Initium combines investment with experience, operational insights, and innovation to supercharge growth for family and founder-owned ventures and other high-potential businesses
WESTPORT, Conn., May 15, 2024 – Initium Management, a private equity firm combining capital with superior business processes and innovation to unlock outsized growth, has been founded by three seasoned operators with specialized expertise in finance and financial operations. The firm is partnering with companies at critical inflection points, where the potential for growth is greatest.
Dedicated to growing family and founder-owned businesses into enduring legacies, Initium publicly launched today, concurrent with the announcement of its first investment, a carve-out which established Wifinium, a provider of critical, commercial-grade connectivity solutions.
Initium collaborates with leadership teams to take on challenges and solve complex problems. The partners have been proven to thrive in the trenches, working with management to elevate business growth to achieve unrealized levels of success.
“Our philosophy at Initium is simple: we don’t just invest and forget. We embed ourselves within the companies we invest in, offering our expertise and consistent support every step of the way,” said Varun Tejpal, Founder and Managing Partner of Initium. “As operators, we are used to being useful and are looking to collaborate with founders and management to transform their businesses into legacies.”
Initium’s founding partners include:
Kerem Bolukbasi is a respected finance and operations leader with diverse industry background, extensive technical acumen, and two decades of progressive global management experience in operations and private equity. Kerem served as CFO of the $2 billion GE Gas Engines business unit and as Enterprise Risk Leader at GE Capital. In interim and permanent CFO roles within private equity portfolio companies, Kerem delivered strategy and execution, ensuring alignment between management and shareholders. Renowned as a carve-out and turnaround specialist, he has held pivotal operating positions at TPG Capital PE Operating Group and TPG/BDT-backed middle-market companies such as Rather Outdoors, Exactech, Vice Media, McAfee, Transplace, Adare Pharma, and FleetPride. Kerem has executed multiple complex carve-outs, including the McAfee carve-out from Intel. He holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina and has served in the US/NATO Special Forces. Kerem resides in Charleston, SC, with his family.
Varun Tejpal has more than two decades of global operating experience. As the Founder and CEO of FourQ Systems, Varun pioneered the foremost SaaS platform tailored for multinational corporations grappling with intricate intercompany accounting, tax, and treasury challenges. Under his stewardship, FourQ experienced exponential growth, achieving an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) nearing $20 million, and was successfully acquired by BlackLine for $240 million in January 2022. He also lends exceptional deal-making prowess to the Initium team. Varun has spearheaded numerous acquisitions, dispositions, and spin-offs ranging from $50 million to more than $2 billion in value while serving 16-years as a finance executive at General Electric Company, spanning over 20 countries. Having served as both a big organization technology buyer as well as the CEO of a technology upstart, Varun brings invaluable perspective. Varun has an MBA from the University of Delhi, India, and lives in Westport, CT, with his wife and two children.
Carter Venkat is a seasoned finance professional with a track record spanning more than 25 years. His expertise encompasses operational finance, company analysis, capital raising, and deal structuring. As the former CFO of the telecommunications and electrical contracting company, Tristrux, he played a pivotal role in achieving a remarkable 5x return within just five years, spearheading expansion, acquisitions, and the successful sale of Tristrux to a major private equity firm in 2021. Carter also served as a founding partner and head of research at Inox Capital, and brings valuable capital raising, deal structuring, and execution experience from his time at prestigious investment banking at firms where he focused on leveraged finance and M&A advisory. His educational background includes a BA from Colgate University and an MBA from Columbia Business School. He lives in Westport, CT, with his wife and three children.
“We stand by companies during pivotal moments, where the magic happens,” said Kerem Bolukbasi, Founder and Managing Partner. “By providing the right mix of capital, expertise, and processes, we unlock growth opportunities that drive lasting success.”
Initium Management invites business owners and entrepreneurs to embark on a journey of growth and transformation. With a passion for tackling challenges and a commitment to building lasting legacies, Initium is ready to partner with businesses looking to achieve their full potential.
“Our team welcomes companies ready to ignite their next phase of growth to the world of Initium,” concluded Carter Venkat, Founder and Managing Partner. “Together, we can grow good businesses into true legends.”
For more information about how Initium Management can support a sustainable growth track for your business, please visit www.initium-mgmt.com or contact Carter Venkat at carter@initium-mgmt.com.
