The Acquiror Summit
Dates: January 26th - 30th, 2025
Location: New York
Please note that ticket sales are for acquirors only.
Platinum Sponsors:
Gold Sponsors:
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Why Attend The Acquiror Summit?
Deal Sourcing Best Practise
Learn the latest strategies for identifying, evaluating, and securing high-potential acquisition targets across eCommerce, SaaS, and AI-driven sectors. Gain insights from seasoned dealmakers on how to cultivate strong pipelines, conduct thorough market research, and leverage strategic relationships to maximize your deal flow and efficiency.
Value Creation Best Practice
Discover the critical levers of value creation—from operational improvements and technology integration to market expansion and brand optimization. Explore proven methods for enhancing profitability, fostering innovation, and driving sustainable growth before and after acquisition, guided by top industry experts.
Valuations
Hear directly from financial professionals and bankers on how to accurately determine the worth of prospective targets in today’s competitive market. Uncover the metrics and models that matter most to investors, learn how to mitigate risks through effective due diligence, and pinpoint the hidden value drivers that elevate enterprise value.
Successful Exits
Gain a front-row seat to exclusive success stories and best-in-class exit strategies. Delve into the planning, timing, and negotiation tactics used by leading M&A advisors to secure optimal outcomes—ensuring your organization is prepared for seamless transactions and stronger returns.
SUNDAY 26TH JANUARY
EXCLUSIVE PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT
Sponsored by
Time: 12pm - 4pm
Availability: 42 places
Join us for an unforgettable day as we take you to the iconic Madison Square Garden to witness the New York Rangers in action. As part of our summit, “Break the Ice,” this exclusive event offers the perfect blend of excitement, networking, and pure New York spirit.
Feel the adrenaline as the Rangers take to the ice, showcasing their skill, speed, and determination. Whether you’re a die-hard hockey fan or new to the sport, the electric atmosphere of Madison Square Garden will captivate you. This legendary venue, known as “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” promises an experience like no other.
Carbon6 is the all-in-one Amazon growth platform, built to increase profitability, drive revenue, and operate efficiently through data-powered software solutions backed by the brightest minds in Amazon and SaaS.
Achieve category dominance on Amazon through premium SEO and PPC marketing. Run by real humans who want to see you crush it as badly as you do.
MONDAY 27TH JANUARY
Brought to you by
Time: 7.30am - 7pm
The Fortia Group is proud to invite acquirors back to the largest dedicated mid-market conference to SaaS, eCommerce and technology acquirors. Once again it will take place in the fantastic 1 liberty street Convene building hosting acquiror audiences of PE firms, roll-ups, corporates and family offices. This conference will provide insight into the M&A landscape, evaluate historic trends and provide insight into future expectations. Don’t miss out as spaces are limited and book your ticket today!
Agenda
Welcome
7.30am: Breakfast & networking
01
Deal Sourcing
9.00am:
Keynote: How PEs are leveraging Data & AI in diligence, value creation and exits - Cerberus Technology Solutions Partner, MD & CTO, Pavan Arora
9.30am:
Excellence in sourcing - Axial CEO, Peter Lehrman
10.00am:
AI-powered sourcing - Fintent.ai CEO, Alex Lukashov
10.30am:
Quality of revenue (QoR) - Blue Ridge Partners senior MD, Pat Donegan
11.00am:
Pitches by businesses for sale
Lunch & networking @ 12.00pm - 1.30pm
02
Value Creation
1.30pm:
New ways to build a Brand. “You may want to consider bringing a knife to a gunfight.” - Director/Executive Creative Director, Amir Farhang
1.45pm:
2025 value creation trends - Sagard VC/PE operating partner, Ian Sherman
2.00pm:
Leveraging technology to drive value creation - Pilot Wave Holdings CEO, Afsheen Afshar
2.15pm:
Lessons learnt from bootstrapping eCommerce holdco - 365 Holdings CEO, Kelcey Lehrich
2.30pm:
The future of the creator economy - Grapevine.ai Founder & Chairman, Nick Shah
2.45pm:
Driving sustainable growth - Sharma Brands CEO, Nik Sharma
3.00pm:
Spotlight on ecommerce value creation - Barlow & Williams, Getida, IG PCC, Kapoq, Standvast and Titan
03
Successful Exits
4.00pm:
Carbon6 $210m exit to SPS Commerce - Carbon6 CRO, Shawn Green
4.20pm:
A CEO's perspective: Positives, negatives, and driving towards exits - Private Equity CEO/PE advisor, Charlie Cole
4.40pm:
2025 volume and valuation outlook - The Fortia Group CEO, Emmett Kilduff
Closing Drinks
Sponsored by:
5.00pm - 7.00pm: Drinks & networking
Speakers
Alex Lukashov
Alex has spent the last 15+ years being a trusted advisor to marketing, data, and finance executives in companies large and small. As an entrepreneurial sales/biz dev leader, he is driven, wears many hats, thinks outside the box and focus on process, quality & scale.
