Michael Aft

BluWave has a deep bench of 800+ interim CFOs that allow us to quickly and expertly connect private equity firms and their portfolio companies to the exact-fit interim CFOs they need.    In one case study example, a PE firm came to us in need of a stopgap interim CFO for their automotive operations portfolio company. Here's the details of how we helped:   The Situation - Needing to make a leadership change in their portfolio company, a PE firm came to us in urgent need of an interim CFO who could focus on the portco's cash flow and working capital optimization while the search for a permanent CFO was underway. Given the protfolio company's industry, the PE firm not only needed an interim CFO with financial acumen, but one with the ability to handle a complex operational landscape and turnaround skills.   How BluWave Helped - Thanks to BluWave's deep network of exact-fit interim CFOs, we quickly connected them with a select few interim CFOs with the exact experience they were looking for.    The Outcome - The client selected their preferred interim CFO from our presented options. Their leadership marked a significant turning point for the automotive manufacturer, helping them tighten cash flow, meet reporting requirements and guide them through a crucial transition period.   When you need an exact-fit, PE-grade interim CFO, contact BluWave and we'll be ready to support.   #interimCFO #interimchieffinancialofficer

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Is Bolt’s new $450M raise bold or reckless? I just saw this news (https://lnkd.in/eq9PxW8U)- Ryan Breslow is back at the helm, driving Bolt.com to a $14 billion valuation, not long after a $300 million stock buyback valuation that crushed the spirits of their employees who exercised their options at their last valuation. I'm all for founder-led companies with a little dash of crazy, but I don't like the smell of this new raise at all This dramatic turnaround, fueled by international investors, raises more questions than confidence. Breslow’s move feels more like an Adam Neumann-inspired hype play than a true growth strategy. The focus is on challenging Stripe and fueling FOMO, not on sustainable fundamentals. For founders and investors, this is a reminder: don’t let flashy narratives blind you to the reality of valuations. I’m all for supporting founder-led companies—it takes a little crazy to be a founder at this scale—but this one might be a step too far IMO. What’s your take on this announcement? All hype or the next Stripe killer?

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Have you ever noticed that the word Uber is both a noun and a verb? I have spent years studying shared economy, supply chain and logistics. The first and last mile space has proven profitable and lucrative but also fickle and unpredictable. And I love it. In the world of Yahoos and Googles, Ubers and AirBnBs, a person could argue that branding has very minimal impact on the potential success of a company. I have also spent years studying branding, marketing, product management and customer experience. People love all-inclusive. Sometimes when you're dealing with consumers, a little bit more goes a long way. In WebVans defense, while I'm sure they had the most advanced inventory management system, at the time, I'm sure they didn't have automated storage and retrieval, they didn't have the 5G ecosystem, they didn't have RFID and IOT, they didn't have shared economy and they obviously believed, like Jeff Bezos, that because they had figured out how to deliver a book to your door, they could innovate the entire supply chain. And I love the tenacity. They tried to create an all inclusive customer experience. But like, what happens when the name just kinda sucks? Is it possible that the plateau is being caused by a crappy name? Why would people think Cost Plus is a company that would give them a discount on pharmaceuticals? Why would people think WebVan or GoPuff is the best solution for getting things delivered? Branding is part of the customer experience. It's where the brand loyalty begins and creates the potential for evangelism. Don't forget that part.

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Summary: Trucks Venture Capital has announced a new $70 million fund to support early-stage startups in the transportation industry. Led by co-founder Reilly Brennan, the firm plans to invest in a diverse range of companies, including those working on autonomous vehicle tech, electric air taxis, and mobility data platforms. This is the firm's largest fund to date and its investment strategy has evolved to focus on great founders rather than specific sectors or ideas. Key takeaways: Trucks VC has a new $70 million fund to invest in early-stage transportation startups. The firm's investment strategy has shifted to focus on great founders rather than specific sectors or ideas. Previous investments from the new fund include charger installation-as-a-service startup Treehouse and zero-emissions jet aircraft company JetZero. Counter arguments: Some may argue that focusing on great founders rather than specific sectors or ideas may limit the firm's potential for success. The transportation industry is constantly changing and evolving, making it a risky investment for any venture capital firm. #startups #venturecapital #transportation

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100% agree with Phil Burns - there are so many opportunities for PE to help their investments add value - innovation, operational efficiency, service expansion, partnerships, front-line execution, GTM to name a few. [now for the shameless plug] Good quality CDD, with lots of primary research and data analysis, helps investors zero in on these growth opportunities which drive PE returns and benefits the whole economy

