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Unite

Fintech · Leipzig, Germany · Founded 1999

Unite, formerly known as Mercateo Group, operates a B2B e-procurement platform designed to connect the economy for sustainable business. The company's origins trace back to 2000, when Sebastian Wieser and four of his McKinsey colleagues founded Mercateo to address the disorganized procurement market in Germany. Their vision was a web-based platform to simplify and bring transparency to centralized purchasing for SMEs. In 2003, Sebastian Wieser and Peter Ledermann acquired Mercateo from E.ON in a management buyout. A significant milestone occurred in January 2022, when the Mercateo Group merged its B2B marketplace and the Unite Network, which had been live since 2017, under the single brand "Unite". This rebranding reflected the company's evolution beyond a marketplace to a collaborative platform. The company is headquartered in Leipzig, Germany, and as of 2024, employs over 700 people across 12 European countries. The business serves a wide range of clients, from small and medium-sized enterprises to large corporations and public sector organizations, including a partnership with the UK's Crown Commercial Service. Unite's business model is centered on its digital platform that facilitates transactions between buyers and suppliers. The platform offers several solutions, including a Procurement Portal, a Spotmarket for ad-hoc needs, and configurable BusinessShops. For buyers, this provides a streamlined, B2C-like shopping experience for a vast range of products, from office supplies to industrial equipment. For suppliers, it offers access to a large network of business customers, market insights, and secure payment processing, with Unite acting as the single creditor to ensure timely payments. The platform can be used as a web-based solution or integrated into a client's existing ERP system, such as SAP Ariba. Revenue for the fiscal year 2023 was reported at €440.8 million, with net revenue growing to €71.9 million. Unite's platform is built on a scalable infrastructure designed to foster enduring business relationships and support supply chain stability. It provides a neutral ground where buyers, suppliers, manufacturers, and technology partners can connect and transact digitally. Key features for buyers include user management, access to pre-integrated supplier shops, and tools to manage indirect spend efficiently. Suppliers benefit from product data enrichment for better discoverability, quarterly growth opportunity reports, and the absence of onboarding or transaction fees. The company emphasizes fair competition and has been recognized for its commitment to sustainability and responsible tax practices, receiving the Fair Tax Mark and an EcoVadis Gold rating. This focus on creating shared value underpins their vision of a more collaborative and sustainable B2B ecosystem. Keywords: e-procurement, B2B marketplace, procurement platform, supply chain management, indirect procurement, digital purchasing, supplier relationship management, catalogue-based procurement, tail spend management, B2B e-commerce, purchasing solutions, strategic sourcing, digital transformation, P2P, procure-to-pay, vendor management, online marketplace, B2B network, financial services, sustainable procurement, public sector procurement, ERP integration