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±õ·¡³§·¡Â´²õÌý5^thÌýInternational Search Fund ConferenceÌýkicked off yesterday, October 13, from ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½Â´s campus in Barcelona. The two-day conference is one of theÌýleadingÌýeventsÌýin the worldÌýfor the international search fund community to come together and explore the latest trends in thisÌýunique form of entrepreneurship via acquisition.

Search funds are investment vehicles to finance entrepreneurs (often fresh from business school) as they hunt for opportunities to acquire and grow existing companies. First developed in the US, search funds have remained relatively under the radar outside the US and Canada until recently. However, over the last decade, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ has become an international reference forÌýresearch, resources and supportÌýfor search funds outside North America, as this emerging asset class gains new prominence worldwide.

This year´s sold out conference brings together all theÌýtop search-CEOs, active searchers, new searchers,Ìýleading academicsÌýandÌýsearch fund investorsÌýfromÌýaround the worldÌýto meet and discuss the latest developments in international search funds. The conference´s packed academic program includes sessions onÌýReplicating the Model in New GeographiesÌýand theÌýChallenges of Growth, among many others.

Speakers include, among many others:

• Jane Kaggwa-Snow, Founder & CEO, Aquavita Holdings, Kenya.ÌýJane is the founder of Impala Investment Holdings,Ìýthe first Africa-based search fund, and the Founder and CEO of Aquavita Holdings, theÌýleading provider of water as a serviceÌýacrossÌýEast Africa.
• Jan Simon,ÌýÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Professor of the Practice of Management of Entrepreneurship, Spain.ÌýJan is theÌýAcademic DirectorÌýof theÌýÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ International Search Fund Center, as well asÌýthe Managing Partner of Vonzeo Capital, an investment firm that invests in search funds. Jan is also the author of the 2021 bookÌý.
• Simon Webster, Investor / Former Operator, UK.ÌýSimon is an investor and entrepreneur whoÌýraised the first search fund outside the United States.ÌýHe led the sale of the business in 2005, achieving top quartile returns for his investors. SimonÌýinvests in and mentors search fund entrepreneurs, investing on a global basis.
• Sara Rosenthal,ÌýPartner, TTCER Partners, US.ÌýSara is a Partner at TTCER Partners, an investment firm that invests only its partners’ own capital, with the goal of supporting entrepreneurs who want to build enduring businesses. She is also theÌýco-founderÌýof theÌýWomen’s Search Network.
• Santiago Perez,ÌýManaging Partner, Cerralvo Capital, Mexico.ÌýAlong with his partners, Santiago manages Cerralvo Capital,Ìýwith 20 active search funds and 23 portfolio companies. The fund is active in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Spain and Israel.

To coincide with the conference, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ also released itsÌý. Working in close partnership with the Stanford Graduate School of Business (Stanford GSB), the study sheds light on how the search-fund model is maturing in Europe and Latin America while forging new paths in Africa and Asia.

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½Â´s ongoing work in search funds is part of its widerÌýentrepreneurial ecosystem, which provides advice, networks, funding, programs and research for entrepreneurs, innovators and investors.