Flexpoint Ford

Duetti Secures $114M in New Funding to Expand Independent Artist Catalog Acquisitions and Drive Strategic Growth Duetti, a music platform democratizing catalog monetization for independent artists, today announced it has raised $114 million in new funding. This includes $34 million in equity financing led by Flexpoint Ford, along with participation from existing investors Nyca Partners and Viola Ventures. Additionally, Duetti successfully completed its inaugural $80 million privately rated asset-backed securitization (ABS) transaction, backed by a highly diversified music rights catalog. Barclays acted as the sole structuring and placement agent for the ABS. “We believe we are leading the way in educating the capital markets on the significant long-term value of the independent music sector,” said Lior Tibon, CEO and Co-Founder of Duetti. “The number of independent artists is growing at an unprecedented rate, and Duetti is here to ensure they have access to differentiated financing solutions. Duetti will now be able to utilize more diverse and efficient financing sources, enabling us to significantly expand and offer more funding options for independent artists, outside of the major label ecosystem.” The company aims to use the proceeds from its new funding to accelerate its acquisition of music catalogs and expand its proprietary forecasting, pricing, sourcing, and marketing technology, offering artists even better data-driven deals with fast turnarounds and impactful catalog management. Duetti is rapidly developing marketing and optimization capabilities, with programs such as a playlist network of close to two million followers on Spotify, proprietary channels on YouTube, as well as ongoing remix launches and sync placements in TV shows, films and advertisements. These initiatives increase the visibility of Duetti’s artist partners and grow their audience across all major digital platforms.  “We are proud to support the Duetti team, one of the fastest growing music rights companies in recent years, and their innovative approach to music financing as they continue to empower independent artists”, said Mike Morris, Managing Director at Flexpoint Ford. “We see tremendous potential in their ability to provide scalable, data-backed solutions that address the evolving needs of musicians today and are looking forward to the company’s exciting growth plans.”   Flexpoint is a private equity firm focused on the financial services and healthcare sectors, offering tailored and flexible capital solutions to its partner companies. The investment was made through Flexpoint’s Asset Opportunity Fund, which leverages the firm’s expertise in financial services and private equity to invest in opportunistic asset-driven investments across financial services subsectors and assets, including music.   For further details see https://lnkd.in/eHYfZv4a

Flexpoint Ford Appoints Emily Henry as Managing Director, Investor Relations and Capital Formation Ms. Henry to Oversee Firm’s Investor Relations Initiatives and Lead Engagement with Investors Flexpoint Ford (“Flexpoint”), a private equity investment firm specializing in the financial services and healthcare sectors, announced today that it has appointed Emily Henry as Managing Director, Investor Relations and Capital Formation, based in the firm’s New York office. In this role, Ms. Henry will oversee Flexpoint’s investor relations initiatives and lead the firm’s engagement with current and prospective investors. Meredith Stein, Director, Investor Relations and Capital Formation, will work closely with Ms. Henry. With over twenty years in the industry, Ms. Henry brings extensive experience in designing, implementing, and executing strategic fundraising and investor relations programs for private equity firms. Prior to joining Flexpoint, Ms. Henry was a Partner and Head of Investor Relations at BayPine where she oversaw fundraising and investor relations activities for their inaugural private equity vehicle and numerous co-investment syndications. Prior to joining BayPine, she was Head of Investor Relations at Declaration Partners and before that, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Investor Relations at Reservoir Capital. Ms. Henry began her career at Merrill Lynch working in investment banking within the Financial Institutions Group and later as a Principal in the Global Private Equity Group. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA from Wellesley College. Chris Ackerman, Managing Partner of Flexpoint, said, “We are excited to welcome Emily to the Flexpoint senior leadership team. Working closely with Meredith, Emily will spearhead our initiatives to strengthen our current investor partnerships and help position us strategically to forge new global LP relationships.” For further details see https://lnkd.in/eewxjt2W

