Key Takeaways
- • Soho Square Capital has made a growth investment in Skiddle, the UK's leading independent ticketing platform, as its second investment from Soho Square Partnership Capital Fund II, according to a Business Wire announcement dated November 5, 2026.
- • Skiddle generated £178 million in face value ticket sales across 180,000 listed events in 2025, with a 98 per cent promoter retention rate and revenue growth averaging more than 20 per cent a year over the past two years.
- • The deal is a minority equity stake structure that keeps co-founders Ben Sebborn and Richard Dyer in control; it is Skiddle's first external capital since its founding in 2001.
- • Proceeds will fund expansion into lifestyle events, technology, marketing and business development, with European expansion a medium-term goal.
- • Joe Tebbutt of Soho Square joins Skiddle's board; the financial terms of the investment were not disclosed in the release.
Summary
Soho Square Capital, a London-based partnership capital firm focused on founder-owned middle market businesses in the UK and Northern Europe, has announced a growth investment in Skiddle, according to a Business Wire release. The transaction is the second investment from Soho Square Partnership Capital Fund II. The release does not disclose the investment amount or valuation.
Founded in Preston in 2001 by Ben Sebborn and Richard Dyer, Skiddle began as a "What's On" guide and started selling tickets in 2006. The company has grown into one of the UK's leading independent ticketing and event discovery businesses. In 2025, Skiddle generated £178 million in face value ticket sales across 180,000 listed events, maintained a 98 per cent promoter retention rate, and grew revenue by an average of more than 20 per cent a year over the past two years, according to the company's figures as cited in the release.
The capital will support Skiddle's expansion beyond its core music, festival and nightlife categories, with lifestyle events as an immediate focus. Planned investment areas include technology, marketing and business development. Soho Square also said it will give Skiddle access to a network of businesses that have previously navigated European expansion, with new European territories a medium-term ambition.
Soho Square's structure combines capital with a minority equity stake, allowing the co-founders to retain control and remain in their leadership roles. They will work alongside CFO Peter Hinnigan and the senior management team. Joe Tebbutt, Director at Soho Square, will join the board. Co-founders described the decision to take outside capital for the first time as significant, and Tebbutt characterised the deal as the type of founder-led transaction Soho Square was built for.
Advisers on the transaction included Joe Tebbutt, Stephen Edwards and Alex Kustovskyi on the Soho Square deal team; James Cross of Hogan Lovells Cadwalader (legal); Matt Eves of EY (buyside corporate finance); Sofie Morgan of Grant Thornton (tax); Laurence Holloway of Seedcloud (technical due diligence); and Ollie Funnell of Sustainable Advantage (ESG due diligence). On the sell side, KPMG (Ben Taylor) advised Skiddle's shareholders as financial adviser, and Addleshaw Goddard (Paul Medlicott) acted as legal adviser. BDO (Matthew Savage) provided vendor financial due diligence and GCS Insight (James Tetherton) provided vendor commercial due diligence.
Founded in Preston in 2001 by Ben Sebborn and Richard Dyer, Skiddle began as a "What's On" guide and started selling tickets in 2006. The company has grown into one of the UK's leading independent ticketing and event discovery businesses. In 2025, Skiddle generated £178 million in face value ticket sales across 180,000 listed events, maintained a 98 per cent promoter retention rate, and grew revenue by an average of more than 20 per cent a year over the past two years, according to the company's figures as cited in the release.
The capital will support Skiddle's expansion beyond its core music, festival and nightlife categories, with lifestyle events as an immediate focus. Planned investment areas include technology, marketing and business development. Soho Square also said it will give Skiddle access to a network of businesses that have previously navigated European expansion, with new European territories a medium-term ambition.
Soho Square's structure combines capital with a minority equity stake, allowing the co-founders to retain control and remain in their leadership roles. They will work alongside CFO Peter Hinnigan and the senior management team. Joe Tebbutt, Director at Soho Square, will join the board. Co-founders described the decision to take outside capital for the first time as significant, and Tebbutt characterised the deal as the type of founder-led transaction Soho Square was built for.
Advisers on the transaction included Joe Tebbutt, Stephen Edwards and Alex Kustovskyi on the Soho Square deal team; James Cross of Hogan Lovells Cadwalader (legal); Matt Eves of EY (buyside corporate finance); Sofie Morgan of Grant Thornton (tax); Laurence Holloway of Seedcloud (technical due diligence); and Ollie Funnell of Sustainable Advantage (ESG due diligence). On the sell side, KPMG (Ben Taylor) advised Skiddle's shareholders as financial adviser, and Addleshaw Goddard (Paul Medlicott) acted as legal adviser. BDO (Matthew Savage) provided vendor financial due diligence and GCS Insight (James Tetherton) provided vendor commercial due diligence.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.