Ageras acquired Kontist, a Berlin-based neo-bank

Kontist, a Berlin, Germany-based financial services provider for freelancers, announced that it was acquired by the Danish company Ageras.

Financial details were not disclosed. Post-acquisition, Ageras’ run-rate revenue will rise approx. 40% and climb closer to €30 million annually. Kontist’s employees will join Ageras’ 200, bringing its total headcount to 350 employees based in Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, the US, Finland and Poland. Kontist Founder and Co-CEO Christopher Plantener will continue working for Kontist under Ageras.

Kontist, founded in 2015 by Alexander Baatz, Catharina Bruns, Christopher Plantener, Madison Bell, Sebastian Galonska and Sophie Pester and co-CEO-ed by Christopher Plantener and Benjamin Esser, partnered with solarisBank in order to offer a cost-free business account including automatically generated reserves for VAT and tax, easy sign-up and paperless account processing. It raised more than $30 million (last round was series B closed at $30 million in 2021) from investors including Founders, Haufe Group and Vækstfonden.

Ageras, founded in 2011 by CEO Rico Andersen and Martin Hegelund, developed an online platform offering matching services to small and medium-sized enterprises and micro-businesses, connecting them with professional services providers such as accountants and lawyers. The company's product portfolio includes Salary (acquired in August 2021), Zervant (acquired in September 2021) and Billy, and provides an overall integrated solution including payroll, invoice and accounting software services in Europe and North America. Its investors include Investcorp, which acquired 60% of its shares in 2017 and Lugard Road, which led a $73.5M capital raise in February 2021. It raised an additional $34 million from the same investors in February 2022