LDC backs Shoptimised to accelerate growth in eCommerce tech

LDC, a UK private equity firm, has announced a growth investment in Shoptimised, a Tyne-based (UK) performance marketing software-as-a-service provider, to accelerate its expansion trajectory. The funding aligns with the company’s strategy to amplify its online sales solutions for retailers and the agencies that support them, leveraging an upgraded platform designed for multilingual and enterprise-grade reporting.

Shoptimised operates a proprietary SaaS platform that helps retailers fine-tune their online advertising across marketplaces. The latest software release enhances multilingual functionality and deepens reporting capabilities, enabling customers to scale with less friction and greater insight. The business has experienced sustained demand as brands increasingly seek smarter, AI-enhanced ad optimization to improve ROAS in competitive eCommerce environments.

Led by Aaron Lawson-Clark (Investment Director) and Peyman Atapour (Investment Manager) from LDC’s North East & Scotland team, the deal will see LDC take a meaningful stake and join Shoptimised’s board. Non-Executive Directors will include Steve Nelson, bringing sector-wide governance and technology leadership experience. David Zborowski has joined as Chief Technology Officer to steer the product roadmap and accelerate AI-enabled product feeds. An advisory input from Brian Lavery, former Head of Google Shopping Ads in Europe, will help shape marketplace strategy and enterprise go-to-market.

Founder John Cave described the partnership as a strong alignment of values and a shared ambition to amplify Shoptimised’s growth over the coming years. On the investor’s side, the collaboration is framed as a catalyst for expanding customer success, product development, and regional reach, with a focus on delivering differentiated functionality and exceptional service to retailers and their agencies.

From a market perspective, the current wave of private‑equity capital targeting mid‑market software and marketing technology underscores the resilience of the sector. The combination of AI-augmented ad tech and cross‑border eCommerce adoption supports accelerated scale for platform plays like Shoptimised. LDC’s technology portfolio, spanning cloud-based platforms and digital services, reinforces a broader trend: capital is flowing to growth-stage software businesses that can demonstrate repeatable customer value and international expansion potential.

With more than 1,000 customers across the UK and Europe, Shoptimised is positioned to accelerate expansion across markets that are steadily increasing online commerce activity. The new partnership is expected to fund organic growth, broaden product capabilities, and deepen commercial reach as retailers seek efficient, AI-driven ways to maximize online demand and marketplace performance.