London-based White Star Capital, a global multi-stage technology investment platform, announced on Tuesday the launch and first close of its Structured Growth Capital Fund I, a new investment strategy.
Funding came from both existing and new limited partners. The details of these partners have not been disclosed.
Brief about White Star Capital
Founded in 2014, White Star Capital is a global technology investment firm that supports ambitious entrepreneurs in building international businesses.
The firm has a presence in North America, Europe, and Asia, enabling them to partner closely with founders to help them scale globally.
The Structured Growth Capital Fund is a natural expansion of White Star Capital’s operations in Europe and Asia. It complements their existing venture capital strategies, focusing on later-stage companies from Series B onwards, in contrast to their Venture Fund, which targets earlier-stage companies at Series A and B.
Eric Martineau-Fortin, Managing Partner and Founder at White Star Capital says, “This new fund is a complimentary addition to our existing strategies and is a natural progression of the firm’s journey to enable and support globally-minded entrepreneurs in the next stage of their growth journey.”
A new investment strategy
The new Fund, Structured Growth Capital Fund I, is managed by Hemal Fraser-Rawal and Bryan McLoughlin.
Eric Martineau-Fortin adds, “It’s an exciting moment to officially welcome Bryan and Hemal to White Star Capital. Bringing with them a wealth of experience in the private credit markets, their knowledge and guidance has already proven incredibly beneficial for our team and portfolio.”
The new Fund offers a hybrid investment approach that combines credit and equity capabilities. It is designed to provide investors with income generation during times of higher interest rates while also supporting long-term capital appreciation.
White Star Capital claims that its Fund provides entrepreneurs and investors with a unique hybrid strategy that combines credit and equity solutions to support growth, acquisitions, and liquidity needs regardless of market conditions.
The Fund’s mission is to support “exceptional” companies in their journey from scale-up to global success. These companies, with substantial revenues and proven operational excellence, need efficient capital to continue expanding as they mature.
The Structured Growth Capital Fund focuses on investing in proven technology-enabled companies in Europe and Southeast Asia, addressing the lack of financing options in these regions.
While both regions have a track record of creating global leaders, they have less private market investment capacity compared to North America. White Star Capital sees a substantial investment opportunity, estimating a target universe of over 10,000 companies.
Hemal Fraser-Rawal says, “Technological advancement and its disruption of every industry continues regardless of the market environment. The winners that emerge need access to growth financing that can blend ambition and sophistication.”
“We’re grateful for the ongoing support from our investors who see the potential for outsized returns in an uncertain market with our highly differentiated investment strategy.”
Bryan McLoughlin adds, “We want entrepreneurs to succeed. That may sound like a well-worn cliché but an important incentive to help them succeed and continue creating exceptional outcomes for all shareholders is minimising unnecessary dilution at the growth stage.”
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