Flexpoint Ford Expands Healthcare Team, Welcoming Joshua Tamaroff as Managing Director Flexpoint Ford (“Flexpoint”), a private equity investment firm specializing in the financial services and healthcare sectors, is pleased to announce that Joshua Tamaroff has joined the healthcare team as a Managing Director in the firm’s New York office. In his new role, Mr. Tamaroff will focus on originating, evaluating and executing investment opportunities in the healthcare sector and will work closely with the team to help further drive the firm’s efforts in the space. With nearly 15 years of experience in healthcare private equity, Mr. Tamaroff is a seasoned investor and brings a wealth of knowledge to Flexpoint. Most recently, he served as a Partner at Avista Capital Partners (“Avista”). During his tenure at Avista, he worked on significant investments across the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors and associated value chains, including previously serving as a Director of Cosette Pharmaceuticals, GCM Holding Corporation, OmniAb, Inc., Organogenesis, Inc., Probo Medical, Solmetex, Terrats Medical, and United BioSource Corporation. Earlier in his career, Mr. Tamaroff worked as an Analyst in the Leveraged Finance Group at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital. He received an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Palmer Scholar, and a BS from Cornell University. "Josh’s extensive experience in healthcare private equity is highly complementary to our industry expertise at Flexpoint as we continue to build our group of talented investment professionals,” said Don Edwards, CEO of Flexpoint. “We are excited he is joining the Flexpoint team." Chris Ackerman, Managing Partner of Flexpoint added, “Josh’s deep industry knowledge and unique experience investing in pharmaceutical and medical technology services companies will help broaden the reach of our healthcare team, and we welcome him to the firm.” “I am excited to join a team where I can leverage my extensive background in healthcare investing to further enhance the firm's already impressive private equity platform, and I look forward to contributing to the firm’s promising trajectory," said Joshua Tamaroff. He added, “Flexpoint’s partnership approach and expertise in scaling companies align well with my passion for fostering growth and transformative change in the healthcare sector." For further details see https://lnkd.in/eG-maUpm

Flexpoint Ford Makes a Significant Minority Investment in Create Music Group to Fuel Strategic Growth Create Music Group, a rapidly growing music and entertainment company, announced today a $165 million investment led by private equity investment firm Flexpoint Ford. The firm’s investment is expected to support Create Music Group’s continued momentum and its efforts to further improve and augment the services it offers to its global client-base. Founded in 2015 by Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Strauss, Chief Operating Officer, Alexandre Williams and Chief Business Development Officer, Wayne Hampton, Create Music Group is a dynamic, data-driven music company that leverages technology, an owned audience of more than 400 million fans, and a valuable catalog of IP, providing a full range of services to independent artists and labels, including music distribution, music publishing, owned marketing channels, content creation support, advertising and branding, and tailored financial solutions. Create Music Group’s proprietary software platform and full suite of professional services gives a rapidly expanding number of independent artists and labels access to major-label services at every stage of their growth. “We believe Jonathan Strauss and his team have set a new standard for the industry, challenging traditional music companies to rethink their strategies,” said Mike Morris, Managing Director at Flexpoint Ford. “By acting as a media company that offers comprehensive support to artists, including distribution, marketing, financial solutions and audience engagement, Create Music Group has created a blueprint for the future of music.”  Stephane Essama, Principal at Flexpoint Ford added, “We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with the founders of Create Music Group and provide them with the capital that is needed to meet the enormous demand from their clients as the company continues to build a truly differentiated offering for artists and labels in the rapidly evolving music industry.” For further details see https://lnkd.in/g7zZD3p9

We are excited to welcome our 2024 Summer Interns to Flexpoint Ford’s Chicago and New York Offices. Our interns are joining us from a diverse group of universities including University of Notre Dame, Brandeis University, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Princeton University, and Indiana University. Welcome to the team Regan Brouwer, Katherine Graves, Holden Griffis, Lance Gutin, Emily Forney, Mikel Larraza, and Ryan Woo! We look forward to a great summer! 

Flexpoint Ford's Benjamin Blum recently shared valuable insights on the state of litigation finance on Slarskey LLC's "Hot Topics in Litigation Funding" podcast. Click on the image below to listen to a short excerpt. 📽 You can view the full video here: https://lnkd.in/eHbjqBWf 🎙 And access the podcast here: https://shorturl.at/Dgdzq

GeoVera Announces Combination of Its Insurance Carriers with SafePort Insurance Company to Create GeoVera Nova Holdings; Will Simultaneously Sell MGA to SageSure GeoVera Insurance Holdings, Ltd. (“GeoVera”), a leading provider of specialty property insurance, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its insurance carriers and managing general agent (“MGA”) businesses. Upon completion of the transactions, a newly formed entity, GeoVera Nova Holdings, Inc. (“GeoVera Nova”), will control four insurance operating subsidiaries: GeoVera Insurance Company, GeoVera Specialty Insurance Company, Coastal Select Insurance Company, and SafePort Insurance Company (“SafePort”), a property-focused insurance carrier. Additionally, the MGA operations of GeoVera will be acquired by SageSure, one of the largest independent MGAs focused on catastrophe-exposed markets, and GeoVera Nova will become a carrier partner of SageSure. As part of the transaction, GeoVera’s existing investors, including Flexpoint Ford, New Capital Partners, and AXA XL, will exit as shareholders. “We are grateful for the partnership we have had with John Forney, Brian Sheekey, Nesrin Basoz, and the broader GeoVera team. GeoVera has developed into one of the leading underwriters of catastrophe risk, and we are thrilled to have been a part of the journey,” said Chris Ackerman, Managing Partner of Flexpoint Ford. “On behalf of the shareholders, I want to thank the entire GeoVera team for their tireless efforts over the last 12 years of our partnership that have led to this successful outcome.” For further details see https://lnkd.in/eqsT9Te6

