K1 Achieves $1.7B in Liquidity Since December 2023
K1 Investment Management ("K1"), one of the largest small-cap enterprise software investment firms, yesterday completed the sale of its portfolio company GoCanvas. GoCanvas, a leading field worker collaboration software provider, was acquired by Nemetschek Group (FRA: NEM), a leading global provider of software solutions for the architecture, engineering, construction, operations (AEC/O) and media industries.
Following K1's acquisition of GoCanvas in 2019, the company made substantial investments to drive customer-focused innovation and propel its growth trajectory, and revenue grew by close to 4x. During the partnership, K1 facilitated the strategic add-on acquisitions of DeviceMagic and SiteDocs, further enhancing GoCanvas's market presence and product offerings, and solidifying its position as a category leader in field worker collaboration software. With strong annual recurring revenue (ARR) growth of approximately 20% in recent years, GoCanvas generated an ARR of USD $67 million in 2023.
The sale, which represents a milestone for both K1 and GoCanvas, culminates in an all-cash deal valued with an acquisition multiple of approximately 11.5x 2023 ARR. K1's initial investment of over $100 million came from its fourth fund, K4, raised in 2018.
Sujit Banerjee, Managing Director at K1 Operations, commented on the strategic exit, emphasizing the pivotal role of management in GoCanvas's success.
"The sale of GoCanvas marks yet another highlight in K1's ongoing commitment to building category leading enterprise software companies. We are proud to have partnered with Viyas Sundaram and the entire management team, whose dedication and leadership have been instrumental in GoCanvas's transformation into a market leader."
Viyas Sundaram, CEO of GoCanvas, expressed gratitude for K1's support and guidance throughout the partnership.
"I joined GoCanvas because I believed in K1's strategic insights and operational expertise. Their unwavering commitment to our vision has been instrumental in our growth and success. Today is a testament to the power of the partnership between the entire GoCanvas team and K1. Together with Nemetschek, we are well-positioned to realize the potential of the platform we've built and embrace the opportunities ahead as we enter this next phase of expansion."
The transaction highlights K1's strategic vision and value creation initiatives during a period marked by heightened demand for private equity distributions. With this realization, K1 has generated a record $1.7B in proceeds from nine distribution events over the past seven months.
Headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California, K1 is committed to building category leading enterprise software companies that transform industries and drive productivity. Some examples include Apttus (sold to Thoma Bravo), Buildium (sold to RealPage, NASDAQ: RP), Certent (sold to insightsoftware), Checkmarx (sold to Insight Partners and Hellman & Friedman), Clarizen (sold to Planview), FMG Suite (sold to Aurora Capital Partners), GoCanvas (sold to Nemetschek Group, FRA: NEM), Granicus (sold to Vista Equity Partners and Harvest Partners), Inthinc (sold to Orbcomm, NASDAQ: ORBC), Litera (sold to Hg Capital), Rave Mobile Safety (sold to TCV; now owned by Motorola Solutions, NYSE: MSI), TeamDynamix (sold to Level Equity), Unified (now owned by iHeartMedia), Workforce Software (sold to Insight Partners), and Zapproved (sold to Exterro).
Moelis & Company LLC served as the exclusive financial advisor to GoCanvas. Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP served as legal advisors.
About K1
K1 is one of the largest small-cap investment firms building category leaders in enterprise software. With a mission to change industry landscapes, K1 partners with strong management teams of high-growth software businesses, utilizing operationally focused growth strategies to rapidly scale portfolio companies. Since its inception, K1 has collaborated with over 240 enterprise software companies. K1's exclusive focus, driven by its single team, single office, and single fund strategy, has led to realizations for many of its portfolio companies.