Many M&A firms work on transactions under $20MM. Larger investment banks prefer to work on transactions over $250MM. We work in the “middle” market between these – on transactions in the $50MM - $250MM range. In every case, our clients are companies that have achieved significant results, and have decided to achieve liquidity by selling their firm, or which have been approached for acquisition and ask us to “rationalize” the market for them.
We receive calls from two communities. The first are entrepreneurs who have built great companies, often without outside investors. These firms tend to be quite profitable and are filled with the character and spirit of the founders. The second are venture capitalists who sit on the boards of great companies seeking liquidity. From this community, we have done transactions for venture firms including Greylock, Mohr Davidow, Norwest, TA, Harbourvest, Venrock, Battery, Investcorp and Canaan Partners.
We receive calls from founder/owners when they determine it is time to take their “chips” off the table. Their years of hard and inspired work need to be rewarded and translating that value into cash is the best way to accomplish this.
Classically, venture-backed companies call us when they have been approached to be acquired. They ask us to discreetly “rationalize” the market for them by attracting other buyers and letting the marketplace determine the real value of the company.
Alternatively, many venture funded companies call us when they realize they are not IPO candidates, or their value to acquirers is likely to equal or exceed their value in a public offering. These are firms with deployed technology, strong customer bases and OEM or reseller partners in place.
Sell-side, technology M&A. That’s all we have done for 20 years. Who knew that by 2007 we would be the only technology M&A firm where:
- Owner/partners do all the work. Everything. On every transaction.
- Our “sell-side only” model is unique in the industry.
- We bring 40 years combined of practical, front-line experience to every technology M&A transaction we work on.
- We create significant value for our clients in both up and down markets.
- We bring intensity and focus to each assignment that is unmatched in the industry.
For 20 years, Sequoia Partners has been delivering discrete, premium, sell-side transactions for software and professional services companies. During these years we have helped scores of entrepreneurs realize their financial dreams. We have also delivered great returns to the venture firms invested in our client companies. We are particularly proud when the same venture firms engage us time and time again to create value for them. In our business, this is the highest compliment we can receive.
Who knew that 20 years later we would be delivering Premium Transactions on the same service model as when we started?
