Constant Contact, a leading provider of digital marketing software for small businesses and nonprofits, announced that it has secured a new strategic investment through Clearlake Icon Partners VI.
The new vehicle, backed by institutional investors led by Lexington Partners, will provide Constant Contact with long-term committed capital to support its accelerated growth strategy, product innovation, and acquisition initiatives.
The transaction broadens Constant Contact’s investor base. It gives the company access to additional follow-on capital at a larger scale, enabling it to pursue both organic expansion and strategic M&A opportunities. Clearlake will remain the company’s lead investor, and there will be no changes to Constant Contact’s governance or executive leadership team, which continues to be led by CEO Frank Vella. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Since Clearlake re-established Constant Contact as a standalone company following the acquisition of Endurance International Group in 2021, the business has undergone a transformation marked by strong operational and financial performance. Under Clearlake’s ownership, Constant Contact has achieved more than triple topline growth—from approximately 2% at carve-out to around 7% today—and has successfully integrated four acquisitions that have expanded its product suite and international reach.
As one of the most significant independent players in the marketing automation space, Constant Contact serves nearly half a million small businesses and nonprofit organizations, providing email, SMS, and social media marketing tools alongside advanced analytics and AI-powered features that enhance engagement and deliverability.
The company’s growing investment in artificial intelligence has enabled it to deliver personalized marketing automation solutions while building a more agile, scalable business model for the digital-first small business economy.
The new funding will further strengthen Constant Contact’s position in a highly competitive market and accelerate its innovation pipeline. Clearlake’s O.P.S.® framework (Operations, People, and Strategy) continues to guide the company’s growth and operational excellence, focusing on scaling technology-driven solutions that simplify marketing for small businesses.
The transaction also reflects sustained investor confidence in Constant Contact’s leadership and strategic direction. With Icon Partners VI’s long-term capital support, the company aims to expand its market share, deepen its AI capabilities, and pursue select acquisitions to enhance its suite of marketing automation tools.
Advisors/counsel: Evercore acted as financial advisor and Paul Weiss, Sidley Austin, and Proskauer Rose provided legal counsel to Clearlake and Lexington Partners as part of the transaction.
KEY QUOTES:
“With this new equity capital, Constant Contact is poised to expand its market leadership and sharpen its competitive edge in marketing automation software. Over the past four years, Constant Contact has invested significantly in its product suite, enhancing its capabilities and implementing AI-driven solutions that aim to address the growing marketing needs of the small business owner of today. Through the continued efforts of Constant Contact’s management team and Clearlake’s support and implementation of its O.P.S. framework, the Company has reached an exciting inflection point that lays the foundation for the next leg of growth acceleration at Constant Contact.”
Behdad Eghbali, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, and James Pade, Partner and Managing Director, at Clearlake
“With Clearlake’s support over the last four years, we’ve assembled an experienced leadership team, redefined our product strategy, streamlined operations, and harnessed AI to elevate the customer experience. We are eager to build on this momentum in our next chapter of development and are excited to help small businesses leverage the power of software to make marketing less overwhelming. We handle the complexities so our customers can get back to running their business—not their marketing campaigns.”
Frank Vella, CEO of Constant Contact
