Cegid closes its acquisition of Shine to create Europe’s first unified financial copilot for SMBs and accountants
This acquisition accelerates Cegid’s ambition to become the leading European financial solutions platform integrating e-invoicing, accounting, business accounts and payments, and HR solutions
Paris, xxxxxx XX, 2026 – Cegid, a European leader in cloud management solutions for professionals in the finance (treasury, tax, ERP), human resources (payroll, talent management), accountancy, retail and entrepreneurship sectors, today announced the conclusion of its acquisition of Shine. The transaction creates the first fully integrated, cloud-native and AI-driven financial hub for SMBs and accounting professionals in Europe.
Shine – a fast-growing European fintech unicorn providing electronic invoicing, accounting, business accounts, and payroll software to small and medium-sized businesses across Europe – brings more than 400,000 SMB customers, a strong brand, and a scalable technology stack, expanding Cegid’s reach in key European markets. The consolidated group will serve more than one million SMBs and 15,000 accountants across France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Shine’s entry into Cegid’s ecosystem represents the formation of Europe’s first 100% cloud-based financial platform, equipped with native AI and designed end-to-end for SMBs and accounting firms. Built on Cegid’s leadership in cloud and AI, this unique, fully compliant and connected platform brings together leading capabilities in e-invoicing, accounting, business accounts and payments, tax, HR, payroll and reporting. These capabilities position SMBs and accountants for Europe’s mandatory e-invoicing and digital reporting reforms while helping accounting firms reduce operational complexity and increase efficiency to allow them to focus on what matters most: delivering higher value-added services to customers and growing their business.
A new unit with Cegid dedicated to the SMB market and accounting firms, comprising 2,300 employees, will be led by Rico Andersen, co-founder of Shine.
“From the creation of Shine to its growth into a leading European unicorn, our mission has always been the same: to radically eliminate complexity for entrepreneurs. With Cegid, that mission takes on a whole new dimension. Today, we are bringing two category leaders together to create Europe’s first truly unified financial hub, serving millions of SMBs and their accountants. This is a decisive milestone in the achievement of our vision and the beginning of a new ambition at a European scale,” comments Rico Andersen, co-founder of Shine.
“This acquisition complements our portfolio and reinforces our commitment to serving businesses of all sizes, enabling them to be more agile in their financial and HR management. For the SMB and accountant services market, the integration of Shine marks a decisive step in Cegid’s ambition to become Europe’s leading financial copilot for SMBs and accountants. Now more than ever, we are reaffirming our mission and our unwavering commitment—established over 40 years ago—to accountants and businesses. Cegid will help them take advantage of the huge opportunities offered by the digital transformation of the coming decade,” concludes Bruno Vaffier, Cegid CEO.
About Shine
Founded by serial entrepreneurs Rico Andersen and Martin Hegelund, Shine’s vision is to restore the joy of running a business, by ending wasted time on financial admin. Shine offers a ‘financial copilot’ by integrating its solutions into a single platform for invoicing, accounting, payroll, business accounts and payments, and financing. Shine is a leading European fintech unicorn, operating across France, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany, serving over 400,000 customers. Shine France is regulated as a payment institution by the Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution (ACPR) and was recognised as “Best Business Bank” by ESCDA in 2024, 2025, and 2026.