Global Reach, Vertical Depth: MediaBridge Keeps the Wheels of Business Turning

Think of any major merger or acquisition in the media tech industry over the last 15 years and the odds are pretty good that MediaBridge Capital Advisors will have played a leading role.

The sale of DaVinci Systems, known for its Resolve color tools to Blackmagic Design; of wireless video innovator Teradek to The Vitec Group; of script writing software industry standard Final Draft to Cast & Crew; of mixing console icon SSL to Audiotonix, of DRM leader 5th Kind to Sohonet; and of wireless audio inventors Lectrosonics to The Freedman Group, are just a few of the dozens of successful transactions and private equity financings arranged and managed by MediaBridge.

Ethan Jacks co-founded the company in 2012 with partner John Bowen, uniting decades of experience in banking, finance and media technology.

A corporate lawyer by training, Jacks began his career in media technology in 1999 at Avid, serving as EVP Corporate Development, Chief Legal Officer and CFO. During his seven-year tenure, he led a total of 15 acquisitions of private and publicly held companies which doubled Avid's revenue to $1 billion and raised its market cap from $400 million to $2.5 billion.

Bowen has a degree in Mechanical Engineering alongside an MBA specialized in finance and was a recognized research analyst in the formative years of digital media before becoming an industry focused investment banker, managing notable deals like the sale of On2 to Google, Audix to the Vitec Group, and Canopus to Grass Valley

Courtney Spencer joined MediaBridge as the third managing partner about 7 years ago. Spencer is an audio industry domain expert who ran Sony Pro Audio for 12 years and was SVP for D&M Holdings, overseeing brands Calrec, Allen & Heath, Denon Pro, Denon DJ, and Marantz Pro. Spencer played key roles in the sales of SSL and Sound Devices to Audiotonix as well as the recent Lectrosonics transaction, among others.

The firm also has an active group of advisors, including industry veteran and HPA Founder, Leon Silverman, who joined last year as a Senior Industry advisor and is working with them on current transactions.

As a gauge to the health of the media tech business there is no-one better to talk to than MediaBridge.

What's the MediaBridge story?

Our slogan is Global Reach, Vertical Depth'. We are a boutique investment bank, meaning we focus only on the industry vertical of media technology, on a worldwide basis. With three senior partners and deep domain expertise and industry relationships, supported by a group of seasoned professional industry advisors, together we have closed over 50 significant M&A and growth capital transactions in the media technology sector.

There are a number of investment banking firms out there, but MediaBridge is a pretty rare, if not unique, beast in the media and entertainment tech sector. Most firms would say that the market is just too niche but the reason we can make it work is our deep expertise in the sector. We know who the decision makers are, and we know the lay of the land, making us a very logical transaction partner. We also follow media technology across multiple sectors, which gives us a broad knowledge base.

Who is your prime audience?

We look to engage with senior executives in the media technology industry, from companies that are either prospective sellers or prospective buyers, as well the principals in private equity firms that invest in the media technology sector. The majority of our assignments involve representing sellers (often founder-owner' businesses) with well-known brands being acquired by larger (often publicly traded or PE-backed) buyers. For many of these owners, it is the first time they have sold a company, and their company often represents their life's work. We are experienced in working closely with these owners to realize a compelling valuation for their company from a buyer who will be a strong and constructive steward for the business and its employees and customers going forward. Our experience helps founders navigate the complexity, stress and challenges of the M & A process.

What are the challenges facing technology and creative companies in this dynamic environment, both financial and technological?

There are a number of significant challenges. For smaller companies with a good technology base and solid business plan, the primary challenge is usually access to growth capital to fund both increasing capital and operating expenses. We often help these companies find homes with larger platform firms that can strengthen R&D and product development as well as provide global marketing reach that is beyond the scope of most smaller companies. Sometimes, we help our clients connect with investors such as private equity firms who understand and support the media technology industry. Examples are Sohonet (now a leader in media workflows) and iZotope, an audio software pioneer, now part of the Native Instruments consortium funded by Francisco Partners.

For larger companies, the primary challenges are often both financial and technological, driven by the imperative to advance and differentiate their offerings in today's dynamic media technology environment. Drivers include the shifts in consumer demand from linear television to streaming, the increased prevalence of cloud/IP-based delivery systems, and the growing relevance of AI in content creation, management, and consumption.

How can companies understand how to fund their endeavors?

This is an important question. The criteria for raising capital in the media technology sector is not meaningfully different from other technology sectors. The key metrics are the size of your TAM (total addressable market), SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market), rate of top-line and bottom-line growth, level of profit margin, strength and defensibility of a company's intellectua

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