
Motive Partners
Description
Motive Partners is a specialized private equity firm with a singular focus on technology-enabled companies that power the financial services industry, commonly known as FinTech. With offices in New York and London, the firm operates globally, deploying capital across the entire financial services value chain, including banking, payments, capital markets, wealth and asset management, and insurance. Their investment strategy encompasses both growth equity and buyout opportunities, targeting businesses that are poised for significant transformation and expansion within the evolving financial landscape.
The firm distinguishes itself through a highly operational approach, leveraging its deep sector expertise and an extensive network of industry veterans to actively support its portfolio companies. This hands-on engagement aims to drive strategic growth, operational efficiencies, and technological innovation. Motive Partners has demonstrated significant fundraising success, notably closing its Motive Capital Fund 2 (MCF2) at an impressive $2.54 billion in 2023. This substantial capital pool allows them to execute large-scale investments and support ambitious growth initiatives for their portfolio.
Building on the success of earlier funds, such as Motive Partners Fund I which closed at $473 million in 2019, MCF2 positions the firm as a major player in FinTech private equity. Their typical investment range reflects this scale, with first cheques generally starting from around $50 million for significant growth equity stakes and extending up to $400 million or more for larger control buyouts. This flexibility enables Motive Partners to partner with a diverse range of companies, from high-growth innovators to established market leaders seeking strategic capital and operational guidance. Their commitment to the FinTech sector underscores their belief in its transformative potential and their role in shaping its future.
Investor Profile
Motive Partners has backed more than 35 startups, with 4 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 18 rounds, about 51% of its total and boasts 9 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Private Equity, Series A, Seed rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in United States, United Kingdom, Germany.
- Strong thematic focus on Financial Services, FinTech, Finance.
- Typical check size: $50M – $400M.
Stage Focus
- Private Equity (31%)
- Series A (29%)
- Seed (11%)
- Series Unknown (9%)
- Series B (6%)
- Secondary Market (3%)
- Series D (3%)
- Pre Seed (3%)
- Post Ipo Equity (3%)
- Series C (3%)
Country Focus
- United States (40%)
- United Kingdom (23%)
- Germany (20%)
- Belgium (3%)
- Switzerland (3%)
- Ireland (3%)
- Italy (3%)
- The Netherlands (3%)
- France (3%)
Industry Focus
- Financial Services
- Fintech
- Finance
- Banking
- Software
- Payments
- Saas
- Insurtech
- Wealth Management
- Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
Frequently Asked Questions
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