AUTODOC SE, Europe's leading online retailer of automotive spare parts, announced the successful completion of its share purchase from Apollo-managed funds, marking the end of a strategic partnership that significantly advanced the company's governance and market readiness. The transaction, funded by a EUR 530 million Term Loan B placed in July 2026, returns 100% ownership to the three co-founders—Alexej Erdle, Max Wegner, and Vitalij Kungel—through their investment vehicle, AutoTech GmbH & Co. KG.
The collaboration with Apollo Funds began in April 2024 when they acquired a minority stake at an equity valuation of EUR 2.3 billion, the first time the company had external co-owners. The partnership was designed to be time-limited and purpose-driven: Apollo provided strategic guidance to help AUTODOC access institutional capital markets and prepare for a potential IPO. These objectives were achieved rapidly, and the company now stands well-positioned for future capital market options. With the transaction closed, the two Apollo representatives on AUTODOC's Supervisory Board have stepped down, leaving the board composed of the three founders and three independent members.
“We have grown AUTODOC from a bootstrapped start-up into Europe’s leading automotive parts retailer by making car repair accessible to everyone. Regaining full ownership is a proud and deeply meaningful moment for us—one that reaffirms our long-term commitment to the company’s future,” said the founders in a joint statement. “We are sincerely grateful to the Apollo team for their trust, invaluable expertise, and close partnership over the past two years. Their support has been instrumental in our development, leaving AUTODOC stronger, more robust, and well-positioned for the years ahead.”
Dmitri Zadorojnii, CEO of AUTODOC, highlighted the broader impact: “Apollo's contribution went well beyond capital. Together, we have significantly sharpened our internal processes, strengthened our corporate governance, and built a stronger, more scalable platform. We now move forward as a highly focused market leader, fully prepared to leverage our independent position and deliver exceptional value to our B2C and B2B customers across Europe. AUTODOC doesn’t change its strategic direction and is ready to capture multiple market opportunities. We will fully rely on our digital nature and continue to adopt the power of AI and other forefront technologies to bring our products and customers’ experience to the edge of excellence.”
CFO Lennart Schmidt added, “Apollo brought world-class capital markets expertise to AUTODOC at a crucial time. Transforming our financial reporting, professionalising our processes, building capital market readiness, and debuting on the institutional credit markets have facilitated a seamless transition to our new capital structure. AUTODOC tapping the institutional debt markets for the first time marks another important step in further professionalising the company and making us ready for future endeavours, including a potential IPO when the timing is right.”
Jeremy Honeth, Partner, Hybrid Value at Apollo, commented, “It has been a privilege to partner with AUTODOC's founders and management team during this transformative period. AUTODOC has cemented its position as Europe’s leading digital platform for automotive parts and has demonstrated clear readiness for the capital markets. We are proud to have supported the company in reaching this point and wish the entire team every success as they enter their next chapter of growth.”
Looking ahead, AUTODOC remains dedicated to its long-term ambition of becoming Europe's leading technology ecosystem for the automotive aftermarket, combining AI-driven capabilities, data-informed decision-making, and an enhanced digital experience for consumers and professional partners. A future IPO remains on the company's agenda, subject to market conditions. The company, founded in Berlin in 2008, now operates in 27 European countries with over 5,500 employees, and reported sales revenue of EUR 1.8 billion in 2025.