Amir Farhang
Amir has worked with brands like AT&T, Amazon, and Best Buy and with celebrities such as Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Hart, and Rihanna which has taught him that commercials can serve as vehicles for cinematic experiences when you hold yourself to a higher standard of artistic expression. Amongst Amirs notable campaigns are Axe Gamekillers, Sony Rocket Project, Burger King "Stuff of Legends" and Adidas' Basketball is a Brotherhood.
Cayce Roy
Throughout his career, Cayce has led, served for, and advised global organizations across supply chain and operations, online consumer retail/marketplace commerce, technology development, and B2B software/supply chain services.
Dan Ashburn
Dan is an all star entrepreneur and marketer. His passion for ecommerce and his willingness to share knowledge and uplift others makes him an incredible leader. Dan Ashburn is a world-renowned Amazon expert and the co-founder of Titan Network. With over a decade of experience in e-commerce. Simply put he helps brands achieve and scale revenues to 7-8 figures across Amazon.
James David Williams
James David Williams, also a Harvard Law graduate, stands out with his global legal perspective. His impressive journey includes a significant role at the United States Court of Appeals and impactful contributions at Quinn Emanuel. Focusing on M&A, James David skillfully bridges legal expertise with a global outlook, providing clients with strategies that are both innovative and grounded in deep legal knowledge.
Kelcey Lehrich
Kelcey is the visionary CEO of 365 Holdings, a vertically integrated holding company reshaping the future of consumer brands from its home base in Akron, Ohio. By investing in and scaling “Micro Brands” that thrive on direct response advertising and community-driven engagement, Kelcey and his team are rewriting the traditional consumer brand playbook. Through a shared services model and durable long-term capital, 365 Holdings provides a sustainable, profitable home for these brands—truly living its core values to make a lasting impact on the ever-evolving DTC landscape.
Kevin Fischer
Kevin is the President of Kapoq. Based in Chicago, Kevin previously worked in the algorithmic trading industry for ten years, during which he co-founded Atlas Trading, where he designed and implemented quantitative models and software infrastructure to support algorithmic trading and risk management across hundreds of thousands of financial instruments in the volatility futures and equity options markets. Kevin has a passion for synthesizing actionable intelligence from large, diverse data sets, in building and validating tractable models of complex systems.
Nick Shah
Nick Shah is a serial entrepreneur with multiple exits, an active angel investor, and, more than anything; he’s an inspiring leader who loves building thriving organizations / cultures where he can serve his colleagues and customers. Nick recently launched his latest venture GrapevineAi, where he’ll serve as the company’s CEO and visionary. In its first year, GrapevineAI amassed 150+ customers and had a $4 million run-rate revenue business.
Nik Sharma
Nik is the CEO of Sharma Brands, a strategic initiatives firm working with a wide range of brands to help grow and scale revenue across digital platforms. Nik is one of AdWeek’s Young & Influential, Forbes 30 under 30, Business Insider's up and coming Investors to Watch, and an investor and advisor to some of the fastest-growing brands in commerce.
Lou Casados
Lou is a a customer-centric revenue and GTM (Go To Market) leader, driven to elevate sales organizations from good to exceptional. With expertise in gaining organizational buy-in, scalable process creation, leading successful teams, and achieving big results in both fast-paced start up and well established environments, his mission is to abolish outdated top-down Sales "Leadership" and raise the standard of our profession in every organization he engages with.
Mike Frekey
Mike is a long-tenured Amazon advertising expert and digital marketer with extensive hands-on experience managing over 200 brands, overseeing 100,000+ ASINs, and directing more than $80 million in ad spend. He is a go-to expert for strategically and profitably scaling businesses on Amazon. As the former Head of Marketing Operations and Analytics at Perch, Mike leveraged advanced strategies in PPC, pricing, forecasting, and promotions to drive brand growth within a Marketplace-first ecosystem. His expertise extends to collaborating closely with product development and growth teams to deliver impactful results.
