Our Investment Approach

Our investment approach is built around our unmatched Global Partner Network. By leveraging our industry experience and close contacts at many of the world's largest financial institutions, we help talented management teams gain greater insight into the marketplace, and more quickly and effectively build sales traction within the financial services vertical. As a result, FTVentures is well-positioned to partner with strong entrepreneurs in building successful companies and generating attractive returns for management and investors. We are committed to the highest standards of investment discipline and have developed an array of best practices to ensure effective investment decision-making and portfolio company support. We are actively engaged with our portfolio companies, lending our expertise in a variety of areas to help build long-term value.

Proactive and Proprietary Partnering 
At FTVentures, we transform market and business intelligence from our Global Partner Network into investment themes and proprietary opportunities for investment. Through ongoing collaboration with our Global Partner Network, we develop an early understanding of industry needs, enabling our team to identify the next significant market opportunities. Dialogue with our Global Partner Network occurs regularly through FTVResources, our communications program designed to stimulate idea exchange, enhance diligence and accelerate portfolio company sales. We leverage our deep knowledge of specific markets, business models and sourcing networks to identify the most likely winners in areas we feel are poised for growth. We strive to develop relationships with talented management teams overtime so that when a funding need arises, we are able to enter a transaction collaboratively with the management team.

Efficient Investment Decision-Making 
We use a time-tested, proven process for making investment decisions which enables us to apply thorough due diligence but also makes for an efficient process. We are comfortable with a range of transaction structures and custom investment terms and we work closely with management to achieve transaction objectives. Our goal is to take a lead position that optimizes the investment opportunity and aligns the incentives of management and investors.

Our ability to connect directly with the technology and operating executives within our Global Partner Network helps streamline our diligence process and results in more informed decision-making. Through our Network, we are able to reach global executives to solicit input on specific needs, opportunities and commercial interest related to companies we are considering for investment. Our Global Partner Network helps us understand key market drivers and potential pitfalls, information that is extremely valuable to our entrepreneurial partners as well.

Building Value 
FTVentures actively participates at the board level of our portfolio companies, establishing strong working relationships with portfolio company management, but leaving day-to-day operations to the management team. When selecting board members, we purposefully match the appropriate expertise and experience of our Partners, Principals and Senior Advisors with the specific needs of each portfolio company. The extensive financial services, technology and business services industry experience of the professionals in our firm enables our board members to contribute in significant ways to the development and implementation of strategic direction and operational support. We have a proven track record in helping to recruit and retain high caliber management throughout the life of our investments by tapping into our extended industry network. Board members are able to leverage the investment and business development teams as well as other FTVentures professionals for corporate development, legal, accounting, marketing and technology advice.

Our proactive portfolio company business development program is highly differentiated and has a proven track record for helping build commercial relationships within the financial services industry. FTVentures works actively with portfolio companies, assisting them in targeting specific sales opportunities at the financial institutions that make up our Global Partner Network as well as throughout our broader industry network. Spearheaded by our dedicated business development team, we work systematically to identify and introduce portfolio companies to key business, IT, and operating executives within our Global Partner Network as potential customers.