Corporate domain name management, online brand protection and security consulting

We have very much enjoyed our mutually beneficial partnership with Vespa Capital over the past years. Working closely together, we have diversified our services, strengthened our management team and invested in our technology.

Glenn Hayward, CEO at Com Laude

Business Profile

Com Laude provides Client-Shaped domain and consultancy services to multinational corporate brand owners, enabling them to effectively manage their critical domain name assets and protecting them against brand and security infringements.

Com Laude provides five core Client-Shaped service pillars; Domain Management (registrations, renewals, audits and acquisitions), Watch and Enforcement (domain name monitoring with recovery and dispute management), Security (to mitigate and help prevent cyber-attacks and online fraud), Dot Brands (assessment, engagement and delivery for the next round of Dot Brand applications), and Consultancy.

Com laude has c. 350,000 domains under management and provides its services to a loyal and growing base of over 500 client and channel partners. Com Laude is strongly endorsed by some of the world's most recognisable brands.

Visit Com Laude

Status: Realised
Exited: March 2024
Domains under Management growth: 260%
Sector: Tech-Enabled Services

Investment Summary

Vespa Capital exited Com Laude in March 2024 following a highly successful partnership with the Founders and Management team. During the investment, Vespa Capital supported Com Laude with the recruitment and development of an industry-leading team and established Com Laude as the global quality leader in domain name management and online brand protection through a tailored value creation strategy, including:

Technology investment including the development of an industry-leading platform providing clients with real-time domain visualisation and AI analytics tools.
Acquisition of Edinburgh-based Demys, expanding service proposition to specialist domain-related brand protection and IP monitoring.
Corporate rebranding including defining value proposition and alignment of corporate structure under Com Laude Group.
Geographic expansion with substantial investment in US and Asia operations.
Supported development of commercial function through hire of commercial director, digital marketing specialists and sales teams.
Broadened service offering to include domain-related brand protection, SSL certificates, enhanced DNS, Blockchain domains and Web3.0 consultancy.
Doubled domains under management, net revenue and profitability.
Supported the business in its preparation for ICANN’s second round of new Top-Level Domains (TLDs).
Developed Com Laude’s “Planet-Shaped Promise” sustainability initiative, ESG and DE&I committees.
Retention of recognised industry quality leader status, demonstrated via KPIs such as 111% net revenue retention, NPS of 48 and staff retention rates of over 90%.

What our clients say

The opportunity to partner with Vespa Capital is an exciting moment for us. We are proud of our heritage and the quality of the team we work with. It is our staff’s expertise in the provision of domain management security and strategic advice that sets us apart. This investment will strengthen our market position and enable us to grow.