Pat Donegan
Pat works closely with private equity firms and their portfolio companies to solve growth challenges and accelerate revenue. Before joining Blue Ridge Partners, Pat was an Operating Partner at The Riverside Company, where he advised deal teams and portfolio companies on strategies to drive growth and scale businesses. He has also held leadership roles as a private equity-backed operator with P&L responsibilities, giving him practical experience in managing and predictably growing businesses.
Pavan Arora
Pavan is the Chief Technology Officer of Cerberus Technology Solutions (“CTS”), a subsidiary of Cerberus focused exclusively on leveraging emerging technology, data, and advanced analytics to drive business transformations. With expertise in cloud engineering, AI, data and automation, Mr. Arora helps lead CTS’ efforts to utilize technology across the Firm’s platforms and processes, from diligence to investment to optimization.
Peter Lehrman
Peter is CEO and founder of Axial, responsible for delivering the company’s vision to become the trusted platform where private companies and their trusted advisors connect with capital. Prior to Axial, Peter worked in private equity at SFW Capital Partners and was part of the founding team at Gerson Lehrman Group, where he helped to build the company’s global technology platform for on-demand business expertise. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and received his MBA from Stanford Business School.
Shawn Green
Shawn is a seasoned revenue leader with a proven track record of driving multimillion-dollar growth through innovative sales strategies, enhanced customer retention, and optimized onboarding processes. As Chief Revenue Officer at Carbon6, he oversees sales, marketing, and customer success, delivering consistent results that increase margins and foster cultural and operational excellence. With extensive experience in aligning revenue strategies with organizational goals, Shawn has built a reputation for driving sustainable growth and achieving measurable success in competitive markets.
Conference Venue
Convene Building, 1 Liberty Street, Downtown NY, 1006.
The venue worked great last year. This year we have expanded the footprint and the length of the cocktails!
TUESDAY 28TH JANUARY
Sponsored by
Time: 3.00pm - 6.00pm
Availability: 30 places
Join an exclusive afternoon with Titan’s leadership team and Kapoq as they unveil the operating frameworks that consistently deliver 20% contribution margins across their multi-8-figure Amazon portfolio, with over $100M under management.
In this intimate session, we’ll showcase how Titan is capturing profitable market share on Amazon – where 40% of all US e-commerce revenue is generated. Through real portfolio data and operational case studies, you’ll gain actionable insights into:
- Portfolio optimization strategies achieving consistent 20%+ contribution margins at scale
- Rapid brand scaling frameworks tested across 100’s+ successful brands and thousands of products
- Capital deployment techniques that maximize ROI across multiple brands
- Systematic approaches to organic ranking and market share capture
Titan Ignite specializes in elevating your brand to its full potential by leveraging our industry expertise, proven strategies, and an extensive network.
Kapoq is the leading marketplace solution for end-to-end brand management. Integrating data and insights across six interconnected modules, Kapoq enhances efficiency and automates workflows for brands, agencies, and accelerators. Experience streamlined operations and strategic growth with Kapoq.
Includes Specialty Whiskey & Bourbon, Cigars, Classic Cars, and Artisanal Charcuterie.
Reserved exclusively for aggregators, investors, and lending executives seeking portfolio growth on Amazon. Limited seats available.
Sponsored by
Time: 6.00pm - 9.00pm
Availability: 20 places
Withum is a forward-thinking, technology-driven accounting, tax and advisory firm with a deep level of experience relating to all of the issues and opportunities that arise within the E-Commerce ecosystem. Their team of industry experts understands the challenges your company faces, from expansion and M&A opportunities to inventory management and sales tax complications, and can help you with your compliance, accounting and advisory needs while you build toward your goals and innovate for the future.
Withum invites you to join them for an exclusive dinner at Gramercy Tavern, one of NYC’s most famous restaurants. Here you will indulge in Chef Michael Anthony’s ever-evolving seasonal menu which highlights the establishment’s connections with local farms and purveyors. The night promises to be full of engaging discussion and delicious food and drinks.
THURSDAY 30TH JANUARY
Mastering the 3Cs: Customers, Campaigns and Catalogs
A Theta & Tadpull Workshop
Sponsored by
Time: 2pm - 6pm
Please note this event may be attended live in person or via a dial in option which will be provided once you register interest.
