Portfolio Companies

Vertu exceeds $300 million in total transacted deal value year-to-date

Toronto, Ontario, November 8, 2021 – Vertu Capital, a private equity firm that invests in high potential, Canadian-headquartered global enterprise software companies, is pleased to announce a significant investment in PathFactory, a leading intelligent content platform for B2B digital marketing.

The acquisition is the third transaction for Vertu Capital so far this year, highlighting Vertu’s rapid growth and proven formula for pre-emptively identifying attractive technology investment opportunities and quickly delivering a significant return to investors and partner companies. The PathFactory acquisition brings Vertu’s total transacted deal value to more than $300 million year-to-date.

Over the course of 2021, Vertu has achieved the following milestones:

• Acquired a majority stake in PathFactory in November
• Completed the strategic sale of Firmex, a global provider of virtual data rooms, in July
• Acquired a minority stake in Dejero, a leading global provider of critical communications technology, in April
• Launched Vertu Partners Fund I, in March
• Expanded its Investment Team and added to its roster of seasoned Operating Advisors, with the most recent addition of Jason Smith, Founder and Executive Chair of Real Matters, a real estate software company

“It has been an incredible year for Vertu, and the momentum is only growing. We launched Vertu with a very focused investment thesis and a belief that private equity investing could be done differently, and better. And we have delivered on that”, said Lisa Melchior, Managing Partner and Founder of Vertu Capital. “We’re in a technology super cycle, and it’s easy to deploy capital. What we do is leverage our deep domain expertise and extensive network to surface exceptional opportunities and invest with discipline. We bring a culture of integrity and true collaboration that appeals to high performance management teams, drives a step change in outcomes at our partner companies and delivers value quickly to our investors.”

“PathFactory is a classic Vertu investment,” added Melchior. “It is positioned to be a clear category winner in B2B digital marketing and content intelligence, a sector that has become mission critical for businesses since the COVID-19 pandemic triggered an acceleration in marketing spend to digital content. With its proprietary content intelligence, automation and unique end-to-end platform, PathFactory’s scalable software allows it to do what no one else in the space is doing.”

PathFactory is a leading innovator in the B2B digital marketing space. Its proprietary intelligent content platform leverages artificial intelligence and data to drive personalized and relevant marketing content that delivers meaningful and measurable B2B sales and revenue. Recognized as one of North America’s Technology Fast 500 by Deloitte and a “Cool Vendor” by Gartner, PathFactory clients include Fortune 500 companies such as Cigna, Verizon, Oracle, Nvidia, Honeywell, Adobe, HP, and Cisco Systems.

“Intelligent content is all about delivering the right content, to the right people, at the right time, and being able to do that at scale. It’s fundamentally about anticipating future needs in an intelligent and data-driven way,” said Dev Ganesan, President and CEO of PathFactory. “That is exactly what Vertu brings as our new lead investor and why we decided to partner with them. With their deep understanding of the platform, and proven ability to scale, they are the right partners at the right time to accelerate our growth potential.”

Alongside Vertu Capital, additional co-investors in PathFactory include BDC Capital, private equity funds managed by BMO Global Asset Management, and Nicola Wealth. 

About Vertu Capital

Vertu Capital is a private equity firm that invests in high potential, Canadian-headquartered global technology companies. Vertu partners with the management teams of market leading and scaling companies to accelerate and support the next stage in their growth strategy. Founded by Lisa Melchior, former Managing Director with OMERS Private Equity, Vertu’s partners have decades of global tech private equity experience with deep domain expertise in software and software enabled business models. Vertu’s team brings sector best practice, actionable value creation strategies and a deep network to optimize company performance through all phases of growth.  For more information, please visit www.vertucapital.ca.

About PathFactory

Leading enterprise and mid-market B2B companies use PathFactory’s Intelligent Content Platform to accelerate nurture, improve win rates, and understand content performance by delivering intelligent content experiences and virtual events across the buyer’s journey. PathFactory was named the inaugural Visionary CX ISV Partner of the Year award winner at the 2020 Oracle Markie Awards, recognized by Deloitte as one of North America’s Technology Fast 500, and ranked #13 on the 2020 Growth List of Canada’s fastest-growing companies. It was also named a Fall 2021 Content Experience Leader by G2, a 2019-2021 Top-Rated Content Marketing Software by TrustRadius, and a 2019 Cool Vendor in Technology Marketing by Gartner. Visit PathFactory.com to learn more.

