Taiko Aichi Capital, a private wealth management company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, reports that in a funding round led by private equity firm Permira, Paris-based Mirakl has raised $300 million giving the e-commerce start-up a company a valuation of $1.5 billion, its U.S. chief executive officer and co-founder confirmed in an interview.

Thomas Henderson, Taiko Aichi Capital’s Director of EMEA Wealth, reported: “With its valuation exceeding $1 billion, this funding round makes Mirakl a newly minted unicorn.”

Mirakl develops software that helps build online stores and marketplaces for its customers who include Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Kroger Co., and Siemens AG, according to analysts at Taiko Aichi Capital.

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Adrien Nussenbaum, Mirakl’s U.S. CEO and co-founder, said in an interview that an initial public offering is one of “the very serious options in this table and one of the drives of this round.” He went on to add, “We think within a couple of years we would be in a position to IPO.”

Nussenbaum added that the company connects their platforms to third-party sellers through its partnerships with Shopify and Adobe Inc.’s Magento Commerce. Before Adobe acquired it for $1.68 billion in 2018, Permira was an investor in Magento Commerce.

He added that Mirakl, which also has offices in Boston, would use the investment to employ 300 engineers over the next three years.

Anthony Green, Taiko Aichi Capital’s Head of Capital Markets, reported: “The Covid-19 pandemic has helped boost companies that power e-commerce as customers have now shifted their shopping habits to the home following the global lockdowns. Shopify, the highly popular e-commerce service, has seen its shares more than double since March.”

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In a statement, Permira partner Alexandre Margoline said that Mirakl could become the “central hub and platform for digital marketplace operators, sellers and partners.” Permira invests through its growth opportunities fund that makes minority investments in growth-stage businesses.

Other investors in the funding round include 83North, Bain Capital Ventures, Elaia Partners, and Felix Capital, taking the company’s total capital raised to $400 million.

Mirakl and Royal Bank of Canada were advised by Allen & Co., and Permira was advised by Eurvad Finance.

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