BERLIN – AUTODOC SE, Europe’s leading online retailer of automotive spare parts, announced the successful completion of a share purchase from Apollo-managed funds, returning the company to full ownership by its three founders. The transaction, funded by a €530 million Term Loan B placed in July 2026, closes a two-year partnership that aimed to ready the company for institutional capital markets.
The founders—Alexej Erdle, Max Wegner, and Vitalij Kungel—now indirectly hold 100% of Autodoc SE through their investment vehicle, AutoTech GmbH & Co. KG. The partnership with Apollo Funds, which began in April 2024 when Apollo acquired a minority stake at a €2.3 billion equity valuation, was designed to be time-limited and purpose-driven. Apollo provided strategic guidance to enhance governance, reporting, and operational scalability, positioning AUTODOC for a potential initial public offering.
“Regaining full ownership is a proud and deeply meaningful moment for us—one that reaffirms our long-term commitment to the company’s future,” the founders said in a joint statement. “Apollo’s support has been instrumental in our development, leaving AUTODOC stronger, more robust, and well-positioned for the years ahead.”
Dmitri Zadorojnii, CEO of AUTODOC, emphasized that Apollo’s contribution extended beyond capital. “Together, we have significantly sharpened our internal processes, strengthened our corporate governance, and built a stronger, more scalable platform,” he said. “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.”
The partnership also marked AUTODOC’s debut in institutional debt markets, a key step in its professionalization. CFO Lennart Schmidt noted, “Apollo brought world-class capital markets expertise at a crucial time. Transforming our financial reporting, professionalising our processes, and debuting on the institutional credit markets have facilitated a seamless transition to our new capital structure.”
Jeremy Honeth, Partner at Apollo’s Hybrid Value franchise, expressed pride in the collaboration. “AUTODOC has cemented its position as Europe’s leading digital platform for automotive parts and has demonstrated clear readiness for the capital markets,” he said. “We are proud to have supported the company in reaching this point.”
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. The company remains committed to its long-term ambition of becoming Europe’s leading technology ecosystem for the automotive aftermarket, leveraging AI and data-driven decision-making. A future IPO remains on the agenda, subject to market conditions.
AUTODOC, founded in Berlin in 2008, operates online shops in 27 European countries and employs over 5,500 people across 13 locations. In 2025, the company generated sales revenue of €1.8 billion, up from €1.6 billion in 2024, offering approximately 7.8 million SKUs from around 2,700 brand manufacturers.
