Jay B.’s Post

Another Boston private equity firm focusing on technology investments, Clearhaven Partners, is entering 2024 with fresh capital in its pockets. Michelle Noon, founder and managing partner, told me that the firm typically makes majority investments, but makes "significant" minority investments at times. #Boston #tech #news #massachusetts #privateequity #private #fundingalert #fundingnews

Love Ventures EIS Fund is open for applications! The Fund's Information Memorandum is now available to qualified investors. A huge thanks to everyone at Sapphire Capital Partners LLP, our investment manager, and Mainspring Fund Services Limited, our custodian, for helping to bring this exciting proposition to life. After three years of deploying (almost) three funds and a long summer of planning and preparation, this fund will be the fourth iteration of what we do best. That is:👇 1️⃣ Rolling up our sleeves and bringing our community together to identify exceptional founders. 2️⃣ Investing into the most exciting companies across FinTech, The Future of Work and ConsumerTech from Seed to Series A. 3️⃣ Providing our portfolio companies with unique value-add initiatives and thought leadership via our community of investors, advisors, events and a hands-on approach. Get in touch with Kit Blakiston Houston in Investor Relations if you would like to hear more about Love Ventures including: 👉 Our growth journey and how we have become an award winning VC. 👉 Our amazing team and experienced advisors. 👉 More information about this next exciting investment proposition. If you are a founder seeking investment you can submit your deck via our pitch portal: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eqrniW8i CAPITAL AT RISK Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more via the following link 👉 https://lnkd.in/ePqWQ3cr. #venturecapital #earlystageinvesting #fintech #futureofwork #consumertech #eis #ukinnovation

Embarking on a quest for a debut #privateequity fund: Architect Equity, with OpenGate Capital pedigree, is in market with its first commingled PE fund. The firm makes value-oriented, control investments in lower mid-market businesses in North America, in which profitability is not a requirement at the time of investment, according to the firm’s Form ADV. Architect was formed by OpenGate founding partner Jay Yook, and former OpenGate exec Dionisio Lucchesi. Get all the details here on Buyouts and be sure to check out our extensive list of emerging managers, including first-timers, in the market this year: https://lnkd.in/e6Mys-_B

Private funds have been an appealing option for investors seeking alternatives, but their lack of liquidity has been a persistent challenge. Enter Public VC Funds, reshaping the landscape and bringing newfound accessibility and flexibility to private investments. Sweater's Public VC Funds bridge the gap between traditional private investments and the demands of modern retail investors. By providing controlled liquidity and ensuring transparency, we're democratizing access to venture capital. Ready for the future of investing? Explore Sweater's Public VC Funds in this week's blog Navigating Beyond the Boundaries of Private Funds: Liquidity. #RetailInvesting #PublicFunds #AlternativeInvestments #SweaterInnovates

Mark Anson PhD, CFA, CAIA, Commonfund CEO & CIO welcomed colleague Aaron Miller Managing Director, Head of Global Venture at CF Private Equity & Chase Rankin, C.P.A., Executive Director of Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System on stage for their panel discussion at The Link last week. Chase interviewed Aaron regarding new breakthroughs in venture/technology. They dove into strategies on navigating the everchanging #venture environment and potential ways to capitalize on the next wave of technology shifts through venture capital. Here’s what they highlighted from their discussion. CapSource Productions #thelink #alternativeinvesting #alternatives #venturecapital #tech #venture

Navigating the landscape of Venture Capital and Private Equity can be complex. Luckily, DWF has prepared an informative article providing a comprehensive A to Z glossary of key terms used in the industries. Don't miss out on this valuable resource. The article was written Dhruv Chhatralia BEM corporate partner and head of Venture Capital (UK)), Alex Stoughton (senior associate) and Sarah Deloison (trainee solicitor) of our Corporate team. #Corporate #VentureCapital #PrivateEquity #Transactions #Insights #LawExperts #LegalInsights #ExpertOpinions #StayInformed

