The magazine publishing industry in Benelux is rich and varied, featuring both traditional and digital media. Companies range from long-established publishers to nimble, innovative startups focusing on niche markets. Venues for content vary beyond magazines, extending into online platforms and multimedia formats to stay relevant and engage modern audiences. Interestingly, the industry has witnessed a significant shift towards sustainability, with companies increasingly prioritizing eco-friendly practices in production. Consumer preferences for interactive and digital content are reshaping offerings, encouraging publishers to innovate and adapt, ensuring the industry remains dynamic and up-to-date with the demands of today's readers.


In the Benelux magazine publishing sector, a variety of investors play a crucial role. This article features 14 key players ranging in type from corporate giants like DPG Media to agile venture capital firms such as Rockstart. Headquartered primarily in cities like Amsterdam and Luxembourg, these investors vary significantly in size, with some managing thousands of employees while others maintain a leaner operation. Established between 1836 and 2017, many of these investors recorded notable deal counts in 2024, underscoring their active participation in the industry.


Top 14 Magazine Publishing Investors in Benelux


1. DPG Media Nederland

  • Website: dpgmediagroup.com
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2009
  • Headcount: 5001-10000
  • LinkedIn: dpg-media-nl

DPG Media Nederland is a corporate investor based in Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands, founded in 2009. The company is part of DPG Media Group, which specializes in publishing news and entertainment content across various platforms, including magazines. DPG Media Group operates in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark, providing a range of media solutions, including advertising services aimed at enhancing brand visibility for businesses. While there are no specific transactions documented for 2024, the company's core business in media publishing indicates a strong involvement in the magazine sector, making it a significant player in the industry.


2. Mediahuis nv

  • Website: mediahuis.be
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium
  • Founded year: 2013
  • Headcount: 1001-5000
  • LinkedIn: mediahuis-belgie

Mediahuis nv is a corporate investor based in Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium, founded in 2013. The company operates in the publishing and broadcasting sectors, providing a range of services that include newspaper and magazine publishing, as well as online media and broadcasting. Mediahuis serves a wide audience across several European countries, delivering reliable news and information through multiple platforms. Notably, Mediahuis has made strategic acquisitions to strengthen its position in the media landscape. In 2014, it acquired NRC Media, a significant player in the Dutch media market, which includes various publications. More recently, in January 2022, Mediahuis completed the acquisition of Aachener Verlagsgesellschaft (AVG), a German media group, enhancing its portfolio in local newspaper publishing. These transactions highlight Mediahuis's commitment to expanding its influence in the publishing sector, including magazines, making it a relevant investor in this category.


3. Cvc

  • Website: cvc.com
  • Type: Private Equity
  • Headquarters: Luxembourg
  • Founded year: 2005
  • Headcount: 1001-5000
  • Number of deals in 2024: 16
  • LinkedIn: cvc-capital-partners

CVC Capital Partners is a prominent investment firm founded in 2005, based in Luxembourg, specializing in private equity, credit, secondaries, and infrastructure. With approximately €193 billion in assets under management for over 1000 clients, including pension funds and institutional investors, CVC focuses on delivering sustainable value and growth through strategic investments. Notably, CVC has been involved in significant transactions relevant to the magazine publishing industry, such as the acquisition of Nine Entertainment in 2007, which operates in the media sector, and the investment in Hung Hing Printing Group in 2008, a company engaged in printing services that could support magazine publishing. These transactions highlight CVC's engagement in sectors that intersect with magazine publishing, reinforcing their relevance in this category.


4. United Media


United Media is a corporate media company based in Luxembourg, founded in 2013, that operates primarily in Southeast Europe. They provide a diverse range of services, including television broadcasting, digital content distribution, and original content production. In addition to catering to consumers seeking entertainment, they also offer advertising solutions to businesses. Notably, United Media has made strategic investments in the magazine publishing sector, including the acquisition of a 71% stake in Adria Media, a Slovenian publishing house, which was announced on November 28, 2022. This acquisition highlights their commitment to expanding their influence in the publishing industry. Furthermore, they have also acquired TV Vijesti, further demonstrating their active role in the media landscape.


