FLORENCE, Italy, Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The journey of the 28th Fair Play Menarini International Award continues. Following the spectacular award ceremony on 4 July, the event honouring the pinnacle of loyalty and fair play in sports concludes the year with the talk show The Champions Tell their Stories, to be held on 30 November at 5:00 pm in the Salone dei Cinquecento of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.
"Champions, who represent the world of sport in various capacities, have been called upon as standard bearers of values that are equally valid on the playing fields as in life" – emphasised Letizia Perini, Sports Councillor for Florence – "The stories of their lives, successes in their respective fields of sport and the sacrifices made to achieve them, their courage, strength and determination to pick themselves up after every setback, in sport and in life, resonate with us all. I would like to thank the Fair Play Menarini Foundation for championing this important mission with perseverance and passion".
The names of the participants, and the details of this all-new winter version of The Champions Tell their Stories, were revealed during the press conference today. High profile athletes, who have embodied the highest values of sport throughout their careers, will once again be present. The football legends include none other than the Argentinian defender Javier Zanetti, Inter Milan's long-time captain and Fair Play Menarini Ambassador since 2023. Borja Valero, the Spanish mid-fielder, symbol and ever-popular idol of the Fiorentina team, will also take part in the talk show.
Volleyball will be represented by the "maestro" himself, Andrea Zorzi, two-times world champion with Italvolley and winner of the Fair Play Menarini Award in 2010, together with up-and-coming star, Ekaterina Antropova, a gold medal winner at the last Olympic Games in Paris. A moving story of solidarity and friendship comes from the world of athletics, and the triple jump in particular, starring Andy Diaz, who won his first Olympic medal in Italian colours at Paris 2024 after leaving Cuba, and his coach, Fabrizio Donato, bronze medal winner in the same discipline at London 2012, who welcomed him into his home and helped him settle into his new country.
The star-studded parade continues with Rigivan Ganeshamoorthy, the revelation of Paralympic athletics who won a gold in the discus throw a few months ago in Paris, improving on the world record three times in a row. Giuliano Razzoli, the Olympic slalom champion at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games and Fair Play Menarini Ambassador one year later, takes us to the ski slopes. Lastly, the audience will be captivated by the emotion-packed stories of journalist Federico Buffa, winner in July of the 28th Fair Play Menarini International Award in the "Narrating Emotions" category.
A prominent sports authority like Ivan Zazzaroni, Fair Play Menarini Ambassador in 2019 and Chief Editor of the Corriere dello Sport newspaper, commented on the names of the talk show participants as follows.
"I am sure that this year, once again, The Champions Tell their Stories will offer a unique range of viewpoints, with an interesting exchange of insights and anecdotes between the new champions and sporting icons, coming from different backgrounds and disciplines. I still remember the depth of the insights shared by the likes of Ian Thorpe, Tommie Smith, and Edwin Moses".
The Champions Tell their Stories talk show, produced in partnership with Sky TG24, will be broadcast live on Sky's Channel 501 from 5:00 pm onwards. The show will be presented by Rachele Sangiuliano, former volleyball champion, and Sky Sport hosts, Omar Schillaci and Michele Cagiano, Deputy Directors of Sky TG24, together with Alessandro Acton, journalist and Sky Sport host.
"We are really looking forward to this unique moment of collaboration, especially in such a fantastic setting as the Salone dei Cinquecento" – said Valeria Speroni Cardi and Filippo Paganelli, Board Members of the Fair Play Menarini Foundation – "We would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to the Municipality of Florence, which has shared the values of the Award for many years now. We hope that this new edition of The Champions Tell their Stories will provide younger generations food for thought and examples for life".
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
FAIR PLAY MENARINI: THE NAMES OF THE PARTICIPANTS AT 'THE CHAMPIONS TELL THEIR STORIES' TALK SHOW ARE REVEALED
LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE, Belgium, Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Odoo S.A., a leading provider of integrated business software, today announced a €500 million transaction led by CapitalG and Sequoia Capital, with participation from BlackRock, Mubadala Investment Company, HarbourVest Partners, AVP, and Alkeon. This secondary capital transaction reflects strong confidence in the company's vision and impact. As part of the transaction, existing investors Summit Partners, Noshaq, and Wallonie Entreprendre are selling a portion of their shares; Summit will remain Odoo's largest institutional shareholder.