This workshop is built on the ideas from an HBR mini-case series (https://lnkd.in/gCR-ZGnT) and pulls on Theta and Tadpull’s cutting-edge frameworks, paired with real-world case studies of brands acquired by publicly traded companies along with our courses at HBS and Wharton.
What we will cover:
- Customers
- Predicting growth: Using lifetime value, acquisition costs, and post-acquisition value to spot big opportunities and avoid costly mistakes.
- Red flags in due diligence: Over-reliance on Amazon & paid media, declining cohorts, and the long-term damage of discounting.
- Adapting to post-COVID consumer behavior shifts for sustainable profitability for exits.
2. Campaigns
- Tackling high paid media costs: How email, SMS, and owned media create predictable growth.
- The Gen AI effect on SEO: Navigating new search behaviors with tools like Perplexity and AI-powered discovery from Tadpull Data Pond datasets.
- Aligning campaigns with individual customer data to optimize ROI and stay ahead of changing trends and focusing on your best customers.
3. Catalogs
- Optimizing product lines: Why managing SKU counts strategically is critical for profit based on lifetime value.
- Product Canaries: Using margin data as early indicators of demand shifts and marketing effectiveness.
Big Picture
In a world where AI and automation are reshaping commerce and the cost of capital is high, this workshop equips you with the tools to:
- Evaluate investments with data-driven precision and ML.
- Coach portcos on how to leverage high-value customer segments for outsized returns without defaulting to paid ads.
- Adapt to massive shifts in how consumers discover, shop, and remain loyal to brands in this age of disruption.
Exclusive Insights and Tools
We’ll also be sharing Theta and Tadpull’s custom GPT for actionable guidance based on our 5C framework from our PE event we host each year.
Peter Fader
Peter Fader is Co-Founder and Director of Theta, and the Frances and Pei-Yuan Chia Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is considered by many to be the world’s foremost expert on the development and application of models of Customer Lifetime Value (CLV), having won dozens of prestigious awards for his research and teaching on the topic.
Daniel McCarthy
Daniel McCarthy, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, is a leading expert in customer-based corporate valuation and customer lifetime value (CLV) analytics. As co-founder of Theta, he has pioneered methodologies that revolutionize how eCommerce brands utilize customer data to drive growth and valuation. Recognized for bridging theoretical research with practical applications, Daniel’s work empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions for long-term success.
Jacob Cook
Jake Cook is Co-Founder at Tadpull and Lecturer at Harvard Business School. Tadpull uses AI and machine learning to help clients predict future value of customers and measure the probability of repeat purchases. Jake teaches an advanced marketing elective at Harvard that encompasses SEO, paid media, Amazon, influencer marketing and analytics.
Sponsored by
Time: 6.00pm - 9.00pm
Availability: 20 places
Join Charm for an exclusive dinner at Manhatta. Charm.io is the world’s most comprehensive data set on eCommerce brands, tracking critical performance metrics for every direct-to-consumer brand online, and on TikTok Shop.
Don't Miss Out
Get Your Tickets Now!
Please note that ticket sales are for acquirors only.
Thank You To All Our Amazing Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
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Recommended Hotel Accomodation
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MOXY NYC LOWER EAST SIDE
Recommended Hotel Accomodation
NYC'S NEWEST HOTEL WHERE THE LOWER EAST SIDE MEETS SOHO
DAY 3: WEDNESDAY 29TH JANUARY
Sponsored by
Time: 6pm - 10pm
Availability: 42 places
Join us for an unforgettable day as we take you to the iconic Madison Square Garden to witness the New York Nicks in action. As part of our summit, “Networking at the Nicks,” this exclusive event offers the perfect blend of excitement, networking, and pure New York spirit.
Feel the adrenaline as the Nicks take to the court, showcasing their skill, speed, and determination. Whether you’re a die-hard basketball fan or new to the sport, the electric atmosphere of Madison Square Garden will captivate you. This legendary venue, known as “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” promises an experience like no other.
Join Charm for this exclusive event. Charm.io is the world’s most comprehensive data set on eCommerce brands, tracking critical performance metrics for every direct-to-consumer brand online, and on TikTok Shop.
Speakers
Alex Lukashov
Alex has spent the last 15+ years being a trusted advisor to marketing, data, and finance executives in companies large and small. As an entrepreneurial sales/biz dev leader, he is driven, wears many hats, thinks outside the box and focus on process, quality & scale.
