Website-design firm Squarespace to go private in $6.9 billion deal with Permira

May 13 (Reuters) – Private equity firm Permira will take Squarespace (SQSP.N), opens new tab private in an all-cash deal valued at about $6.9 billion, the website-design platform said on Monday, as small and medium businesses move online to sustain growth.

Shares of Squarespace, which helps businesses and individuals build, design websites and create e-commerce stores, rose nearly 13% in early trading.

The deal, which comes less than three years after Squarespace went public, underscores the growing interest of private equity firms in tech companies that help businesses digitize their operations and enhance branding and reach.