Private equity firm Resource Partners has acquired majority stakes in iaBilet, Romania’s largest online ticketing platform, and concert promoter BestMusic, marking its strategic entry into the country’s digital ticketing and live entertainment sector. Founders Emil Ionescu and Razvan Manta (opening picture) retain minority stakes and executive roles, the company said.
The investor bought 82.5% of iaBilet and 55% of BestMusic Concerts from NCH Capital and the founding shareholders.
Founded in 2012, iaBilet has grown into Romania’s leading ticketing platform, selling more than 4 million tickets in 2024 and supporting over 4,000 event organizers. Its proprietary platform integrates ticketing, marketing automation, and analytics, and recently launched daBilet.ro, a ticket resale marketplace.
BestMusic, which has staged more than 3,000 shows, is one of Romania’s best-known promoters and has brought global acts such as Iron Maiden, Slipknot, and Eros Ramazzotti to local stages.
Gosia Bobrowska, Managing Partner at Resource Partners, stated: “We are long-term believers in the Romanian market, which continues to offer highly entrepreneurial businesses with regional potential, and iaBilet is a great example of that. […] We see strong growth prospects in the live entertainment and digital services space and are excited to support the company’s next stage of development.”
The deal follows iaBilet’s steady expansion, which generated EUR 5.8 million in turnover last year. Resource Partners said it plans to accelerate the company’s growth by upgrading its digital infrastructure, expanding services for promoters, and improving the customer experience.
“This new partnership will help us serve the live events community even better, while staying true to our values of accessibility, innovation, and reliability,” said Emil Ionescu, CEO and co-founder of iaBilet and BestMusic.
NCH Capital, which exits its investment through the transaction, described iaBilet as one of Romania’s most successful independent digital platforms.
Resource Partners is an independent private equity fund founded in 2009 by a team of internationally experienced investment managers who have invested in the CEE region since 2000 on behalf of top regional and international financial institutions and funds. Since its inception, Resource Partners has raised three generations of funds, leading to total investments of over EUR 500 million.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Resource Partners)
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