Paragin Group, a leading provider of exam and assessment software solutions, has completed a successful exit to ECI Partners, marking a significant milestone in the company’s growth journey.
The transaction follows five years of partnership with Main Capital Partners, which initially invested in Paragin in 2021. During that period, Paragin evolved from a domestic Dutch software provider into a market leader across the Benelux region, while also expanding its international presence.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, Paragin employs approximately 120 professionals representing more than 20 nationalities. The company serves around 1,250 end customers across more than 20 countries in Europe and beyond, supporting a diverse client base that includes vocational and higher education institutions, exam bodies, and commercial education providers.
Paragin offers an integrated suite of software solutions that support high-stakes exam and assessment workflows throughout the learner lifecycle. Its platform is built around a mission to empower learners and educators by delivering accessible learning solutions for individuals of all needs, skills, and backgrounds.
Under Main’s ownership, Paragin also executed a focused acquisition strategy to broaden its capabilities and market reach. The company acquired Sowiso in 2022, Coachview in 2023, and Xebic in 2024. This M&A playbook is expected to remain a core component of Paragin’s growth strategy as it enters its next phase.
ECI’s investment is intended to accelerate Paragin’s international expansion in the growing digital exams and assessment software market. ECI was advised on the transaction by Arma Partners and De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek.
KEY QUOTES
“After five years of a very constructive collaboration with Paragin, we are proud to see the company enter its next phase of growth. Paragin’s journey over the past years is a strong reflection of our strategy to build attractive, scalable market leaders. Working closely together with the management team, we have expanded Paragin into a differentiated exam & assessment platform with a high quality product suite and a loyal customer base. We look forward to following Paragin’s continued growth with the support of ECI.”
Sjoerd Aarts, Managing Partner & Head of Benelux at Main
“With Main as our strategic partner, we have accelerated our growth, expanded our solutions suite, and strengthened our position across the EdTech landscape. We share a clear ambition to support students and educators through innovative, scalable technology that delivers significant value for education and exams. With ECI now joining us, we are excited to build out our ambitions even further, working with partners and customers on reliable and impactful software solutions that benefit millions of learners and professionals across the world.”
Jeroen Bakker, CEO of Paragin Group
“Paragin stands out for its sincere commitment to the customers and learners who depend on its exceptional software. Our values align with Jeroen and the team’s, and we are excited to enter this partnership. Paragin is the clear market leader in Benelux, and we are backing the business to continue its international expansion journey. This includes bringing its thoughtful approach to M&A to new geographies. We truly believe Paragin represents the best home for mission driven businesses in the fragmented exam and assessment software market.”
Rory Nath, Partner at ECI
