Independent UK web agency Bluewave has received a cash boost from Maersk Data, the IT subsidiary of Danish energy group Maersk, in return for a 12.7% stake in the business.

The undisclosed investment will allow Bluewave to speed up its overseas expansion, setting up a new office in San Francisco early next year to add to its existing offices in London, New York and Singapore.

The agency, which was set up in 1995, has managed to expand until now without external investment. Another incentive behind the selling of a stake is that Maersk Data's technology backbone will enable Bluewave to take on large jobs internationally, particularly those requiring integrated solutions.

Richard Latham, chief executive of Bluewave, said: "It's been a long and involved undertaking searching for our first investor and I'm overjoyed that it comes from a company with a reputation for success by fair play. The similarities between the company philosophies were immediately apparent."

Bluewave's client roster comprises British Airways, TNT, Citibank, Volkswagen and Reed Elsevier.