Growth Capital Provider Escalate Capital Partners Secures Investment From Kudu Investment Management

NEW YORK and AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Escalate Capital Partners (Escalate), a leading private credit and equity investor in growing later-stage companies in the software, services, and healthcare sectors, and Kudu Investment Management, LLC (Kudu), a provider of permanent capital solutions to independent asset and wealth managers worldwide, today announced that Kudu has made a minority investment in Escalate. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Austin-based Escalate was founded in 2005 by Tony Schell and Ross Cockrell, managing directors. Chris Julich, the firm's third investment partner, joined in 2008. Escalate has invested more than $1 billion in the U.S. software, services, and healthcare sectors and has raised more than $850 million from institutional and individual investors. Escalate has invested in over 100 companies, including Homeaway/VRBO, Phreesia, SailPoint, and Virtustream.

"Partnering with Kudu is an important step in the evolution of the firm," Schell said. "Kudu's investment positions Escalate for continued long-term success. Our strategy is to support management teams with funding that helps accelerate growth and is less dilutive than equity.  We continue to see exciting opportunities in the market."

"Kudu's deep understanding of the asset management industry, broad network, and capital relationships will be beneficial to further strengthening Escalate's platform," Cockrell added. 

"By investing in Escalate, Kudu is partnering with a top team in a dynamic and growing asset management market," said Rob Jakacki, Kudu CEO. "Escalate has experience across numerous market cycles, has built a respected capital franchise in the technology community, and approaches the segment with a disciplined and consistent underwriting strategy."

Since 2018, New York-based Kudu has invested in 20 asset and wealth managers headquartered in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia. Kudu-affiliated asset and wealth managers now collectively invest more than $67 billion on behalf of individual and institutional investors worldwide in traditional and alternative strategies and market segments. Kudu's capital partners are White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual). 

Raymond James served as financial advisor, and Polsinelli was legal counsel to Escalate. Seward & Kissel LLP served as legal advisor to Kudu.

Escalate Capital Partners is a leading private credit and growth equity investment firm that targets rapidly growing later-stage companies within the software, services, and healthcare sectors. With more than $1 billion of invested capital, Escalate provides a stable capital source that is tailored to each company's unique needs. For more information, visit www.escalatecapital.com.

Kudu provides long-term capital solutions—including generational ownership transfers, management buyouts, acquisition and growth finance, as well as liquidity for legacy partners—to independent asset and wealth managers globally. Kudu was founded in 2015 and is backed by capital partners White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE: WTM) and MassMutual. For more information, visit www.kuduinvestment.com.

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SOURCE Kudu Investment Management, LLC