Cascadia Capital, one of the nation's most active independent middle-market investment banks, has reached a definitive agreement to secure a strategic growth equity investment from an investment fund affiliated with Atlas Merchant Capital LLC. With the additional resources from the investment and the Atlas team's support, Cascadia will continue its geographic, product, team, multi-industry and sponsor coverage growth nationwide.
"We have achieved record growth in recent years and are thrilled to have found the right partners in Atlas to continue on this exciting trajectory," said Cascadia Capital Chairman and CEO Michael Butler. "Atlas brings the value-added resources we desired in a capital partner, allowing us to continue in lockstep with the middle-market founders, family owners, and executives we serve while accelerating our private equity coverage and product offering expansion."
Cascadia provides businesses and investors with sub-sector nuanced guidance in a range of industries, including Business Services; Consumer & Retail; Energy Transition & Climate Tech; Food, Beverage & Agribusiness; Healthcare; Industrials; Robotics, Automation & Artificial Intelligence; and Technology. The firm will proactively hire additional experienced bankers and cohesive teams to augment its existing sector expertise, initially focused on growing the healthcare, technology, and industrial technology teams. With clients across the U.S. and around the world, the firm has a strong and growing presence in strategic markets, including Seattle, Austin, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Nashville.
"Across the broader investment banking landscape, large Wall Street banks have become less entrepreneurial, less versatile, and more like utilities. This shift — coupled with the recent wave of consolidation — underscores the critical need for what Cascadia brings to the market as an innovative and flexible independent firm. We are proud to align our firm with this talented team," said Atlas Merchant Capital Founding Partner and CEO Bob Diamond.
"Maintaining its independence and middle-market focus with the support and resources of Atlas will allow Cascadia a distinct advantage — providing an inherently more flexible and impactful client experience with outstanding industry coverage and outsized product depth and breadth," added Atlas Founding Partner and CIO David Schamis.
In addition to team and vertical coverage expansion for its robust merger and acquisition and strategic advisory services, Cascadia plans to deepen its existing debt capital markets, capital raising, fairness opinion, and valuation practices. A cornerstone of the investment is driving increased collaboration and deal flow with financial sponsors.
“This investment will enable us to further enhance our team to more broadly deliver our leading industry and product resources to the financial sponsor community,” said Cascadia Managing Director Scott Ames, head of the firm’s Financial Sponsor Coverage practice. “We look forward to expanding these relationships while continuing to provide middle-market companies with the sector-focused guidance that has made Cascadia one of the most active independent advisors in the market.”
Perkins Coie provided legal counsel, and Houlihan Lokey served as Cascadia’s financial advisor in connection with the transaction.
This investment is subject to the satisfaction of FINRA regulatory approvals.