Bob Solomon

In a panel discussion hosted by Private Funds CFO, John Stephens, Pomona’s CFO, shared his views on AI use: “At the moment, AI use by managers doesn’t seem a big differentiator, but in 2-3 years it’ll be a necessity,” says Stephens. https://lnkd.in/en5zjxm8

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Layer is tackling one of the most overlooked pain points for SMBs: accounting. They’re gaining real traction doing so. Emergence is leading their seed round to bring embedded, AI-powered accounting to the SMB software stack. Kevin Spain highlights what makes this team and product so compelling. 

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Invictus Growth Partners is excited to announce that Campfire Interactive has acquired Cover 4 PM. The combined platform connects forecasting, quoting, and program execution-enabling manufacturers to turn plans into performance, close margin gaps, and achieve 8-10x ROI. #manufacturing #AI #automotive #supplychain #profitability #empowerexcellence

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Ari Salafia joined hosts Matthew Hall and Sam Gaddis of the Runpoint Partners podcast to talk all things tax and AI. As the CEO of TaxTaker, Ari works with hundreds of early-stage companies building AI, SaaS, and technical products, and helps them unlock meaningful savings through R&D tax credits. In this episode, she breaks down what founders and operator-engineers need to know about qualifying internal tools, structuring contracts the right way, and turning innovation into cash flow. If you're advising or building AI systems in 2025, this is a masterclass in reducing burn and increasing ROI. 🎧 Catch Ari’s episode on Runpoint: https://bit.ly/4odK4IM #RunpointPodcast #RDTaxCredit #TechTaxStrategy #StartupFinance #AIInfrastructure #InternalUseSoftware #FractionalCFOs #FounderTools #TaxTaker

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The move from early traction to scale forces a different set of capital decisions. In today's episode of the Private Equity Value Creation Podcast, Jonathan D. Drillings of Riverside Acceleration Capital talks with Shiv Narayanan about how B2B software companies fund that in-between phase—and why the wrong structure at the wrong moment creates problems later. Tune in to learn: - The role of growth lending in hitting milestones - How early equity affects dilution, valuation and future flexibility - What durability actually looks like before scaling - How AI affects risk without changing the fundamentals And much more. The link to the episode is in the comments below.

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Plaid's recent $8 billion valuation through employee share sales signals a notable 31% increase from last year, reflecting a growing trend in fintech around using share liquidity as a strategic tool. This practice isn’t just about numbers—it plays a crucial role in employee retention and tax optimization, helping companies stay competitive in attracting and retaining top talent. While Plaid’s current valuation remains below its 2021 peak, this strategic move highlights how private firms are evolving their capital and talent management approaches. Key insights: 1. Employee share sales provide financial flexibility and motivation for employees. 2. Share liquidity strategies can influence company valuations and investor perceptions. 3. This trend may shape how fintech companies structure growth and retention plans going forward. How do you see employee share liquidity impacting fintech innovation and talent management in the next few years? #artificialintelligence #businessautomation #productivity

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Thoma Bravo Announces Acquisition of Dayforce for $12.3 Billion. Public market acquisitions can influence valuation multiples for high-growth technology companies in the private markets. An update on recent acquisitions and multiples for our friends building technology companies can be found below.

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I spoke with Christien Louviere of BDE Capital about his journey from a $330mm exit to becoming an independent sponsor. Christien shared excellent insights for folks looking to partner with business owners, rather than buy sellers out completely. Below are a few of the topics we covered: - Why he moved from “zero-to-one” startups to a buy-then-build strategy - How Christien's background shaped a focus on growth vs. cost-cutting - Why 20–40% rolled equity is central to his deal structures—and how it builds trust with sellers - Using scenario analysis with AI tools to evaluate management teams and uncover hidden key-person risks - How to identify when a $3–5M EBITDA company truly has a middle management layer—or is still founder-reliant For anyone investing in or buying small businesses, Christien’s approach provides a fresh lens on growth, alignment, and deal structuring. 🎥 Watch the full interview here → https://lnkd.in/ekfkaiej 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/e86Agx6V

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🗞️ Dispatch is a weekly brief from Dynamo Ventures on supply chain, mobility, and venture-scale companies. Subscribe for informed perspectives on where the market is headed. 👇🏼 https://lnkd.in/eAUQn-A

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Finance and GTM teams often operate in silos. This division costs portfolio companies and PE sponsors millions in recoverable leakage and slows value creation. At the PEI Operating Partners Forum 2025, top PE operators shared with Ryan Richards how they bridge this gap. They revealed that misalignment appears quickly in forecasts and slows cash conversion. One operator noted, "The revenue was there. The cash wasn’t." This disconnect frequently occurs between the deal's close and the cash receipt. Read the full article to understand how operators achieve this alignment and drive compounding value: https://lnkd.in/gXr3kCMd #PrivateEquity #ValueCreation #Finance #GTM #OperatingPartners

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