Middle market remains red-hot

500 Startups rebrands, expands; Blackstone, Fortress eye $3B+ golf empire; Roger Federer-backed On jumps in IPO; Glassdoor picks up Fishbowl
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The Daily Pitch: VC, PE and M&A
September 16, 2021
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In today's Daily Pitch, you'll find:
  • 500 Startups has rebranded as 500 Global as part of its new strategy of backing companies at the later stages.

  • Despite macroeconomic headwinds, the US PE middle market continued to thrive in Q2. From exits to fundraising, our latest report breaks it all down.
Today's Top Stories
US PE middle-market dealmaking remains red-hot
Despite several macroeconomic headwinds, middle-market PE dealmaking in the US has continued its unprecedented run, supported by continued economic recovery and significant capital availability.

In our latest US PE Middle Market Report, sponsored by Antares, SRS Acquiom and Baker Tilly, PitchBook analysts break down the middle-market environment during Q2 2021. A few key takeaways:
  • Add-ons continued their trend of more than a decade and increased as a share of PE deals. Middle-market PE firms sought to add on mid-sized aggregators and pursue transformational M&A to scale up platforms, diversify and expand along the value chain, or incorporate ESG values.

  • Even as exits to strategics lagged, attractive valuations and investor confidence led to healthy exit activity in the middle market, especially in sponsor-to-sponsor deals.

  • Middle-market fundraising set off at a rapid clip in the first half of 2021. Buyout firms benefited from LPs' robust appetite for private markets exposure and the unprecedented dealmaking activity that allowed firms to deploy capital and return to fundraising at a breakneck pace.
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500 Startups rebrands as 500 Global, expands strategy to later-stage companies
(sarayut Thaneerat/Getty Images)
500 Startups, a venture capital firm and accelerator that has made hundreds of small bets in seed- and early-stage companies since its founding in 2010, is rebranding as 500 Global and expanding beyond its roots with a new $140 million flagship fund that will target later-stage businesses.
  • The latest fund is the firm's largest vehicle to date. It brings the firm's total assets under management to $1.8 billion.

  • The new strategy will allow the firm to invest in successful portfolio companies as they mature, lead later-stage rounds and offer co-investment opportunities to limited partners.

  • In addition to its flagship funds, 500 Global manages regional funds in countries like South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The firm's portfolio includes 33 unicorns, including Australia-based Canva, worth $40 billion, and Singapore's Grab, which has announced plans to go public via a SPAC at a nearly $40 billion valuation.
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A message from ON Partners
ON Partners places top PE executives in 2021
Named to the "Private Equity Recruiting Power 75" ranking of the most prominent executive search firms serving the sector, ON Partners brings deep experience in the growth, venture and private equity space.

ON has partnered with hundreds of PE clients to build leadership and board teams, contributing to the firm's overall 89.3% growth over a three-year period.

This year alone, the ON executive search team has placed senior executives with both funds and PE-backed organizations, including BetterCloud, Marlin Equity Partners, Nexa, OpenKey, ParkMobile and Realwear, among others.

To learn more about how ON consultants are redefining executive search and helping PE funds and their portfolio companies build winning teams, click here.
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Antin seeks $4.9B valuation in Paris IPO  
(bjdlzx/Getty Images)
Antin Infrastructure Partners is set to join a growing club of public PE firms when it launches its IPO on Euronext Paris later this month with a valuation that could reach €4.1 billion (about $4.9 billion).
  • The Paris-based firm would raise at least €550 million in the offering, based on its target range of €20 to €24 per share. Trading is expected to begin Sept. 24.

  • Antin would follow major European private equity investors that have gone public in recent years, including the UK's Bridgepoint, Sweden's EQT and fellow French firm Tikehau Capital.

