BERLIN, GERMANY - August 19, 2026 - Autodoc SE, Europe's leading online retailer of automotive spare parts and accessories, announced the successful completion of a share purchase from Apollo Funds, concluding a strategic partnership that began in April 2024. The transaction restores full ownership to the company's three co-founders: Alexej Erdle, Max Wegner, and Vitalij Kungel, who now indirectly hold 100% of Autodoc SE through their investment vehicle, AutoTech GmbH & Co. KG.
The partnership with Apollo Funds, which acquired a minority stake at an equity valuation of EUR 2.3 billion, 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 future IPO. These objectives were achieved, with AUTODOC successfully debuting on the institutional debt markets through a EUR 530 million Term Loan B placed in July 2026. As part of the completion, Apollo's two 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 of the collaboration: “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 that we clearly see in front of us.”
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, expressed pride in the partnership: “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.”
Looking ahead, AUTODOC remains committed to its long-term ambition of becoming Europe's leading technology ecosystem for the automotive aftermarket, leveraging AI-driven capabilities and data-informed decision-making. A future IPO remains on the agenda, subject to market conditions. The company, founded in Berlin in 2008, operates online shops in 27 European countries, employs over 5,500 people, and reported sales revenue of EUR 1.8 billion in 2025. For more information, visit www.autodoc.group or www.apollo.com.
