E-Commerce Acquisitions in Maryland

Surge Private Equity has completed an investment in RentACoop LLC and Top Manufacturing LLC (together, RAC), a Maryland-based e‑commerce company that designs and sells proprietary products for backyard chicken and small-animal owners. The founders, Tyler and Diana Phillips, retain equity with Tyler remaining CEO; the deal included debt financing from Eagle Private Capital and Surge intends to scale RAC via logistical improvements, new sales channels and an add-on acquisition campaign.

London-based Ascential plc acquired Flywheel Digital LLC, a Baltimore- and Seattle-based e-commerce services and software provider, for $60 million cash upfront with earn-outs of up to $400 million over three years. Flywheel—which offers managed services, software and marketplace expertise to consumer-packaged-goods brands selling on Amazon—will join Ascential's digital marketing/sales division and report to CEO Duncan Painter.