  • The surge comes as firms seek to tap into a growing appetite among retail investors for PE stocks—and those that have already gone public are performing well.
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Recommended Reads
It costs between $600 and $800 for Iceland's new Orca carbon capture plant to suck 1 ton of carbon dioxide from the air, but that's just the beginning. [The Economist]

Robinhood is seeking to attract more novice investors as it turns to college campuses to recruit younger customers. [The Wall Street Journal]

Shares in Chinese cosmetic surgery companies are falling as investors guess the industry will be the next to see regulation. [Financial Times]
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Quick Takes
  The Daily Benchmark  
  2020 Vintage Global Secondaries Funds  
  A message from Citizens Commercial Banking  
  Asset-based lending: Fewer covenants, attractive pricing  
  VC Deals  
  Canva soars to $40B valuation  
  SmartNews hits $2B valuation  
  Persona picks up $150M Series C for identity verification tech  
  Abra banks $55M for crypto investing platform  
  PE Deals  
  Blackstone, Fortress circling MBK's $3B+ golf empire  
  Blackstone wraps $1.4B buyout of ESG software provider Sphera  
  Crestview buys turf manufacturer  
  RedBird Capital eyeing investment in LeBron James' SpringHill Company  
  Exits & IPOs  
  Roger Federer-backed On jumps in IPO  
  Dutch Bros stock closes first day trading up nearly 60%  
  Bain Capital seeks to unload toolmaker for $2B+  
  Glassdoor acquires VC-backed Fishbowl  
  Fundraising  
  STG Partners targeting $750M for new fund  
  ACP lands $450M for Fund II  
  Lever VC closes debut vehicle at $80M  
 
 
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The Daily Benchmark
2020 Vintage Global Secondaries Funds
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A message from Citizens Commercial Banking
Asset-based lending: Fewer covenants, attractive pricing
Asset-based lending (ABL) has been used to effectively fund middle-market firms through the peaks and valleys of the business cycle.

Whether corporate cash flows are low or you need to meet rising demand, ABL can be a flexible financing solution.

Explore ABL and its many advantages—such as increased flexibility, fewer covenants and attractive pricing compared with similar cash flow-based loan structures—to see if an ABL solution is right for your company.

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VC Deals
Canva soars to $40B valuation
Canva has raised $200 million at a $40 billion valuation in a round led by T. Rowe Price. The Sydney-based company is the developer of a visual communication and collaboration platform. Canva was valued at $15 billion this past April.
Additional Investors:
AirTree Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, Blackbird Ventures, Dragoneer Investment Group, Felicis Ventures, Franklin Templeton, Greenoaks Capital, Sequoia
View round
 
View 29 competitors »
 
