CPE News (4.6.2022) – W Investments has held a final closing of its second fund, W Investments Group II with $150 million in total capital commitments.
Desjardins Capital committed $25 million while private investors and Quebec entrepreneurs committed $125 million.
W Investments Group II will acquire minority positions in both technological (AI) and traditional companies (PE) and invests in real estate (RE) developments.
W Investments Group II will be led by Éric Lemieux, Nicolas Bélanger, Maxime St-Laurent, Michel Ringuet, and David Waddell.
photo credit: W Investments
News Release
W Investments Closes its Second Fund with Commitments of $150 million
W Investments is also thrilled to welcome Desjardins Capital among its investors
MONTREAL, April 6, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ – W Investments is very pleased to announce today the final closing of its second fund, W Investments Group II L.P (“W II”). W Investments thereby concludes a fundraising of $150 million, including $125 million from private investors and Quebec entrepreneurs. The fund acquires minority positions in both technological and traditional companies and invests in real estate developments.
“We couldn’t be happier with this turnout of events and have far exceeded our initial objectives. W II has been very active since its initial close last September, having already concluded six transactions totalling nearly $30M in commitments. We will continue to build on this momentum and find other attractive transactions that will please our investors,” states David Waddell, co-founder and managing partner.
Over the years, W Investments has built an impressive network in the Quebec business and financial community, which has proven to be a success factor for its portfolio companies.
“We are a group of private investors who joined forces to invest our own capital. Our investors are, without a doubt, a significant asset to any management team we partner with. Partnering with W unlocks access to a strong and diverse network of entrepreneurs with operational experience and great reputation,” reinforces Nicolas Bélanger, co-founder.
Desjardins Capital invests $25M
W Investments also has the privilege of counting on the support of a lead investor in Desjardins Capital, who has committed $25 million to W Investments Group II L.P., in addition to setting funds aside for future co-investment opportunities.
“We were looking for a partner that embedded our values and that was solution-oriented, which is exactly what we found in Desjardins Capital. We are combining the depth, reputation, and network of Desjardins with the agility, versatility, and entrepreneurial spirit of W. We firmly believe that this partnership will be beneficial for both parties as well as for our portfolio companies,” explains Maxime St-Laurent, co-founder and managing partner.
“W Investments is a fund managed by high-quality entrepreneurs who share our desire to support SMEs in their ambitions for growth,” highlights Marie-Hélène Nolet, chief operating officer at Desjardins Capital. “Our partnership gives us the opportunity to support a larger number of Quebec businesses by giving them access to a diversified network and a leading expertise.”
About W Investments Group
We are W Investments, a private equity fund based in Montreal, Canada. A significant portion of our capital was invested by our five founders, which provides a true alignment of interests with investors. We leverage our extensive network to create opportunities and support our portfolio companies. We target minority positions in businesses with at least $30M in enterprise value. We are open to all sectors of activity, and we want to partner with experienced managers to support them in their growth plan, while we unlock value for all our partners.
For more information, visit our website.
About Desjardins Capital
Over 45 years strong, Desjardins Capital has a mission to value, support and nurture the best of Quebec entrepreneurship. With assets under management of C$3.0 billion as of December 31, 2021, Desjardins Capital helps contribute to the longevity of more than 670 companies, cooperatives and funds in various sectors from across Quebec. In addition to helping to maintain and create many thousands of jobs, this subsidiary of Desjardins Group offers business owners access to a large business network and supports their business growth.
For more information, visit our website.
SOURCE W Investments
For further information: Key contacts for the press: Maxime St-Laurent, Managing partner and Founder, W Investments Group, maxime@winvestments.group; Marc-Antoine Lavoie, Senior consultant, Public Relations, Desjardins Group, media@desjardins.com