🚀 Clearhaven Partners successfully raises $580 million for second fund - The private equity firm is based in Boston, led by founder and managing partner Michelle Noon maintains a staff of 19. Senior team: Kevin Wood, Operating Partner & Co-Founder, Christopher Ryan, Managing Partner. - Michelle Noon stated: "Our goal is to build healthy, intrinsically viable businesses that will attract the right acquirer at whatever time makes the most sense for the company." - Clearhaven typically focuses on majority investments but occasionally makes "significant" minority investments. - The firm specializes in backing lower middle market software and technology companies with strong growth prospects. - The fund's target companies generally have revenues ranging from $20 million to $100 million. - Clearhaven currently manages six active portfolio companies: Engageware, Wowza, PhotoShelter, SundaySky, AVOXI, Korbyt. - The inaugural $312 million fund was closed in 2021, two years after the firm's launch by Noon, previously with Riverside Partners. - Despite Fund II being significantly larger, Clearhaven plans to invest in a comparable number of companies, targeting six to nine, with capital reserved for follow-on investments. - Clearhaven Partners remains optimistic about its position, citing being in "build mode" amid challenges in the private equity exit market.

What does the ideal closing process look like? With 450+ funds launched through our accelerator program and direct management of 70+ Decile Partner firms, we’ve distilled key drivers behind a fund’s early success. For confidentiality purposes, we will refer to this fund as ‘Fund VC’. Our experience with Fund VC, a standout among our fund launches, offers valuable insights into a quick and effective closing process - achieving their first close in 4 weeks. Key Insights for a Successful First Close: 🤔 Distinctive Niche: Fund VC’s success was largely due to its well-defined, niche-focused thesis. The fund’s deep ties with a strong community of founders and startups provided a compelling value proposition to LPs, showcasing promising deal flow and exit opportunities. 🗣️ Effective Pitch Deck: Continuous refinement based on our feedback through multiple reviews and LP rejections enhanced their deck’s appeal. The fund’s ratio of 4:1 pitches to PACTs underscored the importance of resilience and adaptability in gaining investor interest. 🗓️ Proactive Scheduling: Fund VC’s approach of scheduling a minimum of 20 LP meetings per week was crucial. They exemplified the importance of prioritizing meetings with potential LPs over distractions. 💰 Securing Commitments: Prior to closing, Fund VC secured $3.7M in PACTs, mindful of the attrition rate among LPs. This cushion enabled a successful first close at $3M. It’s important to anticipate this drop when calculating a first close. (Note: minimum to have a healthy first close is approximately $1M) 📈 Streamlined Operations: For new and emerging managers targeting a typical $5M-$10M fund, simplicity in operational and legal agreements is key. Fund VC’s reliance on standard agreements and Decile Partners’ efficient management facilitated a smooth formation and first close in 4 weeks. (Note: avoid complicated structures and agreements that will require costly legal revisions) 🤖 Automated Systems: Leveraging Decile Hub, the all-in-one tool for VCs, for automated closing and capital call processes allowed the fund manager to focus on essential activities like fundraising and deal sourcing, streamlining administrative tasks. Fund VC’s closing process underlines the value of a distinct investment focus, proactive LP engagement, and operational efficiency. #venturecapital #vc #investing #closing #fund #accelerator

Mark Anson PhD, CFA, CAIA, Commonfund CEO & CIO welcomed colleague Aaron Miller Managing Director, Head of Global Venture at CF Private Equity & Chase Rankin, C.P.A., Executive Director of Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System on stage for their panel discussion at The Link earlier this month. Chase interviewed Aaron regarding new breakthroughs in venture/technology. They dove into strategies on navigating the everchanging #venture environment and potential ways to capitalize on the next wave of technology shifts through venture capital. Here’s what they highlighted from their discussion. CapSource Productions #thelink #alternativeinvesting #alternatives #venturecapital #tech #venture

Following my post last week about founder share vesting, this week I have been thinking about the latest Sifted survey results on the state of employee equity in Europe. Employee options are supposed to make up the gap between wages at a startup (low) and at a corporate (high). Work hard, contribute to the growth and successful exit of the startup, and you'll be rewarded with a payday at the end. That’s the idea. The survey results show that c.40% of employees do not know the value of their options, the latest valuation of their employer or even how to exercise their options. Are options truly incentivising employees in these instances? Clearly, there is an education piece that is missing and in this respect I think the European market lags behind the US. How many startups spend time with their staff going through how options work? How many Founders are comfortable articulating how options are priced, when they can be exercised and what happens if an employee leaves or if the startup exits? As Charlie Munger said, “Show me the incentives and I’ll show you the outcome.” If employees do not understand how their incentives work, is the startup’s exit potential maximised? Sifted survey results here: https://lnkd.in/gmhJ6ndv