31 Comments
 

Insane pedigree for a new fund, founder co-founded a MF and got kicked out amid internal fighting, which materially de-risks fundraising and access (similar in spirit to 26North). Comp is very strong on a COL-adjusted basis if numbers here are correct. Culture sounds intense from the above, but you’re joining a platform with unusually high odds of scaling quickly given the founder’s capital and network.

 

Terrible look for them. I went to their process back in the day before they became WSO darlings by announcing their fundraise; they are trying to be Vista with the IQ test. I am sure it's even worse interview process now given they are much more appealing to canidates now than vs. when they were raising a first-time fund. Have heard they are super sweaty from people there, but Apollo bad is just wrong. Apollo is a different level of bad hours; and Apollo compensate's accordingly. They have leadership with insane pedigree, which is why they raised so much for a first-time fund.

 

Anyone know if they are running a 2026 process? Want to be in Austin and doesn't seem like many firms here.

 

HH reached out a few weeks ago regarding this - similar timing to the other on cycle opportunities - said that they were just wrapping up 2026 recruiting and were kicking off 2027 with everyone else that week / the next week.

 
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Have a friend there, definitely a mixed bag. Big positives are consistent exposure to very pedigreed seniors (firm led by former Vista co-founder and former Bain NAPE Tech head), no hard 2-and-out (several analyst promotes and early associates now VPs), and strong fund momentum (largest first-time PE fund). Downsides are the extremely lean team relative to a ~$4.5bn fund (across all levels) and very high deal velocity across various capital structures (read: very sweaty and also you look at both buyout + growth), Austin as a starting market (IMO just a worse city to start career off than NYC/SF), inherently a niche platform since only software, and a much less formal / less well-known training program than banking or larger PE platforms. 

Didn't have any complaints about the people, but seems hours weigh's on culture; the firm also does complex structures (PIPEs, take-privates) that are interesting but tough to work through. Strategy is basically a Vista-style playbook for the MM, which is a pro or con depending on how much you like growth-focused software investing / paying up very high multiples for businesses already growing well. Pay is 310k for associate 1's (155 base + 155 bonus), which is in-line with market for fund size, but you do get the advantage of lower COL in Austin. 

 

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