5. Wolters Kluwer

  • Website: wolterskluwer.com
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Alphen Aan Den Rijn, South Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 1836
  • Headcount: 10001+
  • Number of deals in 2024: 4
  • LinkedIn: wolters-kluwer

Wolters Kluwer N.V. is a corporate investor based in Alphen Aan Den Rijn, South Holland, Netherlands, with a history dating back to 1836. The company specializes in information services and software solutions across various professional sectors, including healthcare, legal, tax, accounting, finance, and compliance. In recent years, Wolters Kluwer has actively expanded its presence in the magazine publishing sector through strategic acquisitions. Notably, they acquired IJS Publishing Group, a UK-based provider of peer-reviewed medical journals, to enhance their Lippincott journal portfolio and strengthen their Open Access position. Additionally, they have acquired Medknow Publications and Medknow PVT Ltd., both of which are significant players in the STM journal publishing space in India. These transactions highlight Wolters Kluwer's commitment to enhancing its publishing capabilities and expanding its reach in the medical research domain, making it a relevant player in the magazine publishing industry.


6. Axivate Capital

  • Website: axivate.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2012
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • LinkedIn: axivate-capital

Axivate Capital is a venture capital firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2012. The firm specializes in providing investment and consulting services across various sectors, including digital media, e-commerce, leisure, telecom, travel, and horeca. They focus on both innovative startups and established companies with growth potential, emphasizing collaboration with entrepreneurs to optimize operations and achieve market leadership. Notably, Axivate Capital has been involved in transactions relevant to the magazine publishing context, such as their investment in Nieuws.nl, a news platform that aligns with the media sector. Additionally, they participated in the Series A funding for Readmore, which may also relate to digital content distribution. These transactions highlight their engagement with the media landscape, reinforcing their relevance as an investor in the magazine publishing industry.


7. European Investment Bank (EIB)


The European Investment Bank (EIB) is a public entity based in Luxembourg, founded in 1958, that provides a range of financial services including loans, equity investments, guarantees, and advisory services. EIB supports sustainable projects across various sectors, catering to both public and private organizations seeking funding for initiatives that promote growth and job creation. Notably, EIB has been involved in significant transactions within the media sector, such as providing debt financing to DPG Media, which raised over $111 million in January 2022. Additionally, EIB co-led a Series C financing round for Bizay, a company that operates in the digital publishing space, further demonstrating its engagement with the media industry. Other transactions include debt financing for censhare GmbH and DanAds, both of which are relevant to the digital and advertising aspects of publishing. These activities highlight EIB's involvement in the media landscape, particularly in financing initiatives that could impact magazine publishing.


8. Exor N.V.

  • Website: exor.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2009
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 26
  • LinkedIn: exor_2

Exor N.V. is a holding company based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2009. It operates across various sectors, including automotive, healthcare, and media, managing a diverse portfolio of companies such as Ferrari, Stellantis, and Philips. Exor focuses on enhancing value through strategic investments and operational support. A notable transaction in its portfolio is the acquisition of a 43.78% stake in GEDI Gruppo Editoriale S.p.A. for €102.4 million, completed on April 23, 2020. This investment highlights Exor's engagement in the media and publishing sector, particularly in magazine publishing, as GEDI is known for its publications. Additionally, Exor has participated in other funding rounds, such as Futura and Avant Arte, which, while not directly related to magazine publishing, showcase its active investment strategy in the media and creative industries.


9. Peak

  • Website: peak.capital
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2008
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 8
  • LinkedIn: peak-capital

Peak Capital is a venture capital firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2008. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage companies within the SaaS, marketplace, and platform sectors, providing funding and support to help these businesses scale and succeed. Notably, Peak has invested in StoryChief, a martech startup that raised €1.1 million in a funding round aimed at scaling its digital platform for content marketing, which is highly relevant to the magazine publishing industry. Additionally, they participated in multiple funding rounds for StoryChief, indicating a strong commitment to supporting innovative content solutions. Another relevant investment was in Peecho, a service that transforms digital content into physical products, which aligns with the needs of publishers looking to monetize their content in various formats. Overall, Peak Capital's focus on innovative content-related startups positions them as a relevant player in the magazine publishing sector.