Media Contact

Contact : Laura Auquilla

Email : lauquilla@vertucapital.ca

Exit highlights value generating partnership with high-growth tech firm

Toronto, Ontario,  July 26, 2021.  Vertu Capital, a private equity fund specializing in high potential, Canadian-headquartered technology companies, and BDC Capital are pleased to announce the strategic sale of Firmex, a global SaaS-based provider of virtual data rooms, to Datasite®, a leading SaaS-based technology provider for global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) professionals.

The sale comes just over two years after Vertu Capital, in partnership with BDC Growth Equity Partners Fund I, acquired majority ownership of Toronto-based Firmex, and marks Vertu’s first exit since the firm was launched in 2017. Since partnering with Vertu, Firmex has generated double-digit revenue and EBITDA growth. Its accelerated growth and sale to a strategic buyer underscores Vertu’s ability to quickly deliver value for high potential companies and investors.

“Our partnership with Vertu has been a game-changer for Firmex,” said Joel Lessem, Firmex CEO and Co-Founder. “Lisa Melchior and the Vertu team brought deep domain and operational expertise that allowed us to take what was already a fast-growing, market leading company, to the next level. Vertu not only understood the potential of our platform, but brought a collaborative and creative approach to partnering that allowed us to more fully realize the underlying value of the business. We could not have hoped for a better partner.”

Founded in 2006, Firmex is the world’s most widely used virtual data room provider, trusted by more than 4,200 companies in 110 countries, including leading global financial institutions, law firms, and governments. Firmex’s secure and intuitive SaaS solution allows for the sharing of large volumes of confidential documents and mission-critical undertakings, including financial transactions, litigation and compliance across a range of industries.

With its cloud-based offering and world class security, Firmex is positioned for continued strong growth as organizations look to enhance their online collaboration in a safe and secure environment.

“At Vertu, we take a very selective approach to the companies we invest in. Firmex was Vertu’s first investment, and we knew we had a winner.  They had an excellent management team, with a scalable technology and a unique SaaS-based operating model,” said Lisa Melchior, Managing Partner and Founder of Vertu Capital. “This strategic sale highlights the success of our investment thesis, and I am very pleased to be delivering significant value for our investors.”

“We are proud to have supported Firmex in its growth journey and it has been a pleasure working with Joel, Lisa, and the entire team over the last few years to help scale a Canadian leader,” added Loren Rafeson, Partner, BDC Growth Equity Partners. “We look forward to following the next phase of Firmex’s growth.”

The Firmex sale follows Vertu’s most recent investment in Dejero, a Waterloo, Ontario-based global provider of live video and real time data solutions. Vertu led a $60-million recapitalization of Dejero in April, 2021, taking a minority stake in the company. The Dejero investment is the first to come out of Vertu’s inaugural fund, Vertu Partners Fund I.

About Vertu Capital

Vertu Capital is a private equity firm that invests in high potential, Canadian-headquartered global technology companies. Vertu partners with the management teams of market leading and scaling companies to accelerate and support the next stage in their growth strategy. Founded by Lisa Melchior, former Managing Director with OMERS Private Equity, Vertu’s partners have decades of global tech private equity experience with deep domain expertise in software and software enabled business models. Vertu’s team brings sector best practices, actionable value creation strategies and a deep network to optimize company performance through all phases of growth.  For more information, please visit www.vertucapital.ca.

About BDC Capital

BDC Capital is the investment arm of BDC—Canada’s only bank devoted exclusively to entrepreneurs. With over $3 billion under management, BDC Capital serves as a strategic partner to the country’s most innovative firms. It offers a full spectrum of risk capital, from seed investments to growth equity, supporting Canadian entrepreneurs who wish to scale their businesses into global champions. Visit bdc.ca/capital.

Media Contact

Contact : Laura Auquilla

Email : lauquilla@vertucapital.ca