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At the CFA Society Indianapolis Venture Breakfast last week I mentioned how SaaS is losing its VC footing to AI. A couple of folks asked for more information, so I figured I'd share today's PitchBook newsletter on the topic. (https://lnkd.in/eJ285n-a) Amid shifting landscapes in the tech sector, corporate innovation funds and investment dollars are increasingly pivoting towards AI experimentation. As traditional SaaS startups experience a deceleration in revenue growth, the focus is shifting. 💡 As we witness this transition, it's crucial for professionals in tech and investment sectors to understand how AI can drive not only efficiency but also innovation. ❓ Let's discuss how your organizations are adapting to this shift. Are you experimenting with AI? What impacts do you foresee in your industry? #AI #CorporateInnovation #TechTrends #StrategicInvestment

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Don't call it a comeback - growth equity deals on the rise again per PitchBook. From the attached article: "According to PitchBook’s latest US PE Breakdown, PE growth investments were on the rise in the first half of 2024, accounting for about 23% of all PE deals and surpassing leveraged buyouts, which made up 19%. That reverses a long-time trend. Growth investments in the first half of 2024 are already exceeding those from the whole of 2023, when they accounted for 20% of all PE deals." The heightened cost of capital is obviously driving a lot of this dynamic. However... it is interesting to note that PE funds are seemingly more willing to take minority stakes - a dynamic that is historically more from the VC playbook. The hard truth is that, even in a challenging funding and valuation environment, growth stage companies - both PE-backed and VC-backed - still offer large institutional investors a compelling return profile. A growth-potential profile not often available in the public markets. This dynamic alone will push PE and VC private market investment through and beyond the current challenges... Endeavor Colorado Zeb King Tegan Stanbach Kathryn Dickson #privateequity #venturecapital #entrepreneurship #innovation #founders #startups #investing https://lnkd.in/gKZKwXct

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An incredible deep dive from Nathan M. into the cultural and structural issues that are plaguing Boeing and how they got to where they are today. This article should be turned into a business school case study it's that good. And many of these issues aren't unique to Boeing. The focus on financial engineering over actual engineering is an issue at play in many scaled aerospace and defense companies. A definite must-read! https://lnkd.in/gkdpF2tM

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Fun session with Silas Mähner 🔍🌎 Hopefully non controversial takes on how we think about adaptation and resilience Third Sphere. Also weighed in on thinking about engagement with Big Oil. Absolutely not possible to generalize here. TLDR on one end of the spectrum is Norway, generating substantial GDP from oil, but leading the way across multiple climate efforts, like EVs and heatpumps. On the other end are some state actors that have worked to undermine organizations like COP and sew broader chaos, very, very likely as a way to shift resources away from energy transition (likely very, very hard to spend on defense and green transition at the same time in the US and EU, for example).

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Very similar and a complement to Independent Sponsor led transactions targeting $15 million to $100 million plus EV, search fund deals target acquiring companies for around $15 million EV, priced at approximately seven (7x) times EBITDA or less. Over the years, companies tracked by Stanford have shown annualized equity returns exceeding 30%! The target universe for search funds and Independent Sponsors is substantial, with nearly 200,000 businesses valued between $10 million and $100 million, according to NAICS Association data. Search funds often seek out companies with retiring family founders looking for liquidity. Middle and lower-middle market financial sponsors generally avoid targeting companies worth $15 million due to high overhead costs and the need to deploy significant amounts of capital. However, for individual entrepreneurs, these micro-sized deals are not only accessible but also offer attractive bargains. This has led to the emergence of specialized search PE funds alongside Independent Sponsor transactions. Great article by the FT. #privatecapital #privatemarkets #privateequity #buyouts #growthequity #independentsponsor #searchfund #middlemarket #smallbuyout #sme #institutionalinvestor #alpha #moic #irr #privatecredit #privatedebt #familybusiness #founderowned #fT

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For my young VC friends – a few thoughts on climbing the ladder at a challenging time in venture: This is a hunting job. Your ability to source drives your career growth. As your bets parlay into distributions or markups for your LPs, you pave your path to promotion. That’s the TLDR, but here’s some expanded thoughts: 👥 EQ matters So much of sourcing is network building. It’s easy to be another faceless VC offering money in the bank – you need high levels of EQ to bond with founders and be seen as a true partner. 🏦 Backgrounds matter less Your background doesn’t define your ability to hunt, but it can definitely help. Ex-Goldman investment bankers or Bain/BCG/McKinsey junior consultants knowing how to analyze a new industry for potential investment is a solid starting skillset. Just like having an impressive network of engineers and founders from hustling hard at Stanford sets you up well. Channel your energy and specific strengths to get out there and source deals. 💰 Success = Sales, follow-ons, secondaries The success of your sourcing comes down to bringing in home runs or deals that deliver strong outcomes for LPs. My promotion from associate to partner at my previous fund came from sourcing Cruise, which ended up selling to General Motors for a great return. Corp dev and follow-on funding also demonstrate success. If the companies you bring in the door get follow-on funding from strong, reputable funds, that's a sign of success. Sometimes these financings can result in great secondary sale opportunities as well, demonstrating early distributions to LPs. Although the VC landscape has changed, being a hunter and sourcer are constants to be successful in our industry. #VC #VentureCapital #CareerAdvice

