Main Capital Partners (‘Main’), Trace One, and STG Partners, LLC (‘STG’) are pleased to announce Main’s strategic acquisition of Trace One, a premier SaaS leader in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and compliance software, from its previous principal owner, STG. This landmark transaction marks Main Capital’s inaugural platform investment in France, following the recent opening of its Paris office in February 2025.
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Paris, Trace One has emerged as a powerhouse in delivering innovative PLM and compliance solutions tailored to the food & beverage, cosmetics & personal care, and chemical industries. Trusted by over 9,000 global brands—including industry giants such as Carrefour, Cargill, Barilla, Nestlé, and Ahold Delhaize—Trace One’s robust platform simplifies complexity, enhances collaboration, and optimizes every phase of the product lifecycle, from ideation to market launch.
Trace One’s proven experience and commitment to excellence enable companies worldwide to accelerate growth, improve sustainability, and consistently meet rigorous standards of quality and compliance. With an international team of 500 employees operating across 15 countries, Trace One boasts the scale and reach to support a prestigious, global customer base.
This acquisition underscores Main Capital’s strategic ambition to invest in innovative, market-leading B2B software companies, positioning Trace One for continued expansion, enhanced innovation, and accelerated global impact. Managing Partner Sven van Berge, who is leading the Business Transformation and Manufacturing product-markets at Main Capital will chair the Supervisory Board of Trace One.
Under STG’s ownership, Trace One achieved impressive international expansion, highlighted by the strategic milestone acquisition of Selerant in March 2022. In the next chapter of growth, Main Capital and Trace One will collaborate to further elevate the company’s global presence, deepen expertise in existing markets, explore new industry verticals, and expand their product suite with innovative, complementary solutions. Leveraging Main Capital’s specialized experience in international buy-and-build strategies, this partnership will accelerate Trace One’s growth and innovation, reinforcing its commitment to delivering unmatched value to customers worldwide.
Jonas Kruip, Co-Head of Main France said: “The investment in Trace One holds great strategic value for Main, marking the first French platform investment after opening the Paris office earlier this year. Trace One furthermore fits in one of our core product-markets. Trace One has a strong market position as a verticalized PLM software provider with a highly international profile and particularly experiencing strong momentum in the US. We are highly enthusiastic about the opportunities we see together with the management team to further internationalize the company, expand into adjacent verticals and focus on continuous product innovation in which a selective international buy-and-build strategy will play a significant role.”
Christophe Vanackère, CEO of Trace One, added: "Our new partnership with Main Capital represents a significant milestone in Trace One’s growth journey. With our global vision reinforced, we remain deeply committed to expanding internationally and investing in industry-leading innovations that elevate customer experience. By empowering all brands to accelerate their digital transformation, we help them consistently deliver greater value and maintain their competitive edge in an increasingly dynamic market."
Nothing contained in this Press Release is intended to project, predict, guarantee, or forecast the future performance of any investment. This Press Release is for information purposes only and is not investment advice or an offer to buy or sell any securities or to invest in any funds or other investment vehicles managed by Main Capital Partners or any other person.
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