Gefran Takes 22% Stake in 40Factory with Legal Aid from K&L Gates
Deal News | Feb 03, 2025 | Legal Community Italy
In a significant move within the industrial IoT sector, Gefran, a company known for its industrial automation and control solutions, has acquired a 22% stake in 40Factory, a Piacenza-based scale-up specializing in Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. The transaction, which took place during 40Factory's Series A funding round, marks the company's second fundraising event following a 2022 round. Gefran's investment totaled 4 million euros, fully paid in cash through its own resources. Legal representation for Gefran in this deal was provided by an external team from K&L Gates, led by partner Arturo Meglio, with internal support from Gefran's general counsel Vittorio Grasso. On the other side, 40Factory was legally advised by attorneys Raffaello Stendardi and Gabriele Tricamo.
Sectors
- Industrial Automation
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Legal Advisory
Geography
- Italy – Both Gefran and 40Factory are Italian companies, and the legal advisors involved are based in Italy.
Industry
- Industrial Automation – Gefran operates within the industrial automation sector, providing solutions for control and process automation.
- Internet of Things (IoT) – 40Factory specializes in IoT solutions for industrial applications, making this sector highly relevant to the acquisition.
- Legal Advisory – K&L Gates provided legal advisory services for this transaction, specializing in facilitating corporate deals.
Financials
- €4,000,000 – The total investment made by Gefran for a 22% stake in 40Factory.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gefran | Bidding Company | Company | An industrial automation and process control solutions provider. |
| 40Factory | Target Company | Company | A Piacenza-based scale-up specializing in industrial IoT solutions. |
| K&L Gates | Legal Advisor | Company | A global law firm representing Gefran in the acquisition. |
| Vittorio Grasso | General Counsel | People | General counsel at Gefran, part of the in-house legal team for the transaction. |
| Federica Bulla | Legal Specialist | People | Senior legal specialist at Gefran, part of the in-house legal team for the transaction. |
| Arturo Meglio | Partner at K&L Gates | People | Lead partner from K&L Gates on the transaction team representing Gefran. |
| Luca Nardello | Senior Associate at K&L Gates | People | Part of the K&L Gates legal team representing Gefran. |
| Gaia Bacchi | Associate at K&L Gates | People | Part of the K&L Gates legal team representing Gefran. |
| Raffaello Stendardi | Attorney for 40Factory | People | Provided legal advice to 40Factory during the transaction. |
| Gabriele Tricamo | Attorney for 40Factory | People | Provided legal advice to 40Factory during the transaction. |