Belgian investor Verlinvest acquires majority stake in leading UK bouldering gym operator.
Verlinvest, a global, family-backed, consumer-focused evergreen investment firm, has led a significant investment in The Climbing Hangar, the leading UK bouldering gym operator, alongside the founder and existing management team.
This strategic partnership will provide capital and resources to enable The Climbing Hangar to accelerate its growth by building new sites in the UK, acquiring high-quality existing operations and deepening its brand and climbing community.
Since launch, The Climbing Hangar has successfully scaled the business to nine sites and 20,000+ members across the UK, with a focus on offering an accessible, enjoyable environment – appealing to experienced climbers and beginners alike.
Ben Black of Verlinvest said: “As a consumer investor, we actively seek growth propositions that drive healthy and exciting alternatives for consumers. The Climbing Hangar represents the new generation of bouldering gyms democratising the sport, widening accessibility and raising the quality of the climbing on offer for all. We are delighted to partner with Ged (CEO Ged MacDomhnaill, ed.) and the team and will actively seek M&A opportunities with other likeminded partners to build the business on an international scale.”
About Verlinvest
Verlinvest is a global, family-backed evergreen investment company investing tickets up to 200 million euros per investment. It identifies inflection points in consumer behaviour and partners with the businesses that are driving consumer revolutions forward whilst having a positive impact on people and the planet. Established in 1995, with offices in Brussels, London, New York, Mumbai and Singapore, Verlinvest focuses on the FMCG, health, consumer technology and lifestyle categories, investing across three strategies: Platform, Growth and Venture. Its portfolio includes Oatly, Tony’s Chocolonely, K1 Speed, Insomnia Cookies, Vita Coco and Mutti, amongst others.
