Wifirst acquires German operator Hotsplots

Wifirst, leading WiFi infrastructure operator for professionals, acquires Hotsplots, a key player in the German WiFi market (17,500 hotspots). After being listed on the Next 40 at the beginning of 2023, this strategic acquisition, supported by its solid, long-term investors (CAPZA, AMUNDI, Bpifrance, Socadif), will enable Wifirst to pursue its international development and consolidate its position as European leader.

Founded in 2004, Hotsplots is a major service provider in Germany, offering professional WiFi solutions across a wide range of market segments (public transport, retail, local authorities, hotels, etc.), with over 55 million user sessions per month.

Hotsplots stands out in particular for its strong growth momentum in the mobility sector, with an on-board WiFi solution for trains and buses that is as reliable as it is high-performance. Innovation is at the heart of the Hotsplots teams' approach, and they have filed numerous patents on bandwidth management in the context of collective WiFi. Today, Hotsplots has more than 7,000 customers, including the German public railway company, which operates the country's entire rail network.

Sascha Schaub, Managing Director of Hotsplots, comments:

We're delighted to be joining the Wifirst team. We have a similar background and a common DNA, with research and innovation at the heart of our approach to customers. This new cycle is an opportunity for Hotsplots to benefit from Wifirst's strike force, in particular their unique know-how in deployment and artificial intelligence.

Marc Taieb, Chairman and CEO of Wifirst adds:

We fell in love with both the teams and the quality of the technology developed by Hotsplots. I see this acquisition as an opportunity to continue building together a European player in WiFi infrastructures that will be very strong on the global market with new mobile product lines.

This strategic acquisition will enable Wifirst both to accelerate its geographical presence and diversify its product portfolio, in particular with Hotsplots' specific expertise in embedded WiFi technology.