Aurica Search Fund, the co-investment platform partnering with entrepreneurs in company search and acquisition processes of the manager Aurica Capital, has announced the acquisition of 80% of the share capital of Hispania Educación y Comunicación S.L. and International Students Accommodation Valencia S.L. (hereinafter, “Hispania”), one of the most prestigious Spanish-language schools for foreign students worldwide.
The transaction was led by Marcos Durán, with the backing of Aurica Search Fund I through its investment vehicle Relevian. The deal marks a significant milestone for the fund’s strategy, consolidating its commitment to the education sector and strengthening its growing position within the search fund ecosystem in Spain and Europe. Following the acquisition, Marcos Durán will take on the role of CEO of Hispania, together with the founders, who retain a minority stake and will continue in management to ensure business continuity.
Founded in Valencia and with more than 20 years of experience, Hispania has established itself as a prestigious academic institution. The school has a network of more than 600 international agencies for student recruitment and welcomes over 3,000 foreign students each year. The company maintains a gross margin above 40% and a compound annual growth rate of 17% between 2018 and 2024.
The acquisition of Hispania represents the fourth investment of Aurica Search Fund I and its first transaction in Spain. Hispania joins a portfolio already composed of CSP, a security company for large events; Alfavet, a nutraceutical company for pets; and SOS, a software distributor. This deal reinforces Aurica’s commitment to driving high value-added companies in sectors with structural demand. In particular, the market for teaching Spanish as a foreign language has emerged as one of the most promising segments in education, already being the second most studied language worldwide.
“The education sector, driven by the internationalisation of Spanish learning and the growing demand for training in Spain, offers significant long-term growth and profitability potential. The Hispania transaction reflects our view of the search fund model as a framework capable of attracting talent and scaling solid companies. We are confident that this new stage will enable Hispania to accelerate its growth, and we believe Marcos will lead the company to the next level,” said Ricardo Velilla, Investment Director at Aurica Capital.
For his part, Marcos Durán, founder of Relevian and incoming CEO of Hispania, stated that his objective is “to scale Hispania’s model without losing its essence. Our ambition is to consolidate its position as a benchmark in Spanish-language teaching and to expand its footprint in the domestic market. Having Aurica’s support has been decisive in structuring the transaction.”
About Aurica Capital
Aurica is an independent private equity manager that invests in the growth-capital segment, and is a reference firm in the sector for taking minority stakes in leading middle-market companies with strong development and international growth potential. With more than 20 years of experience, the firm specialises in Private Equity, Search Funds and fund selection, managing over €600 million in assets. Aurica Capital Desarrollo S.G.E.I.C., S.A. is registered with the CNMV’s Register of Private Equity Management Companies under number 104.
For more information, visit www.auricacapital.com
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