News | Bertelsmann Investments | Gütersloh, 05/09/2023

EMBRACE Becomes Part of Bertelsmann Next Growth Division

  • Employer branding specialist EMBRACE is now part of Bertelsmann Investments
  • Organizational reallocation is part of realignment of Bertelsmann’s services businesses
  • Bertelsmann Next drives the development of growth sectors Digital Health, Mobile Gaming, and HR Tech
  • Carsten Coesfeld: “We will shape EMBRACE into a leading German HR tech company”

Gütersloh, May 9, 2023 – Bertelsmann Investments (BI) is taking over the recruiting and employer branding services of the communications company Territory, which in turn is becoming part of the newly named Bertelsmann Marketing Services, under the EMBRACE brand. Within Bertelsmann Investments, EMBRACE is integrated into the Bertelsmann Next growth division. The division drives forward the entrepreneurial development of new growth sectors and lines of business, especially in digital health, mobile gaming, and HR tech.

Bertelsmann Investments CEO Carsten Coesfeld says: “At Bertelsmann Investments, we help founders realize their vision and take their company to the next level. We offer entrepreneurial freedom and provide significant funding to build new market leaders. We will help Gero Hesse and his team continue EMBRACE’s impressive track record and will shape the company into a leading German HR tech company.”

Coesfeld elaborates: “We see the HR tech market as one of the most exciting growth areas. There is great demand at many companies for technologies that facilitate the data-based and hence quantifiable recruitment and retention of employees.”

The EMBRACE brand comprises an agency team for employer branding and recruiting campaigns, the annual #RC festival, the recruiting community, and content offerings such as whitepapers, webinars, and podcasts. Also part of EMBRACE are the high-reach recruiting platforms Ausbildung.de, meinPraktikum.de, and Trainee.de, which will continue to operate under their respective brand names. The bundling of these competencies enables EMBRACE to offer employers a comprehensive range of services – from employer branding to recruiting and retention – which help them to successfully attract and retain employees even in times of skilled worker shortages.

Gero Hesse, Managing Director of EMBRACE, explains: “In the future, EMBRACE plans to grow faster through new business and strategic investments in HR technologies. It also plans to further expand its leading role in the HR market through targeted acquisitions.

EMBRACE’s innovative companies offer HR Tech founders with an ideal home under the umbrella of a “Family of Brands.” Promising talks are already underway. Bertelsmann Investments will provide us with substantial growth capital for this purpose.”

About Bertelsmann Investments
Bertelsmann Investments (BI) comprises Bertelsmann’s global venture capital activities as well as the Bertelsmann Next growth unit. The venture capital arm includes the Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI), Bertelsmann India Investments (BII) and Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) funds, as well as selected fund and direct holdings in markets including Europe, the United States, Brazil, Southeast Asia and Africa. The Bertelsmann Next unit advances the entrepreneurial development of new growth sectors and business areas, including digital health, mobile gaming and HR Tech. To date, around €1.7 billion has been invested in more than 400 innovative companies and funds through Bertelsmann Investments. Bertelsmann Investments currently holds over 300 active investments worldwide through its network of start-ups and funds.

About EMBRACE
The brand EMBRACE comprises an agency team for employer branding and recruiting campaigns, the annual #RC festival, a recruiting community and content such as whitepapers, webinars and podcasts. Also part of EMBRACE are the high-reach recruiting platforms Ausbildung.de, meinPraktikum.de and Trainee.de. EMBRACE provides employers with a comprehensive range of services – from employer branding to recruiting and employee retention – in order to successfully attract and retain employees even in times of skilled worker shortages. EMBRACE is already focusing on the next generation of HR tech products and is actively investing in the innovations and start-ups that will bring people and companies together in the best possible way in the future.
EMBRACE employs 240 people in Gütersloh and Bochum.