Blair Budlong
Blair Budlong is the CEO / Visionary of Decks Direct. He previously worked at Brand Management, Inc. as a President. Blair Budlong attended Harvard Business School.
Cayce Roy
Throughout his career, Cayce has led, served for, and advised global organizations across supply chain and operations, online consumer retail/marketplace commerce, technology development, and B2B software/supply chain services.
Daniel McCarthy
Daniel McCarthy, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, is a leading expert in customer-based corporate valuation and customer lifetime value (CLV) analytics. As co-founder of Theta, he has pioneered methodologies that revolutionize how eCommerce brands utilize customer data to drive growth and valuation. Recognized for bridging theoretical research with practical applications, Daniel’s work empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions for long-term success.
Daniel Tawfik
Dan Tawfik is Co-Head of GeoQuant, which was acquired by Fitch Group in 2022. Dan has extensive experience counseling on building out quantitative and qualitative capabilities, frameworks and tools in geopolitical risk management across asset management, insurance, and corporate contexts. Prior to GeoQuant, he helped lead strategic engagement, partnership and key growth initiatives at both Eurasia Group and Control Risks. Dan has also worked in M&A and corporate development at the boutique investment bank Iridium Partners and at Marsh & McLennan Companies.
Evan Schnidman
Evan is an experienced entrepreneur and executive with expertise in data, product and go-to-market strategy. His career has largely been focused on developing novel data and technology products at the intersection of finance, economics and AI. This confluence of knowledge and experience allowed Evan to build an NLP company, Prattle, from an academic idea, through venture backing and to a successful exit.
Jacob Cook
Jake Cook is Co-Founder at Tadpull and Lecturer at Harvard Business School. Tadpull uses AI and machine learning to help clients predict future value of customers and measure the probability of repeat purchases. Jake teaches an advanced marketing elective at Harvard that encompasses SEO, paid media, Amazon, influencer marketing and analytics.
Kelcey Lehrich
Kelcey is the visionary CEO of 365 Holdings, a vertically integrated holding company reshaping the future of consumer brands from its home base in Akron, Ohio. By investing in and scaling “Micro Brands” that thrive on direct response advertising and community-driven engagement, Kelcey and his team are rewriting the traditional consumer brand playbook. Through a shared services model and durable long-term capital, 365 Holdings provides a sustainable, profitable home for these brands—truly living its core values to make a lasting impact on the ever-evolving DTC landscape.
Pat Donegan
Pat works closely with private equity firms and their portfolio companies to solve growth challenges and accelerate revenue. Before joining Blue Ridge Partners, Pat was an Operating Partner at The Riverside Company, where he advised deal teams and portfolio companies on strategies to drive growth and scale businesses. He has also held leadership roles as a private equity-backed operator with P&L responsibilities, giving him practical experience in managing and predictably growing businesses.
Pavan Arora
Paven is the Chief Technology Officer of Cerberus Technology Solutions (“CTS”), a subsidiary of Cerberus focused exclusively on leveraging emerging technology, data, and advanced analytics to drive business transformations. With expertise in cloud engineering, AI, data and automation, Mr. Arora helps lead CTS’ efforts to utilize technology across the Firm’s platforms and processes, from diligence to investment to optimization.
Peter Fader
Peter Fader is Co-Founder and Director of Theta, and the Frances and Pei-Yuan Chia Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is considered by many to be the world’s foremost expert on the development and application of models of Customer Lifetime Value (CLV), having won dozens of prestigious awards for his research and teaching on the topic.
Peter Lehrman
Peter is CEO and founder of Axial, responsible for delivering the company’s vision to become the trusted platform where private companies and their trusted advisors connect with capital. Prior to Axial, Peter worked in private equity at SFW Capital Partners and was part of the founding team at Gerson Lehrman Group, where he helped to build the company’s global technology platform for on-demand business expertise. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and received his MBA from Stanford Business School.
DAY 3: WEDNESDAY 29TH JANUARY
Sponsored by
Time: 3pm - 5pm
Availability: 20
Kapoq is the leading marketplace solution for end-to-end brand management. Integrating data and insights across six interconnected modules, Kapoq enhances efficiency and automates workflows for brands, agencies, and accelerators. Experience streamlined operations and strategic growth with Kapoq.
This special gathering promises a memorable afternoon of networking with industry professionals, all set in the sophisticated ambiance of The Lawn Club. We look forward to seeing you there!
