riedel from BUNTSCHECK.
Dr. Patrick Droese's team already assisted Mercer in 2024 with the acquisition of hkp///group. Mercer has now relied on LARK again for its second transaction in Germany.
LARK advises Founders Fund and other investors on Trade Republic’s €1.2 billion investment round
In a transaction worth €1.2 billion, several investors, including Founders Fund as lead investor, Sequoia, Thrive Capital, Accel and TCV, have increased their stakes in Trade Republic, valuing the company at €12.5 billion.
Trade Republic is also gaining leading new long-term investors, including Wellington Management, GIC, Fidelity Management & Research Company, and Khosla Ventures. The investor circle is further strengthened by Lingotto Innovation and Aglaé, the technology-focused investment firm of the Arnault family.
Trade Republic was founded in 2019 with the aim of closing Europe's pension gap. Since then, the company has grown rapidly. In the past 18 months, the digital savings platform has doubled its customer base to more than 10 million people, who together manage €150 billion in assets.
In 2023, Trade Republic received a full banking license from the ECB and in 2025 localized its offering in France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Austria. This makes Trade Republic the largest savings platform in Europe.
Business Law Powerhouse LARK provided comprehensive advice to Founders Fund as lead investor as well as other cornerstone investors in this investment round with Dr Daniel Gubitz, Max Hentrich and Nadja Crombach (all Corporate Law/M&A).
LARK advises Hi inov in connection with Rencore's Series A financing
Software company Rencore has expanded its Series A financing to a total of $15 million. The financing round was led by Hi inov, with continued participation from existing investors UVC Partners and Capnamic Ventures.
Rencore is a Munich-based software company specializing in governance, security, and compliance solutions for Microsoft 365, the Power Platform, and enterprise AI. Rencore's customers include corporations such as the Lufthansa Group and Siemens Healthineers.
Rencore plans to use the additional capital to accelerate the company's international expansion in Europe and North America and strengthen its leading market position.
Hi inov is a B2B venture capital fund with offices in Paris, Lyon, and Munich. It invests in high-growth European companies, focusing on promoting change in the industrial and service sectors through innovative technological solutions.
The Business Law Powerhouse LARK provided comprehensive advice to Hi inov on this transaction with Dr. Daniel Wied and Nicholas Schildhauer (both Corporate/Venture Capital). In the area of IP/IT, LARK was supported by Inga George from the law firm boesling IP.
Leaders League: LARK is ranked in all of its practice areas
LARK has moved up in this year's Leaders League Germany rankings, highlighting its dynamic development and ongoing strategic growth. This advancement reflects LARK's strong market position among Germany's law firms, achieved in less than two years since its foundation.
We are especially proud to have been ranked in all our practice areas, which highlights the breadth and depth of LARK’s expertise.
- Private Equity
- M&A
- Venture Capital
- Equity Capital Markets
- Corporate Tax
- Banking & Finance
These rankings further consolidate LARK's position as a trusted advisor for high-profile corporate and transaction business.
Christin Stender christin.stender@lark.de