When did EMK Capital acquire Bark.com?

Bark.com is a London-headquartered online services marketplace that matches consumers and small businesses with local and remote professionals, from home improvement and events to tutoring and web design, monetised through a pay-per-lead model in which providers buy credits to respond to customer requests. The platform has signed up more than one million service professionals and operates across the UK, the United States, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, with Germany and France added in 2022. The business was built without institutional capital and grew to roughly GBP 70 million in revenue and GBP 15 million in profit under founder leadership; the company reports around 240 employees across six countries.

Ownership journey

Bark.com was founded in London in November 2014 by entrepreneurs Andrew Michael and Kai Feller, launched publicly in January 2015 and acquired Dublin-based SkillPages that same month. The founders ran the business without institutional capital until April 2022, when EMK Capital acquired a majority stake from the founders and existing shareholders, investing through EMK Capital Partners LP, in a transaction press reports valued at around GBP 240 million; EMK did not disclose terms. EMK remains the majority owner with no exit to date. Co-founder Kai Feller continued as chief executive after the buyout before stepping back to an advisory role in 2023.

Under PE ownership

Since the buyout Bark has broadened its international footprint, launching in Germany and France in 2022, the year of EMK's investment, and opening its first US office in Austin, Texas in February 2024 to support North American growth after serving thousands of businesses across the US and Canada. Leadership moved beyond the founding team when Kai Feller stepped back to an advisory role in 2023; Gilles Despas was subsequently appointed chief executive. Product development has continued under EMK ownership, with a marketplace offering launched in Australia in 2024 and an in-app messenger rolled out in 2025.

Data refreshed weekly · Sourced from public filings