10. Ergon Capital


Ergon Capital is a private equity firm based in Brussels, Belgium, founded in 2005. The firm specializes in investment management and sustainability consulting, partnering with families, entrepreneurs, and management teams to enhance business value while promoting ESG initiatives. Notably, Ergon Capital has made significant investments in the publishing sector, including the acquisition of Keesing Media Group, a prominent publisher of puzzle magazines, for €150 million in July 2017. This strategic acquisition highlights their commitment to the magazine publishing industry. Additionally, in April 2011, they acquired De Boeck Supérieur and De Boeck Education, further expanding their footprint in the publishing landscape. Through these transactions, Ergon Capital demonstrates a diversified investment approach while maintaining a focus on sectors that align with their expertise and values.


11. Rockstart

  • Website: rockstart.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2011
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 16
  • LinkedIn: rockstart

Rockstart is a startup accelerator and investment firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2011. They empower early-stage founders across various sectors, including AgriFood, Energy, and Emerging Technology, by providing investment, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help startups scale and succeed. Notably, Rockstart has invested in Publishizer, which raised $75,000 in a Pre-Seed round in April 2018. Publishizer is a platform that allows authors to crowdfund their books, which is closely related to the publishing industry. Additionally, Rockstart was involved in the seed financing of PastBook, a startup that, while not directly related to magazine publishing, showcases their interest in digital content and publishing solutions. This diverse portfolio indicates Rockstart's potential relevance to the magazine publishing sector.


12. Lrm

  • Website: lrm.be
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium
  • Founded year: 1994
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 1
  • LinkedIn: lrmnv

LRM (lrm.be) is a venture capital investment company based in Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium, founded in 1994. The firm focuses on sustainable economic growth in the Limburg region, providing financing and expertise to startups, scale-ups, and mature companies to facilitate their development and innovation. LRM is also involved in real estate development and the reconversion of old mining sites, contributing to the local economic ecosystem. Notably, LRM acquired Clavis Publishing on May 1, 2005, which highlights its engagement in the magazine publishing sector. This acquisition reflects LRM's commitment to diversifying its investment portfolio while supporting the growth of companies within the publishing industry. Additionally, LRM has participated in various funding rounds for companies like Sparkcentral, although these transactions are not directly related to magazine publishing.


13. Newion


Newion Partners is a venture capital firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2000. They specialize in investing in early-stage technology companies, particularly in the business software sector. Newion provides capital, expertise, and support to help these companies scale and achieve market leadership, focusing on businesses located in North/West Europe. Notably, Newion has been involved in several transactions relevant to the magazine publishing context, including multiple rounds of investment in Foleon, a company that raised a total of $10.5 million across Series C, B, and Seed rounds from 2015 to 2021. Foleon's platform is designed for creating digital publications, making it a significant player in the magazine publishing industry. Additionally, Newion led a pre-Series A round for Passendo, an email adtech company, which could also have implications for digital magazine distribution and advertising.


14. Maor Investments


Maor Investments is a venture capital firm founded in 2017, based in Luxembourg, that specializes in investing in revenue-generating Israeli technology companies. They provide advisory services and facilitate connections between startups and European corporates, helping to bridge the gap between Israeli innovation and European markets. Notably, Maor Investments has participated in funding rounds for Minute Media, a digital media company known for its sports and entertainment content, which includes platforms that resemble traditional magazine publishing. In 2019, they were part of a funding round that raised $40 million for Minute Media, and in 2020, they contributed to a $40 million Series I funding round for the same company. These transactions highlight their engagement in the media sector, particularly in digital content creation, which is relevant to the magazine publishing industry.



Magazine Publishing Insights: Key Investors in Benelux


InvestorHeadquarterSizeFoundedDeals 2024
DPG Media NederlandAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands5001-1000020090
Mediahuis nvAntwerp, Flanders, Belgium1001-500020130
CvcLuxembourg1001-5000200516
United MediaLuxembourg1001-500020130
Wolters KluwerAlphen Aan Den Rijn, South Holland, Netherlands10001+18364
Axivate CapitalAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands1-1020120
European Investment Bank (EIB)Luxembourg1001-5000195899
Exor N.V.Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands11-50200926
PeakAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands11-5020088
Ergon CapitalBrussels, Brussels, Belgium11-5020050
RockstartAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands11-50201116
LrmHasselt, Flanders, Belgium51-20019941
NewionAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands11-5020006
Maor InvestmentsLuxembourg11-5020173


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