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"Hire an operator." A common phrase in the world of buying businesses — but vague. GM and CEO are very different roles, for example, though often those 2 terms are used interchangeably in small business. Matthew Saskin recently hosted a webinar with Acquiring Minds on how to hire an operator, and one of the best slides was this one. A clear breakdown of operators that are *managers* versus those that are *executives*. You'll see how stark the differences are. Hopefully you find this as helpful as I did. (And if you're interested in the recording of Matthew's webinar, link in the comments below.)

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My colleagues at BIP Capital work hard to meet the private market investing needs of HNWIs and the RIAs who serve them. The potential for compounding returns is a critical consideration, so we've put together a short, straightforward explanation of what they are and how they work. We also want to help our clients understand how evergreen funds like the BIP Ventures Evergreen BDC encourage compounding returns. Because they offer patient capital and reinvestment opportunities, evergreen funds can move high-performing portfolio startups to optimal outcomes. That's good for investors who are willing to take a longer view. If you want to get the inside knowledge on this important topic, check out our "Expert Guide to Compounding Returns with Evergreen Funds." https://lnkd.in/efXAbibV BONUS: If you're an RIA, join us for a brief informational session tomorrow (June 11th) at 2:00 pm EST. You'll get useful information from some of the most seasoned, intelligent authorities in private market investing. Mark Flickinger Phil Davidson #CompoundingReturns #EvergreenFunds #WealthManagement #LongTermInvestment #PrivateEquity #HNWIs #FamilyOffices #RIAs #BIPCapital #BIPVentures 📣 BTW, webinar seats close EOD today, so grab yours now. (Shhhhh.... if you miss it, DM me and I'll be glad to help you out.) https://hubs.ly/Q02B7zL40

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Kudos to aifleet on its $16.6M raise to fund growth in tech-enabled trucking. Its investors include Heron Rock Volvo Group Venture Capital, Obvious Ventures, Ibex Investors, Compound, Winthrop Square Capital and Cooley LLP. Aifleet is doing something different. Most other startups in this field are focused on pure technology. They have 204 drivers and power units. Will they be able to make it work with a combination of trucking and technology? https://lnkd.in/ePytPHx7

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There is this weird spot with pitch decks. Ideally a pitch deck exists to support a “pitch”. Yet, many (including VC) ask for a deck as an informational deliverable. It would seem that these 2 decks should be different.

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Are #VC exits in standstill and what does it mean for the #CPG companies? Just a handful of large VC-backed companies have gone public since Q1 2022, exiting at only $70bn cumulative worth. i) less than the value recorded in any quarter in the record-breaking 2021 ii) staggering 90.5% decline from 2021’s record highs of $750bn iii) and more importantly the first time the figure has dipped below $100bn since 2016 What does it mean for CPGs? 1. Strategic Acquisitions: As VC-backed companies struggle to justify their high valuations or demonstrate the necessary fundamentals for IPOs, they may get forced to sell at lower price point to a strategic acquirer, and #FMCG players are well-positioned to capitalize on this lack trend 2. Investment opportunities for CVCs: smaller rounds and less competition may enable CPG companies to get stake in the most promising start-ups that would otherwise be quickly scooped by Sequoias and Tigers of this world ;) 3. Less 'well-funded' competition for incumbents: less exits and lower valuations means the large upstarts challenging leading FMCGs will need to be more frugal with resources potentially stifling investments As the saying goes, “In every crisis lies an opportunity.” CPG leaders who will navigate the best this environment may end up winning disproportionally (as we were writing on the topic) FMCG CEOs: 2023 M&A Report – Seven Key Learnings & Seven Predictions For 2024 https://lnkd.in/dT5A-jGZ To receive the corresponding deck, pl. leave your name in comment To get all our insights, follow us/ subscribe to our CEOs newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eR8vDpvE #strategy #zerobasedgrowth #mergersandacquisitions Frederic Fernandez & Associates

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