DGAP-News: AURELIUS Equity Opportunities with a successful start to the year: Portfolio company AKAD University sold to strategic buyer Galileo Global Education

AURELIUS Equity Opportunities with a successful start to the year: Portfolio company AKAD University sold to strategic buyer Galileo Global Education

- Germany's oldest private distance learning university sold to Europe's largest higher education group for a purchase price of over EUR 45 million

- Successful reorganization of AKAD University since takeover in 2014

- Already fourth exit within a few weeks, AURELIUS expects further purchases and sales in the coming weeks

Munich/Grünwald, March 1, 2022 - AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA (ISIN: DE000A0JK2A8, "AURELIUS") announces the sale of the distance learning university AKAD University ("AKAD") to the strategic buyer Galileo Global Education ("Galileo") for a sales price of more than EUR 45m. The purchase price is thus significantly above the most recently calculated net asset value of EUR 25m as of 30 September 2021. Galileo Global Education is the largest higher education group in Europe with approx. 170,000 students in 14 countries.

AKAD, Germany's oldest state-recognised private distance learning university with headquarters in Stuttgart, specialises in time- and location-independent distance learning alongside work and offers 78 study programmes with Bachelor's, Master's and MBA degrees and more than 100 continuing education options. With over 60 years of experience and more than 67,000 successful graduates, AKAD enables working professionals to complete their studies flexibly, individually and efficiently - studies can be started at any time. Around 12,000 adults are currently enrolled at AKAD University, most of whom are studying alongside their jobs.

AURELIUS took over AKAD from Franz Cornelsen Bildungsgruppe in April 2014 and has since extensively reorganized the company. During its affiliation with AURELIUS, the study model became more flexible and efficient and was geared to the individual needs of the students. Based on a newly developed platform and modularisation concept, 63 new study programmes have been introduced since then. Overall, the number of new students has increased by an average of more than 20 per cent per year since the takeover.

"AKAD is in a very good position today following realignment and consistent digital transformation by our operational experts. As a result of the sale, AKAD is now part of an international group with the corresponding growth opportunities - a great success for all sides," comments Matthias Täubl, CEO of AURELIUS Equity Opportunities. "We are working on further transactions and I expect a number of further exits this year."

"AKAD is not only our second successfully completed investment in the education sector after Studienkreis Group, but also a great example of our expertise in growth companies and digitalisation," said Florian Muth, Partner at AURELIUS.

AURELIUS was advised on the transaction by Macquarie Capital (M&A), EGO HUMRICH WYEN (legal) and KNPZ (data protection).

ABOUT AURELIUS

AURELIUS Group is a pan-European asset management group with offices in Munich, London, Stockholm, Madrid, Amsterdam, Milan and Luxembourg.

Key investment platforms are its AURELIUS European Opportunities IV fund as well as listed AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA ("AEO"; ISIN: DE000A0JK2A8), which acquire corporate carve-outs and companies with development potential in the mid-market (fund) and lower mid-market sector (AEO). The investment strategy's core element is operational development of its portfolio companies with the support of a team of almost 100 operating taskforce experts of AEO. AURELIUS Group also operates in the areas of growth capital, real estate opportunities and debt. With its group charity AURELIUS Refugee Initiative e.V., AURELIUS provides comprehensive support for refugees on their way towards a better life.

To find out more, visit www.aurelius-group.com

CONTACT
AURELIUS Group
Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 (89) 544799 - 0
Fax: +49 (89) 544799 - 55
E-mail: investor@aureliusinvest.de