CarWise accelerates German growth strategy with the acquisition of leasing & fleet management software provider Carano

CarWise, a leading Dutch provider of modular ERP solutions for the automotive leasing and rental industry, announces the acquisition of Carano, a German specialist in fleet management and leasing software. This strategic transaction marks a major step in CarWise’s international expansion strategy and strengthens its footprint in the German market.

Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, Carano has been driving digital transformation in the fleet industry for over 30 years. The company offers a comprehensive suite of solutions covering the entire vehicle lifecycle of corporate fleets, including digital procurement, lifecycle management, and financing tools. Its flagship platform integrates third-party services such as banks, leasing companies, insurers, and fleet service providers; enabling clients to manage procurement, operations, and remarketing seamlessly. Carano serves over 170 enterprise clients managing more than 200,000 vehicles, including prominent names such as ARI (Fleet Management), Santander (Leasing), BCD (Business Travel), and BMW .

CarWise, founded in 1989 and headquartered in Almere, Netherlands, has built a strong presence in the Benelux region with its integrated ERP platform supporting the entire leasing and rental value chain. With a team of 70 professionals and operations in nine European countries, CarWise delivers end-to-end automation for processes such as quotation, lease-price calculation, contract and fleet management, invoicing, and reporting. Backed by Main Capital Partners since 2024, CarWise is executing a buy-and-build strategy to strengthen its European footprint and further extend its product offering.

The acquisition of Carano provides CarWise with immediate scale and deep market expertise in Germany, adding a strong local team of close to 70 professionals and a well-established market presence. This combination unlocks rollout acceleration of CarWise’s offering across German leasing and car rental companies, while bringing cross-sell opportunities between CarWise’s leasing ERP solutions and Carano’s solutions. Using their combined 60 years of experience, CarWise and Carano will offer a uniquely specialized and differentiated ERP proposition to modernize and automate operations for leasing companies, fleet managers, and mobility providers across Europe.

Edwin Fhijnbeen, CEO of CarWise, commented: “Germany is a key strategic growth market for CarWise, and the acquisition of Carano represents a major milestone in our international expansion. Carano’s strong reputation, innovative cloud platform, and deep local expertise perfectly complement our vision to deliver smart, integrated solutions for the automotive leasing and rental industry. We look forward to working together to create a leading European platform and to introduce our broader offering to the German market.”

Hans-Joachim Guth, Managing Director at Carano, said: “Joining forces with CarWise allows us to accelerate the rollout of our FleetHouse platform internationally and opening new opportunities across Europe, while also strengthening our presence in Germany and bring CarWise’s differentiated suite to our German clients and partners. Together, we will deliver even greater value to our clients through innovation and integration.”

Sjoerd Aarts, Managing Partner at Main & Chairman of the Supervisory Board of CarWise, added: “This transaction underscores Main’s commitment to building leading cross-border software groups through strategic expansion internationally. CarWise and Carano are highly complementary businesses with strong positions in their respective markets. The combination creates a unique platform to drive innovation and growth in the automotive leasing and fleet management sector.”