AcquisitionSep 11, 2026, 19:25 UTC

iXO backs founder buyout at French outdoor platform Hardloop as sales pass €40M

What's the deal? France's iXO Private Equity has taken a stake in Hardloop, an outdoor equipment e-commerce platform based in Annecy, investing alongside co-founders Guillaume Richard and Julien Jérémie. The transaction lifts the founders' combined holding to nearly 60%, up from 49.6%, making them clear majority shareholders. Deal terms were undisclosed.

What changes? The buyout coincides with the exit of 21 existing investors, including Seventure Partners, SGPA, and Kima Ventures. The founders said "everyone seems very happy with the deal, both the 21 outgoing and [the] incoming partners."

The numbers: Founded in 2015, Hardloop doubled in size between 2022 and 2025, passing €40 million in revenue last year. Sales rose 34% year-over-year in early 2026, and the company expects to reach €50 million this year and €100 million within three years.

What's the endgame? Hardloop stocks nearly 400 brands and more than 200,000 new and second-hand products, serving over one million customers across 15 countries with roughly 65 staff. The deal sets up dedicated financing to pursue acquisitions, part of a strategy iXO investment director Sylvain Caillat said could make Hardloop "Europe's leading e-commerce platform for outdoor sports."

Why now? The company points to a shift toward online outdoor retail: it expects e-commerce sales to grow about 14% a year through 2030, against roughly 2% for physical stores.

The signal: Founded in 2003, iXO manages €1 billion and backs growth and buyout deals of €2 million to €30 million in southern and western France. The deal shows profitable, self-funded scaleups can use private equity to buy out early backers while keeping founders in control — and financing further consolidation.