Goldman Sachs Alternatives has acquired a controlling stake in Indian HR tech firm PeopleStrong for approximately $130 million, marking a significant development in the HR SaaS industry.
Key Details of the Acquisition:
Acquirer: Goldman Sachs Alternatives, the private equity division of Goldman Sachs.
Target Company: PeopleStrong, a Gurugram-based human capital management (HCM) SaaS provider.
Deal Value: Approximately $130 million (₹1,300 crore).
Stake Acquired: Majority stake, including the 84% previously held by Multiples Alternate Asset Management, along with portions from employee stock option pools.
About PeopleStrong:
Founded: 2005 by Pankaj Bansal.
Headquarters: Gurugram, India.
CEO: Sandeep Chaudhary.
Services: Provides an AI-powered HCM platform encompassing applicant tracking, payroll, employee experience, and talent management.
Clientele: Serves over 500 organizations, including Aditya Birla Group, Tata, Mahindra, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Ergo, Paytm, Cipla, and Air India.
User Base: Currently supports over 2 million users, with plans to expand to 10 million globally within the next five years.
Financials: Reported revenues of ₹274.5 crore and a net profit of ₹57 crore for the fiscal year ending March 2024.
Strategic Implications:
Growth and Innovation: The partnership with Goldman Sachs is expected to accelerate PeopleStrong's global expansion and drive AI-led product innovation.
Market Position: The acquisition underscores PeopleStrong's position as one of the few EBITDA-positive SaaS companies with market leadership in the HR tech space.
Investor Perspective: Goldman Sachs views PeopleStrong as operating at the intersection of talent and technology, delivering measurable outcomes through its tech-first approach to human capital management.
Historical Context:
Previous Investment: Multiples Alternate Asset Management acquired its stake in PeopleStrong in 2017 from investors including Lumis Partners, HDFC Holdings, and The HR Fund.
Valuation Growth: The company's valuation has increased from ₹530 crore in 2021 to ₹1,300 crore in the current deal. This acquisition highlights the growing interest of global investors in India's SaaS sector, particularly in companies that combine technological innovation with scalable business models.
Key Details of the Acquisition:
Acquirer: Goldman Sachs Alternatives, the private equity division of Goldman Sachs.
Target Company: PeopleStrong, a Gurugram-based human capital management (HCM) SaaS provider.
Deal Value: Approximately $130 million (₹1,300 crore).
Stake Acquired: Majority stake, including the 84% previously held by Multiples Alternate Asset Management, along with portions from employee stock option pools.
About PeopleStrong:
Founded: 2005 by Pankaj Bansal.
Headquarters: Gurugram, India.
CEO: Sandeep Chaudhary.
Services: Provides an AI-powered HCM platform encompassing applicant tracking, payroll, employee experience, and talent management.
Clientele: Serves over 500 organizations, including Aditya Birla Group, Tata, Mahindra, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Ergo, Paytm, Cipla, and Air India.
User Base: Currently supports over 2 million users, with plans to expand to 10 million globally within the next five years.
Financials: Reported revenues of ₹274.5 crore and a net profit of ₹57 crore for the fiscal year ending March 2024.
Strategic Implications:
Growth and Innovation: The partnership with Goldman Sachs is expected to accelerate PeopleStrong's global expansion and drive AI-led product innovation.
Market Position: The acquisition underscores PeopleStrong's position as one of the few EBITDA-positive SaaS companies with market leadership in the HR tech space.
Investor Perspective: Goldman Sachs views PeopleStrong as operating at the intersection of talent and technology, delivering measurable outcomes through its tech-first approach to human capital management.
Historical Context:
Previous Investment: Multiples Alternate Asset Management acquired its stake in PeopleStrong in 2017 from investors including Lumis Partners, HDFC Holdings, and The HR Fund.
Valuation Growth: The company's valuation has increased from ₹530 crore in 2021 to ₹1,300 crore in the current deal. This acquisition highlights the growing interest of global investors in India's SaaS sector, particularly in companies that combine technological innovation with scalable business models.