Growth Equity Firm Bridgescale Partners Expands to East Coast With Toronto Office; Seeks Canadian Investment Opportunities

* Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release.

Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:00am EDT

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Bridgescale Partners (www.bridgescale.com), a California-based growth equity
firm providing expansion capital to later-stage technology companies, is
expanding its focus and operations to include the Eastern United States and
Canada. As part of this growth, Bridgescale Partners will open an office in
Toronto in the summer of 2009 and is vigorously recruiting new members of its
investment team. 

"At a time when many private equity firms are scaling back, we are actively
expanding and seeking high-quality growth equity opportunities," said Robert
Chaplinsky, managing director, Bridgescale Partners. "Our last two investments
have been on the East Coast and we view Canada as an area rich in attractive
investment opportunities. With the support from the Canadian investment
community, we intend to quickly duplicate the success we have had in Silicon
Valley." 

Bridgescale selected Toronto as the location of its new office based on its
proximity to a number of East Coast cities, rich talent pool and standing as the
financial capital of Canada. Led by managing director Robert Chaplinsky, a
Toronto native, current Bridgescale partners will initially manage the new
office. 

Bridgescale is well positioned for a Canadian expansion as it has significant
experience working with Canadian entrepreneurs and companies. For example,
Bridgescale is an investor in Cortina, a semiconductor company with a large
development center in Ottawa and Proofpoint, one of Bridgescale`s portfolio
companies, recently acquired Toronto-based Fortiva. What`s more, several
Bridgescale principals have invested in Canadian companies and understand the
nuances of the market. 

"Bridgescale's arrival in Canada signals a vote of confidence in the
opportunities that exist in Canada for growth equity funds at a time when
foreign funds have been discouraged by cross-border tax barriers and when
venture capital investment and fundraising are at multi-year lows." said Gregory
Smith, president, CVCA - Canada`s Venture Capital & Private Equity Association.
"Canada's technology industries are suffering by comparison to the U.S.
counterparts where venture capital is more plentiful." 

About Bridgescale Partners

Bridgescale Partners (www.bridgescale.com) is a Menlo Park, California based
growth equity firm providing expansion capital to U.S.-based, later-stage
technology companies. The founding team has more than 20 years of venture
capital experience at leading early- and later-stage institutions and brings
deep expertise in helping semiconductor, communication and internet companies
scale their businesses. Bridgescale invests in companies that are at a stage
where they need expansion capital to "scale" their business and "bridge" them to
an IPO or other strategic goal. 



TidalWave PR
Lisa Tarter, 415-203-2462
lisa@tidalwavepr.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009

Comments (0)
This discussion is now closed. We welcome comments on our articles for a limited period after their publication.