This major transaction underscores Odoo's leadership position in the SMB software ecosystem and strong, profitable financial profile. It also highlights the company's continued momentum in reshaping the business software landscape with innovative, accessible solutions for companies worldwide.
Since its founding in April 2002, Odoo S.A. has been dedicated to developing and continuously enhancing a comprehensive suite of management software applications for small and mid-sized businesses. Today, with over 13 million users and currently adding more than 7,000 new clients each month, Odoo has built a strong presence in the industry. Known for its intuitive and user-friendly design, Odoo empowers companies to focus on what matters most: improving customer satisfaction, driving innovation, optimizing business processes, and scaling operations efficiently.
Odoo S.A. has achieved sustained annual growth of 40% and is projected to exceed €650 million in billings within the next 12 months, with a target of reaching €1 billion in billings by 2027. The company has strengthened its global presence by establishing 15 subsidiaries and building a network of 7,500 partners worldwide. With this latest investment, Odoo S.A.'s valuation has reached €5 billion.
"Fabien and his team have built a one-of-a-kind business from their ambitious vision for a unified suite of tightly integrated business apps," said Alex Nichols, partner at CapitalG, the independent growth firm of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company. "Odoo's powerful and easy-to-use suite of apps has won over customers across more than 100 countries and virtually every industry, as well as companies with anywhere from one to thousands of employees. The team's two decades of dedication and long-term thinking has fostered a robust community of partners, contributors, and users that will serve as their foundation for years to come. We are thrilled to partner with Fabien and the rest of Odoo's leadership team."
"Odoo has built an outstanding software company with a unique culture, product suite, and ecosystem," said Andrew Reed, partner, Sequoia Capital. "Odoo is a tremendous business already, and it feels like their best days are still ahead. Odoo has the long-term potential to transform the SMB software market and deliver enormous value to customers. We're excited to partner with Fabien and the Odoo team for the long-term."
The recent launch of Odoo 18, the most advanced iteration of the company's software, on October 2nd, strengthens the company's market position and enhances overall performance and customer experience.
"ERPs are traditionally expensive and resource-intensive to implement, often failing to meet the actual needs and evolving requirements of SMEs. We have developed a unique value proposition that is playing a pivotal role in the market" explains Fabien Pinckaers, founder and CEO of Odoo S.A.
This €500 million investment exemplifies the international recognition and trust that Odoo has garnered within the investment community. Following investments led by Summit Partners in 2019, 2021 and 2022, this latest round further highlights Odoo's appeal to investors.
Faris Al Mazrui, Head of Growth at Mubadala, said "Odoo stands out as a prime example of innovation in global software, offering scalable, adaptable solutions that empower businesses in the digital and cloud transformation journey. With Mubadala's expertise in software investments and the UAE's role as a fast-growing tech hub, we see Odoo as an exceptional partner for companies adapting to cloud and AI megatrends. We're excited to support their growth worldwide".
"Odoo continues to deliver solutions that we believe are helping to transform the business software landscape – and they are doing so with impressive traction," added Antony Clavel, a Managing Director at Summit Partners who has served on the Odoo Board of Directors since Summit's initial investment in 2019. "We are delighted to welcome new investors and look forward to working together to support Odoo's exciting growth trajectory." Following this transaction, Summit remains Odoo's largest institutional shareholder.
Odoo does not stop here. For 2025, the unicorn is already expecting many more opportunities and expansion projects, enhancing Odoo's capabilities for research and development, and allowing accelerated innovation in its product offerings.
"We are expecting to open five new subsidiaries within the next three years across Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific," said Sebastien Bruyr, Odoo S.A. Chief Commercial Officer. Odoo's Chief Finance Officer, Alessandro Mazzocchetti, added, "I'm confident that Odoo will remain profitable in terms of EBITDA and Cash Flow as we expand our team and global reach. We will keep working hard to serve our customers and partners!".
For Olivier Vanderijst, CEO of Wallonie Entreprendre (WE), "the visionary and strategic nature of Odoo's management and the rigor with which it has implemented this vision have led to an incredible valuation of 5 billion euros, which has attracted the best investors in the world. This is why WE has signed this transaction, while remaining a shareholder in the company to support its future growth as a local player".
J.P. Morgan SE acted as exclusive placement agent on this transaction.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Odoo S.A. announces a €500 million transaction, increasing the Belgian Unicorn's valuation to €5 billion
