German e-commerce solutions provider Shopware has opened its doors to external investors, and in so much raised $100 million from Carlyle and PayPal. The new investment is slated to help drive and expand upon continued growth, in both existing and planned markets. This is the first time the company has raised any form of external capital, remaining bootstrapped since its inception in 2000.

While company founders Sebastian and Stefan Hamann have divested for the first time, they will remain majority shareholders and continue to run the company, but point to Carlyle and PayPal’s extensive networks and industry clout as a major step forward for the company.