Search fund structures are gaining more and more attention as a viable funding mechanism for institutional financial sponsors. This week, IESE Business School, a leading global institution in Barcelona, Spain hosted the largest annual conference focused on search funds. Over the past 30 years, search funds have been very successful in the United States and Canada. As an
innovative way for young entrepreneurs to run their own businesses, and a unique investment opportunity for investors, the search fund model has generated outstanding overall returns. As a result, it is now
growing in popularity in Europe and other parts of
the world.
The International Search Fund Conference 2015, aims to bring together search fund entrepreneurs and investors involved in around 20 search funds in
Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia. The conference is also designed to introduce the funded search model to aspiring entrepreneurs and investors interested in a new entrepreneurial investment model. This event will also create opportunities for search fund entrepreneurs to meet investors, and for investors to meet each other and different international searchers.
Jane N. Kaggwa, Managing Partner of Impala spoke to the conference attendees on international search funds and the challenges and opportunities posed to acquiring companies in emerging markets such as East Africa.
The conference was held in conjunction with academic partner Stanford University School of Business. Numerous global private equity firms and other financial investors attended the conference, most who have been using the model of investors for decades.