South African accommodation booking platform LekkeSlaap has been acquired by a consortium of local investors, marking the exit of its co-founders and a change in ownership as the business enters its next phase.
Source: LekkeSlaap
The consortium is co-led by South African investment firms Bellair Road Investment Partners and Janic Capital, alongside the Ferreira Family Office, the Moolman Family Office and Investec. LekkeSlaap’s executive management team has also invested alongside the consortium and will continue to lead the business.
The transaction brings an end to the involvement of co-founders Jonathan Womersley and Marcel van de Ghinste, alongside other long-standing shareholders.
Founded in 2009 as a garage-based travel technology startup and launched as LekkeSlaap in 2013, the platform now connects travellers with more than 40,000 properties across Southern Africa and has served more than nine million guests since its inception.
New ownership takes shape
Bellair Road Investment Partners focuses on long-term growth investments, while Janic Capital is the Dippenaar family’s investment vehicle, led by Adriaan Dippenaar.
PSG Capital and ENS advised the sellers, while Werksmans, Deloitte and Scrums.com advised the acquiring consortium.
“To see LekkeSlaap grow from a small startup into a brand used and loved by millions of South Africans has been incredibly rewarding,” says Womersley. “After so many years, finding new owners who share our culture, values and vision for the business matters enormously to us. We genuinely believe we have found the right long-term owners for LekkeSlaap, and we couldn’t be more excited to see what the management team and the new owners build from here.”
The acquisition keeps LekkeSlaap under South African ownership, with the investor group supporting the business as it moves into its next phase.
Management team stays
LekkeSlaap will continue to be led by CEO Frans Joubert and the existing executive team.
“This transaction marks an exciting new chapter in an exceptional South African entrepreneurial story,” says Joubert. “LekkeSlaap remains proudly local and independent in spirit, but with the right partners behind us, we can now dream even bigger.”
The company says its operations will remain unchanged for guests, hosts and industry partners.
Board strengthened for next phase
LekkeSlaap has also strengthened its board with the appointment of Herman Bosman as chairman and Robert Paddock as a board member.
Bosman, chairman of the OUTsurance Group and Fortress Real Estate and former CEO of RMB Holdings and RMI Holdings, has also invested alongside the new investors through Atelier Partners.
Paddock is an edtech entrepreneur and co-founder of GetSmarter and Valenture Institute. Both have experience in investing in and scaling high-growth businesses.
“LekkeSlaap is a great example of what South African entrepreneurs can build when they combine a strong customer proposition with persistence and ambition,” says Bosman. “I am excited to join LekkeSlaap as chairman and to guide and support Frans, the management team, and fellow shareholders as LekkeSlaap enters its next phase of growth.”
Expansion remains a priority
The new ownership is expected to support further expansion across Southern Africa, alongside increased investment in technology and localisation.
“Our ambition is simple: to put Africa on the map,” says Joubert. “This next chapter gives us the opportunity to expand further across Southern Africa, invest more deeply in technology and localisation, and create even better experiences for our guests and hosts. Despite everything LekkeSlaap has already achieved, I genuinely believe our most exciting years are still ahead of us.”
