AUTODOC Founders Reacquire Full Ownership as Apollo Partnership Concludes

Autodoc SE, Europe's leading online retailer of automotive spare parts and accessories, announced the successful completion of the share purchase from Apollo-managed funds, concluding a transformative partnership. With this transaction, the three co-founders—Alexej Erdle, Max Wegner, and Vitalij Kungel—now indirectly hold 100% of Autodoc SE through their investment vehicle, AutoTech GmbH & Co. KG.

The partnership, which began in April 2024 when Apollo Funds acquired a minority stake at an equity valuation of EUR 2.3 billion, was designed to be time-limited and purpose-driven. Apollo provided strategic guidance to help AUTODOC access institutional capital markets and prepare for a potential future IPO. These objectives were achieved in quick succession, leaving AUTODOC well positioned for any future capital market options. With the transaction completed, the two Apollo representatives on AUTODOC's Supervisory Board have stepped down, and the board now consists of the three founders and three independent members.

"We have grown AUTODOC from a bootstrapped start-up into Europe’s leading automotive parts retailer by making car repair accessible to everyone. Regaining full ownership is a proud and deeply meaningful moment for us—one that reaffirms our long-term commitment to the company’s future," said the founders in a joint statement. "We are sincerely grateful to the Apollo team for their trust, invaluable expertise, and close partnership over the past two years. Their support has been instrumental in our development, leaving AUTODOC stronger, more robust, and well-positioned for the years ahead."

Dmitri Zadorojnii, CEO of AUTODOC, emphasized that "Apollo's contribution went well beyond capital. Together, we have significantly sharpened our internal processes, strengthened our corporate governance, and built a stronger, more scalable platform." He added, "We now move forward as a highly focused market leader, fully prepared to leverage our independent position and deliver exceptional value to our B2C and B2B customers across Europe. AUTODOC doesn’t change its strategic direction and is ready to capture multiple market opportunities that we clearly see in front of us."

CFO Lennart Schmidt noted that "Apollo brought world-class capital markets expertise to AUTODOC at a crucial time. Transforming our financial reporting, professionalising our processes, building capital market readiness, and debuting on the institutional credit markets have facilitated a seamless transition to our new capital structure." He highlighted that "AUTODOC tapping the institutional debt markets for the first time marks another important step in further professionalising the company and making us ready for future endeavours, including a potential IPO when the timing is right."

Jeremy Honeth, Partner, Hybrid Value at Apollo, said, "It has been a privilege to partner with AUTODOC's founders and management team during this transformative period. AUTODOC has cemented its position as Europe’s leading digital platform for automotive parts and has demonstrated clear readiness for the capital markets. We are proud to have supported the company in reaching this point."

Looking ahead, AUTODOC remains dedicated to its long-term ambition of becoming Europe's leading technology ecosystem for the automotive aftermarket, combining AI-driven capabilities, data-informed decision-making, and an enhanced digital experience. A future IPO remains on the company's agenda, subject to general market conditions.