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Bain Capital is a Boston-based global alternative investment firm that was founded in 1984. Over the course of the company’s history, it has made a significant number of investments and divestments in companies throughout many different industries, including DocuSign, Jet.com, LinkedIn, Rapid7, Rent the Runway, SurveyMonkey, and Taleo.
The company executes its private equity activities through Bain Capital Private Equity and Bain Capital Ventures, both wholly-owned subsidiaries of Bain Capital. As of June 2020, the firm had more than $105 billion in total assets under management.
Private equity and venture capital firms like Bain Capital are generally interested in holding portfolio companies for four to six years before finding a way to sell them and create a profit. Here are five of the company’s notable holdings as of June 2020.
Key Takeaways
- Bain Capital is a global alternative investment firm known for private equity and venture capital investments. It typically holds portfolio companies for four to six years before attempting to sell them for a profit.
- In January 2019, Bain Capital participated in a Series E funding round for Acorns, a robo-advisor platform, raising $105 million and valuing Acorns at $860 million, surpassing its competitor Betterment in valuation.
- Bain Capital acquired a majority stake in Brillio, a digital technology consulting firm, in January 2019. Brillio specializes in helping firms manage digital transformations and counts Eventbrite and Verizon among its clients.
- Bain Capital was part of a $15 million Series B funding round in 2013 for SigFig, a wealth management solution provider based in San Francisco that combines automation with human expertise for investment management.
- Since 2013, Bain Capital has supported Venminder, a third-party risk management company for the financial industry, through initial funding and subsequent rounds in 2016, 2018, and 2019.
Bain Capital’s Investment in Acorns: Empowering Accessible Investing
Acorns is a robo-advisor that aims to make investing more accessible by allowing its users to invest small amounts and spare change by micro-investing on its digital platform. Since it was founded in 2014, the Irvine, Calif.–based company has grown to offer other types of products as well, including a retirement savings account and a debit card.
In Jan. 2019, Bain Capital participated in a round of Series E funding that raised $105 million and gave Acorns a valuation of $860 million. Bain Capital had invested in the company previously, but the latest round of funding drew attention because it moved Acorns ahead of competitor Betterment in terms of valuation. Betterment was valued at $800 million during its last round of funding in July 2017.
Brillio: Transforming Digital Solutions With Bain Capital
Bain Capital signed a deal in January 2019 to acquire a majority stake in this digital technology consulting and solutions company for an undisclosed amount of money.
Founded in 2014, Santa Clara, Calif.–based Brillio helps companies manage and execute “digital transformation” through its proprietary methods. That includes upgrading their existing technology and business processes to more modern, efficient solutions. Brillio focuses on user experience design, digital applications, big data analytics, cloud technology, security solutions, and digital engineering. The company’s notable clients include Move Inc., Eventbrite, and Verizon.
Lionbridge Capital: Supporting Small to Mid-Size Enterprises With Bain Capital’s Backing
Bain Capital bought a majority ownership position in Lionbridge Capital in 2014 for an undisclosed amount of money, though the company was worth an estimated $157 million at the time. Lionbridge Capital is a Chinese financial company that focuses on providing liquidity solutions for small to mid-size enterprises in China. Specifically, the company provides financing for companies in the logistics, medical machinery, agricultural, and heavy manufacturing industries.
SigFig: Revolutionizing Wealth Management With Bain Capital Investment
Founded in 2007, SigFig is a San Francisco-based robo-advisor and wealth management solution that seeks to change the retail investment industry. The company offers investment platforms and solutions that combine automation with human expertise for both individual and enterprise customers.
In 2013, Bain Capital was one of three venture capital firms to commit funds to SigFig in a $15 million Series B funding round. Since then, SigFig has gone on to raise more money, including $50 million in equity financing in June 2018.
Venminder: Enhancing Risk Management in Finance Through Bain Capital’s Support
A third-party risk management solution for the financial industry, companies can use Venminder services and solutions to vet vendors, collect documents, review contracts, get cybersecurity and risk monitoring, and ensure regulatory compliance. Its clients include banks, credit unions, brokerage firms, securities firms, non-bank lenders and payments companies.
Bain Capital has been investing in Elizabethtown, Ky.-based Venminder since 2013. The initial funding supported the company’s launch and additional market research. The company then participated in additional rounds of funding in 2016, 2018 and 2019.
