13 Oct 2020
ICON Corporate Finance advises the shareholders of GoMedia, on its sale to Icomera, a subsidiary of ENGIE SA; creating a leading-edge passenger information and entertainment offering
Icomera is known as the world’s leading provider of Passenger Wi-Fi for public transport, connecting millions of users and tens of thousands of vehicles to the Internet every day around the globe. In addition to Wi-Fi for passengers, Icomera’s connectivity offering is part of the digitalisation of public transport, which is key to improving the appeal of green mobility and reducing operating and maintenance costs.
Together, GoMedia and Icomera will accelerate the realisation of digitalisation of public transport by creating a complete and competitive end-to-end passenger information and entertainment channel.
Founded in 2015, GoMedia has quickly become the world’s leading provider of onboard infotainment for public transport. Based in London, UK, GoMedia has developed a range of customer facing digital solutions for transport operators, ranging from On-Board Entertainment with Hollywood movie content, to industry leading Passenger Information and Customer Messaging offerings. Most recently, GoMedia has been working with transport operators to deliver a number of passenger-facing COVID solutions.
GoMedia will operate as a business unit of Icomera UK and its team of 28 employees continue to work from London, while utilising Icomera’s and ENGIE’s global scale to take their services ever closer to the client.
Matt Seaman, CEO of GoMedia said: “Our goal remains to improve the onboard passenger experience - whether it’s sitting down to a movie on an inter-city train or checking the status of your onward journey during the commute home - we’re keeping people entertained and informed. By joining Icomera and the wider ENGIE Solutions group, I am confident we can offer an increased range of solutions to passengers around the world”.
Wilfrid Petrie, Executive Vice President of ENGIE, in charge of ENGIE Solutions: “ENGIE has identified the digitisation and improvement of passenger information as a vital component of shifting society’s travel habits back towards sustainable forms of transport, developing the transport industry of tomorrow to improve the living environments of users”.
“Passenger confidence must be restored if public transport ridership is to return to pre-COVID usage levels. The communication channel between operator and passenger now offered by Icomera and GoMedia is yet another component in our Digital Vehicle solution for the industry’s Internet-enabled recovery plan” added Magnus Friberg, CEO of Icomera. “Icomera and GoMedia have previously collaborated on multiple projects in Europe and North America. We’ve seen the team’s talent, their impressive technology and the high quality of their services first-hand and know that their positive reputation in the industry is well-deserved”.
Matt Seaman, CEO of GoMedia added: “Our goal remains to improve the onboard passenger experience - whether it’s sitting down to a movie on an inter-city train or checking the status of your onward journey during the commute home - we’re keeping people entertained and informed. By joining Icomera and the wider ENGIE Solutions group, we will be able to offer an increased range of solutions to passengers around the world.”
Simon Moynagh, Partner at ICON Corporate Finance, commented: “the GoMedia team have built an impressive business in a short period of time securing some of the most prestigious transport operators as clients with ground-breaking digital solutions for the connected journey. This acquisition represents a strong strategic fit further improving the end-to-end passenger experience at a very important time for the industry.”