Partnership will focus on investing in companies that are delivering data security and compliance solutions to the education and workforce markets
CHICAGO, Nov. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Avathon Capital (“Avathon”), an investment firm focused on the education and workforce management markets, has partnered with Ken Naumann, former Chairman and CEO of AccessData Group, Inc., to serve as the firm’s newest Executive in Residence. Naumann is partnering with Avathon to expand its investment activity with innovative companies that are delivering next-generation data privacy, risk management, and compliance solutions.
“Continued migration to the cloud and the explosion of digital platforms and applications have positively transformed learning and working environments but have also created new and evolving vulnerabilities. It has become apparent that enhanced security is paramount for schools, companies and public-sector organizations,” said Avathon Managing Director Brian Schwartz. “We’re thrilled to welcome an industry veteran like Ken to our team and partner with him to bring even greater value to the people and companies shaping the future of education and work.”
In his role as Executive in Residence, Naumann will work closely with Avathon to find investments in the areas of identity and access management, data security and data integrity, and policy management. Naumann has over 25 years of experience in the compliance management and broader software technology fields, having held numerous CEO and board-level positions for public, private equity, and venture-backed companies. Most recently, Naumann was Chairman and CEO of AccessData Group, a global software company specializing in computer forensics, incident response, and electronic discovery.
“We as a society are operating in a more open and interconnected manner where frictionless digital activity is important for the end-user experience. However, this dynamic creates operational complexity and high-stakes compliance challenges for organizations,” said Naumann. “I look forward to working with the Avathon team as we look to identify companies that are solving these challenges.”
Naumann joins other distinguished Executives in Residence on the Avathon team who have pioneered the development of research-first investments, including Steven Guttentag, former CEO of Reading Plus, which was acquired by DreamBox Learning in August 2021.
If you know of any interesting opportunities or referrals or you are interested in exploring an investment thesis, please contact Brian Schwartz or Ken Naumann. Avathon seeks to invest $20-$50 million of equity in each portfolio investment.
About Avathon Capital: Avathon Capital is an investment platform with over $400 million of assets under management that is committed to fostering innovation and impact in the education and workforce management markets. Avathon’s principals are curious, creative, determined, and thoughtful investors. They show up prepared and ready to turn their relationships and experience into a competitive advantage for their partners. Avathon selectively targets opportunities where it can invest $20 to $50 million of equity capital and take a meaningful ownership position in companies with the potential to become enduring and strategically important businesses in their market. Avathon, headquartered in Chicago, traces its roots to Sterling Partners, which had a 30-year history as operators and investors in the education sector. For more information visit: www.avathoncapital.com.