Small cap investment solutions by Andrew Ung in the US: Private equity is often grouped with venture capital and hedge funds as an alternative investment. Investors in this asset class are usually required to commit significant capital for years, which is why access to such investments is limited to institutions and individuals with high net worth. Key Takeaways: Private equity firms buy companies and overhaul them to earn a profit when the business is sold again. Capital for the acquisitions comes from outside investors in the private equity funds the firms establish and manage, usually supplemented by debt. The private equity industry has grown rapidly; it tends to be most popular when stock prices are high and interest rates low. An acquisition by private equity can make a company more competitive or saddle it with unsustainable debt, depending on the private equity firm’s skills and objectives. Read more info at Andrew Ung.
How Are Private Equity Funds Managed? A private equity fund is managed by a general partner (GP), typically the private equity firm that established the fund. The GP makes all of the fund’s management decisions. It also contributes 1% to 3% of the fund’s capital to ensure it has skin in the game. In return, the GP earns a management fee often set at 2% of fund assets, and may be entitled to 20% of fund profits above a preset minimum as incentive compensation, known in private equity jargon as carried interest. Limited partners are clients of the private equity firm that invest in its fund; they have limited liability.
Mezzanine: Mezzanine is a unique strategy within PE—it bridges the gap between debt and equity. When a company receives mezzanine financing from a private equity group, it takes on debt (capital with the agreement to pay it back, plus interest) that includes some “embedded equity.” Essentially, that means that the debt can be converted into equity. Sometimes warrants are attached, which allow the lender to purchase equity at a set price at a later date while keeping the original debt. Sometimes mezzanine debt is taken on by itself, and other times, it is in conjunction with another transaction—mostly LBOs.
private equity solutions from Andrew Ung today: Given that you cannot live long without money and that your new business will not become profitable from the beginning, it is preferable to start in business while you still have a job and a stable source of income. This will give you a form of comfort and will help you focus on the vital aspects of business development and not just on providing some money for your own survival. Once the business starts to become profitable and you take on more and more time, you can resign. The existence of a support system both during the start-up period and during its development is very important. Try to find support within your family and consult with them when you want to make decisions and need advice. Ideally, you should find a mentor to offer you from his experience. To do this, you could register your business idea in one of the training and consulting programs implemented through European funds such as Entrepreneur 2.0.
But what does the future of entrepreneurship look like? Entrepreneurship is not just about startups anymore. It’s about innovation, technology, and emerging markets. The world has changed a lot in recent years and so have the opportunities for entrepreneurs to succeed in it.
So as a startup, how do you find these alternative sources of funding that offer such collateral benefits? The first and best thing you can do is look to your board and the connective network you already have. The ability to access GCC family office networks is something to consider when building your board and team of advisors. If your existing network has been exhausted, there are events and other opportunities that can bring you closer together with angel investors and family offices. This significantly lessens the influence to artificially maintain high watermarks to receive incentive allocations. Family office decisions are based squarely on investment fundamentals, where long-term value creation replaces the 2/20 mentality. As a result, investments are more than fungible capital. It’s a commitment to align with the entrepreneur on a much deeper level. The deep, global networks of the ultra-wealthy families are used to create opportunities for the startups — from providing strategic advice, intelligence and subject matter expertise, to tangible benefits like identifying contract manufacturers to assist with the development of hardware products.
How do private equity firms make money? PE funds collect both management and performance fees. These can vary from fund to fund, but the typical fee structure follows the 2-and-20 rule. What are management fees? Calculated as a percentage of assets under management or AUM, typically around 2%. These fees are intended to cover daily expenses and overhead and are incurred regularly. What are performance fees?Calculated as a percentage of the profits from investing, typically around 20%. These fees are intended to incentivize greater returns and are paid out to employees to reward their success.