SmartNews hits $2B valuation
SmartNews, which offers a news-discovery app, has raised a $230 million Series F at a $2 billion valuation from investors including Princeville Capital and Woodline Partners. The company was valued at about $1.1 billion in 2019.
Additional Investors:
ACA Investments, Green Co-Invest Investment, JIC Venture Growth Investments, SMBC Venture Capital, Yamauchi-No.10
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Persona picks up $150M Series C for identity verification tech
Persona has raised $150 million at a $1.5 billion valuation in a round led by Founders Fund, with support from Meritech Capital Partners, Bond, Index Ventures and Coatue. The Bay Area-based company is the developer of a platform that helps enterprise customers such as Coursera and DoorDash manage and automate customer identity verifications. Persona was valued at $335 million with a $50 million round in May, according to PitchBook data.
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Abra banks $55M for crypto investing platform
Abra has raised a $55 million Series C co-led by Ignia and Blockchain Capital. Kingsway Capital, Tiga Investments and Stellar Development Foundation also supported the round, along with other investors. Founded in 2014, the Bay Area-based company is the developer of a wealth management platform for cryptocurrency investors.
Additional Investors:
American Express Ventures, Arbor Ventures, Kinetic Advisors, Lerer Hippeau Ventures, RRE Ventures, CMT Digital
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PE Deals
Blackstone, Fortress circling MBK's $3B+ golf empire
Blackstone and Fortress are reportedly bidding on MBK Partners' golf-related assets in a deal that could be valued at over $3 billion, Bloomberg reported. The transaction would include South Korea-based MBK's Accordia Golf Company and Next Golf Management KK, estimated to be worth around $3.6 billion combined.
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Blackstone wraps $1.4B buyout of ESG software provider Sphera
Blackstone has completed its acquisition of Sphera, a provider of ESG software, data and consulting services, from Genstar Capital. The deal values the company at $1.4 billion. Sphera, which serves over 3,000 customers across more than 80 countries, had been backed by Genstar since 2016.
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Crestview buys turf manufacturer
Crestview Partners has acquired TenCate Grass, a Dutch artificial grass and yarn backing manufacturer. TenCate makes, installs and provides maintenance for artificial turf surfaces.
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RedBird Capital eyeing investment in LeBron James' SpringHill Company
RedBird Capital is nearing an investment in SpringHill Company, an entertainment specialist co-founded by four-time NBA Champion LeBron James. The investment could value SpringHill at between $650 million and $750 million, Sportico reported.
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Exits & IPOs
Roger Federer-backed On jumps in IPO
On Holding has priced its public offering at $24 per share, above the target range of $20 to $22 per share, valuing the shoe company at over $6 billion. The total offering comprised 31.1 million shares, with On selling 25.4 million to raise more than $610 million. The stock jumped in its first day of trading, opening above $35 per share and soaring to $38 before dipping to close at $35.10. The Swiss shoe brand is backed by investors including tennis legend Roger Federer, Point Break Capital and Stripes.
View details
 
View 6 competitors »
 
Dutch Bros stock closes first day trading up nearly 60%
Coffee shop chain Dutch Bros saw its stock close the day up nearly 60% at $36.68 per share in its NYSE market debut, which valued the company at $3.8 billion. Dutch Bros listed 21 million shares at $23 apiece, above its initial range of $18 to $20 per share. Based in Grants Pass, Ore., the company owns over 470 stores and had received prior backing from PE firm TSG.
View details
 
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Bain Capital seeks to unload toolmaker for $2B+
Bain Capital is in talks to sell toolmaker Apex Tool Group to Chinese conglomerate Wanxiang Group for between $2 billion and $2.5 billion, Bloomberg reported. Maryland-based Apex Tool Group has operations in over 30 countries.
View details
 
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Glassdoor acquires VC-backed Fishbowl
Job search and company review website Glassdoor has bought Fishbowl, a career-focused social network. The startup's app lets users join interest-based discussion groups and anonymously share feedback about specific companies, content that will be integrated into Glassdoor's website. Fishbowl has previously raised funding from investors including GGV Capital and Arena Ventures.
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Fundraising
STG Partners targeting $750M for new fund
STG Partners is seeking $750 million for its new STG Allegro fund, which will focus on making lower-middle-market technology deals, The Wall Street Journal reported. The Palo Alto-based firm closed STG VI at $2 billion in 2020.
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ACP lands $450M for Fund II
Aldrich Capital Partners has raised $450 million for its second namesake fund, exceeding a $350 million target, The Wall Street Journal reported. Based in Virginia, the middle-market private equity firm closed its first flagship vehicle at more than $256 million in 2018. ACP typically backs companies in the software, healthcare IT, fintech and tech-enabled services sectors with revenue of more than $10 million.
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View 26 investments »
 
Lever VC closes debut vehicle at $80M
Lever VC has announced a final close of $80 million for its first flagship VC fund. The New York-based firm primarily invests in early-stage startups offering alternative protein products. Its portfolio includes Bond Pet Foods, a developer of vegan food for animals, and TurtleTree, a creator of cell-based milk. Lever VC plans to begin raising funds for a second vehicle early next year.
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View 17 investments »
 
Chart of the Day
Source: PitchBook's Q2 2021 European PE Breakdown
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