US private equity firm Vista Equity Partners is to invest $35m in email data analytics business Return Path.

The investment will allow Return Path an “acceleration of its product roadmap”, in particular the opportunity to “rapidly expand” its security and consumer intelligence offerings.

As part of the deal, Vista principal Patrick Severson will join the firm’s board of directors.

Return Path chief executive said: “This investment enables us to accelerate our roadmap and ramp up our sales power to take advantage of our leadership in email data-driven solutions across all our lines of business.

“Return Path has a history of creating new opportunity through innovation, and we’re grateful to find in Vista Equity Partners a team with the vision and experience to help us capitalise on it given their impressive track record of investing in B2B software and data companies. This partnership will foster new opportunities for growth and success for years to come.”

Severson added: “Return Path is a premium business with a strong management team, unrivalled network of email data, clear ROI for enterprise marketing and security departments, and a large and rapidly growing market opportunity. This is a truly unique company with great products that aligns perfectly with Vista’s strengths.”

Return Path employs 420 staff at 12 offices worldwide, in locations such as New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Munich, Sao Paolo and Sydney.