Ghent-based Showpad, a revenue enablement startup harnessing AI to power smarter buyer-seller interactions, is being acquired by private equity firm Vector Capital, with plans to merge it with Bigtincan, another prominent player in AI sales enablement.
The combined entity, which will operate under the Showpad brand, aims to deliver a full-spectrum, AI-first platform for revenue teams around the world.
“Our unwavering focus on driving success for customers fueled a record-breaking year of growth for Showpad in 2024,” said Hendrik Isebaert, CEO of Showpad. “Together we will deliver a breadth of flexible solutions and an incredible team to help customers engage with buyers in new and creative ways they never thought possible.”
Founded in 2011 and dual-headquartered in Chicago and Ghent, Showpad has established itself as a global provider of sales enablement technology, offering what it calls an Enablement Operating System (eOS). Its platform brings marketing and revenue teams together with a shared interface to provide training, content, and analytics – all designed to drive deal velocity and improve buyer engagement. Over 1,000 companies across more than 50 countries rely on Showpad, including Coca-Cola EuroPacific Partners, GE Healthcare, Dow, DuPont, and Schneider Electric.
Bigtincan supports over 1,000 clients including Abbott, AT&T, Clorox, Merck, Nike, and Winnebago, and has built a reputation for embedding AI deeply into the sales process – from content automation to seller readiness and buyer interaction insights.
“The combination of Bigtincan with Showpad brings together best-in-class innovation and market leaders with thousands of customers,” said Amish Mehta, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director at Vector Capital. “The combined company will lead the digital and AI-fueled buyer and seller engagement and drive a new generation of experiences that people and brands love.”
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the transaction, expected to close in 2025, will see Vector Capital consolidate two sales tech heavyweights. The announcement follows Vector’s earlier acquisition of Bigtincan in April 2025. As part of the agreement, Insight Partners, a longstanding investor in Showpad, will roll over its full investment into the new combined company.
“The merger of Showpad and Bigtincan represents a watershed moment for the sales enablement market,” said Jim Lundy, Founder and Lead Analyst at Aragon Research. “By uniting complementary strengths in content, readiness, and AI, the combined company is poised to deliver on the market’s unmet demand for AI-centric sales enablement platforms that are easier to deploy, simpler to use and more impactful for revenue teams worldwide.”
The new-look Showpad will benefit from geographic breadth and a larger R&D force, according to the companies, allowing for accelerated innovation across its AI capabilities. The goal is to provide enterprise clients with tools that better reflect modern buying habits and evolving sales team dynamics.
“Evolving preferences and rapid technology advancements are aggressively transforming buying and selling behaviours,” said Jim Hopkins, Chairman of Bigtincan. “We invested early and heavily in AI, and our combined global R&D resources will accelerate innovation so customers can rapidly reap the benefits of AI and emerging future innovations.”
Founded in 1997 and based in San Francisco, Vector Capital manages over €3.4 billion across private equity and credit strategies, with a long-standing focus on turning established tech companies into market leaders.
“Vector Capital has a long history of building category-defining technology companies,” said Rob Amen, Managing Director at Vector Capital. “Both companies bring impressive industry expertise and commitment to excellence. Together, they will continue to drive the future and set industry standards and best practices globally.”
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/08/belgiums-showpad-to-lead-ai-sales-tech-charge-after-vector-capital-backed-merger/