Clearstead Advisors Announces Acquisition of Wilbanks Smith and Thomas Clearstead Advisors, LLC, a leading registered financial advisor ("RIA"), has acquired the assets of Wilbanks Smith and Thomas Asset Management, LLC ("WST"), a Norfolk, Virginia based wealth and investment management firm with over $5 billion of assets under management. The combination continues Clearstead's rapid growth trajectory and further consolidates Clearstead's position among the leading RIAs in the US. After the merger, Clearstead Advisors and its subsidiaries will have approximately $44 billion in total assets under advisement, including $20 billion in total assets under management, 225 employees, and offices in nine cities. In addition, the six WST partners will become shareholders in Clearstead, increasing the total to 65 employee-owners of the firm. The advisory business of WST will be rebranded as Clearstead Advisory Solutions, a Division of Clearstead Advisors, LLC and continue serving clients from offices in Norfolk and Roanoke, Virginia, and Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1989 with its headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, Clearstead currently serves nearly 1,200 individual and family clients – integrating tax, planning, and family office services with investment management – and over 245 endowments and foundations, retirement plans, and hospitals. In 2022, Clearstead received a majority equity investment from Flexpoint Ford, a private equity firm specializing in financial services and healthcare investments. Since then, the firm has continued to grow organically and through acquisitions and strategic hires, with WST its largest acquisition to date. Recent acquisitions and expansions include Burkhart & Co. and Snow Financial Advisors, both Cleveland-based wealth managers; Avalon Trust, a Santa Fe, New Mexico financial advisor; CLS Consulting, a Cleveland family office services advisor; and a team of eight financial professionals who joined from the Hudson, Ohio office of a major financial services firm. For further details see https://lnkd.in/esKd3rxf

Flexpoint Ford Partners with Accuserve Solutions to Continue Expansion and Growth Strategy Aquiline Capital Partners to Remain a Significant Investor Accuserve Solutions (“Accuserve” or the “Company”), an independent managed repair services platform, and Aquiline Capital Partners LP (“Aquiline”), a private investment specialist in financial services and related technologies, announced today that they have reached an agreement for a majority investment from Flexpoint Ford (“Flexpoint”), a private equity firm specializing in investments in the financial services and healthcare industries. Flexpoint’s partnership is expected to accelerate Accuserve’s growth as it continues to develop value added property claims solutions for insurance carriers, homeowners, and contractors. Accuserve Solutions is a fast-growing full-service managed repair and home services platform, connecting insurance carriers, homeowners, and contractors through a unified platform that simplifies the property restoration and claims process from incident through repair. The Company has invested significantly in technology to ensure improvement in the property claim workflow with the ultimate objective of removing pain points for all stakeholders. “This investment in Accuserve Solutions marks a significant milestone for our Company. Flexpoint Ford’s support will provide the capital and strategic insight needed to continue innovating and developing industry-enhancing solutions for our clients and enable Accuserve to execute on its long-term growth plan. We are grateful for Aquiline’s partnership and look forward to this next chapter,” said Hunter Powell. Dominic Hood, Managing Director of Flexpoint Ford, commented: “We are excited to partner with Hunter and the Accuserve team as they build an innovative managed repair experience that will deliver claims efficiency to insurance carriers as well as a high-quality experience for policyholders.” Jennifer Kim, Principal of Flexpoint Ford, added, “Our partnership with Accuserve and Hunter extends Flexpoint’s long track record of partnering with growth-oriented founders in the insurance sector. We look forward to working with Accuserve as it continues its strong growth trajectory.” For further details see https://lnkd.in/epgVCTw5

Flexpoint Ford Promotes Karan Sabharwal to Principal Flexpoint Ford (“Flexpoint”), a private equity investment firm specializing in the financial services and healthcare industries, announced today the promotion of Karan Sabharwal to Principal, effective immediately. “Karan has made an immediate impact on Flexpoint’s financial services investment team since joining the firm last year and we look forward to seeing him continue to develop his deep sector knowledge and add value to our portfolio companies and firm. We are thrilled to have Karan on our team as we continue to build toward the future,” said Don Edwards, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Flexpoint. Chris Ackerman, Managing Partner, added “we have great confidence in Karan’s talent and dedication as a senior member of our team and we are pleased to have him as our newest Principal. We are committed to building the next generation of private equity leaders to support Flexpoint’s growth and success in the years to come and we look forward to watching Karan play a pivotal role in building our future and generating value for our clients.” For further details see https://lnkd.in/ex_JsgAR