European private equity firm Charme Capital Partners will invest in Animalia, a provider of veterinary care services in Italy.
Charme will take a 56% majority stake in Animalia via its flagship Charme IV fund, with Antonino Santalucia and Giorgio Romani retaining their roles as co-CEOs and shareholders.
According to a press statement, the investment will be made through a capital increase that will provide Animalia with the “necessary resources to accelerate its ambitious consolidation and organic growth plans” via “targeted add-ons, the further expansion of services offered by Animalia’s network of clinics, and through the adoption of new cutting-edge solutions”.
Charme’s previous investments in the healthcare sector include that of Bianalisi, an Italian platform specialising in laboratory diagnostics, outpatient care and diagnostic imaging. The firm has offices in Milan, London and Madrid.
Animalia, which was founded by Santalucia and Romani, opened its first clinic in Milan in 2019, and has since expanded both through acquisitions and organic growth, integrating veterinary clinics into a single group and expanding its services.
Animalia’s veterinary services include advanced surgery, hospitalisation, 24/7 emergency care, and advanced diagnostic imaging such as CT and MRI scans. The provider oversees more than 75 clinics spread across 13 Italian regions.
