Author: Exeter Street Capital Partners

New Platform Investment in the K-12 Education Sector

Exeter Street Capital Partners (“Exeter”), the private equity affiliate of Patriot Capital Group, today announced the majority recapitalization of Creative Learning Systems, LLC (d/b/a “SmartLab” or the “Company”) in partnership with IBC Funds, Siguler Guff, and members of the SmartLab leadership team.

Founded in 1987 and based in Longmont, Colorado, SmartLab is a rapidly growing tech-enabled education company that designs and delivers turnkey project-based learning environments with a STEM (“Science, Technology, Engineering, Math”) focus. SmartLab’s learning environments bundle a customized environment, curated kits and equipment, proprietary SaaS curriculum, professional development, and technical support into a single solution.

The Company has been a pioneer in developing engaging and collaborative learning spaces aligned with learning initiatives, like college and career readiness, STEM capacity building, and life skills. Today, SmartLab partners with the most innovative school leaders nationwide to implement learning solutions that increase a student’s capacity through engaged, active, and social problem-solving. SmartLab’s project-based learning approach has proven efficacy in improving student achievement and engagement with math and science, both inside and outside the classroom.

“We could not be more thrilled to partner with Ashley Mathis, CEO of SmartLab, as well as her extremely talented leadership team to forge the next chapter in SmartLab’s growth. SmartLab’s unique learning solutions take aim at solving an acute pain-point in K-12 education: the decreasing number of STEM-ready students prepared to fill the increasing number of STEM-required jobs in our economy. This is a tremendous opportunity to partner with a company that will do well by doing good,” said Franklin Staley, managing director of Exeter. 

“We are excited to enter this next phase of growth for SmartLab and our employees,” said Ashley Mathis, SmartLab’s CEO. “For the last 3 years our team has put the building blocks in place to expand our national footprint, reach more schools with our unique turnkey solution, increase our market leadership position, and ultimately expand the number of students we serve. In partnership with Exeter and our new private equity partners, we intend to accelerate this growth and impact. Expect great things to come from SmartLab.”

Enterprise Bank and Trust provided senior debt financing for the deal. McGuireWoods LLP represented Exeter in the transaction.

Patriot Capital Group, a multi-strategy middle market investment manager and advisory services platform announced today it has hired Franklin Staley to lead its lower middle market buyout strategy, Exeter Street Capital Partners (“Exeter Street”).  Staley brings to Exeter Street more than 25 years of private equity, advisory and operating experience, all of it focused on lower middle market industrial growth & technology, business, consumer and healthcare services companies.  

Most recently, Staley spent 9+ years with DC Advisory LLC (formerly Signal Hill), where he founded the firm’s sponsor coverage effort and was a Managing Director in the Business Services practice area.  Prior to joining Signal Hill, Staley spent 9 years as a Principal and founding member of Meriturn Partners, LLC, a private equity fund focused on buyouts of lower middle-market companies in basic industries.  He has prior investment banking experience with Cowen & Company, Lehman Brothers and Chase.

Charles McCusker, Managing Partner of Patriot Capital Group commented: “After 20 years of successfully managing 5 junior capital and minority equity funds and 30 years of corporate advisory investment banking services, we are excited to leverage the Patriot Capital Group platform to supercharge our efforts in the microcap buyout market on behalf of our investors. This is a very natural extension of our business, and Franklin is the right professional at the right time to take our Exeter Street platform to the next level.”

Staley will leverage Patriot Capital Group’s dedicated and proprietary deal sourcing resources, as well as its 30-year-deep network of industry resources and professional partners, to differentiate Exeter Street in the market as he looks to build the team rapidly and acquire lower middle market businesses.

Exeter Street Capital Partners is pleased to announce that its affiliate Accscient, LLC (“Accscient”) has acquired PDS, LLC (“PDS”).  PDS, established in 1987 and headquartered in Denver, CO, has offices in Phoenix, AZ and Salt Lake City, UT and is one of the leading Information Technology (IT) & Engineering consulting firms in the Western United States. Given their presence in the southwest and strong engineering competencies, the acquisition will create significant synergies to both companies and significantly enhance Accscient’s market position in the Western United States.

Based in Atlanta, GA, Accscient was founded in 2005 with a goal of building a leading national provider of IT services. Accscient operates through three divisions (Norwin Technologies, Premier IT Solutions and Appridat) and provides IT consulting and IT staffing services on client projects including ERP planning/implementation, business intelligence, and infrastructure/data center management. Accscient serves Fortune 1000 customers in a wide variety of industries with over 350 consultants while leveraging offshore capabilities when appropriate.

Exeter Street Capital Partners is pleased to announce that its affiliate Accscient, LLC (“Accscient”) has acquired Emergys, LLC (“Emergys”).  Headquartered in Raleigh, NC, Emergys is a leader in SAP enterprise solutions, IBM business process management, business intelligence and analytics and digital transformation solutions and services.

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Accscient was founded in 2005 with a goal of building a leading national provider of IT services.  Accscient operates through three divisions (Norwin Technologies, Premier IT Solutions and Appridat) and provides IT consulting and IT staffing services on client projects including ERP planning/implementation, business intelligence, and infrastructure/data center management.  Accscient serves Fortune 1000 customers in a wide variety of industries with over 350 consultants, while leveraging offshore capabilities when appropriate.

Exeter Street Capital Partners is pleased to announce that its affiliate Accscient, LLC (“Accscient”) has acquired Applications2U, LLC (“Applications2U”). The acquisition of Applications2U expands Accscient’s offerings in consulting, digital infrastructure management and systems integration to the healthcare industry.

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Accscient was founded in 2005 with a goal of building a leading national provider of IT services.  Accscient operates through three divisions (Norwin Technologies, Premier IT Solutions and Appridat) and provides IT consulting and IT staffing services on client projects including ERP planning/implementation, business intelligence, and infrastructure/data center management.  Accscient serves Fortune 1000 customers in a wide variety of industries with over 350 consultants while leveraging offshore capabilities when appropriate.

Exeter Street Capital Partners is pleased to announce the closing of a transaction relating to the $20 million private placement of preferred equity securities and redeemable preferred securities to support the recapitalization and growth strategy of Accscient, LLC.

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Accscient, a FutureTech Holding Company, was founded in 2005 with a goal of building a leading national provider of IT services. Accscient operates through three divisions (Norwin Technologies, Premier IT Solutions and Appridat) and provides IT consulting and IT staffing services on client projects including ERP planning/implementation, business intelligence, and infrastructure/data center management. Accscient services Fortune 1000 customers in a wide variety of industries with over 350 consultants and leverages offshore capabilities when appropriate.