Digital Assets Report

No longer are for-profit post-secondary education providers the only businesses exciting to investors.
 

No longer are for-profit post-secondary education providers the only businesses exciting to investors.
 
The for-profit primary and secondary school market continues to experience high investor interest. 
 
This is being driven by —
• changes in communications technology
• the changing needs of our information society workforce
• and the realization by our policy makers that returns on education spending are low — and heading lower.
Even without the benefit of Title IV funds, for-profit primary and secondary education is very much in the spotlight, owing to parental concerns over the quality of education in public schools, and from the corresponding growth in alternative delivery channels such as charter schools and online learning.
 
What’s more, the opportunities for education technology providers are exceptionally bright, given the demand for data in a variety of areas such as assessment and student outcomes. For example, there are companies that are increasingly focused on providing assessment tools that track student learning and tailor individual lesson plans.  Or companies providing advanced tools for test delivery, grading, and reporting.
 
In addition, other new advances in educational technology are showing up in both consumer and professional products.  Language learning software.  Life long and avocational learning.  Companies that deliver services to students with learning disabilities or other special needs.  Even a whole new generation of products and services for teacher training and development.
 
So if you’re viewing the for-profit education sector from a 2010 perspective — and even if you attended our last education conference back in January — it’s time to update your outlook on the trends of 2011 and the projections for 2012.
 
You’ll gain the knowledge you need at The Capital Roundtable’s full-day encore conference on Thursday, July 21, in New York, with all-new content —
 
Private Equity Investing
In Middle-Market Education Companies —
Succeeding at All Levels
From Primary to Professional
 
And when you’re one of the first to raise your hand, we’ll reward your promptness with ourgenerous Early Bird Discount.
 
Just make your reservation by June 3, 2011, and you’ll receive savings of $400!
 
While all this change is happening, the regulatory climate has been improving.  The power shift in the House of Representatives has delayed implementation of many initiatives that would certainly have made business more difficult for current for-profit providers. 
 
While the proposed regulations may not go away, the legislators with oversight are reluctant to fund them.
 
This has given post-secondary providers in particular — those who rely on Title IV student financial assistance — more time to self-police.  The Department of Education’s final recommendation on gainful employment — which would tie providers’ eligibility for federal student aid to graduates’ ability to get jobs and repay their loans — has not yet been issued and its implementation continues to be delayed.
 
Up Close & Personal Learning from 20 Education Industry Specialists.
 
This encore MasterClass on Thursday, July 21, in New York will feature completely up to date information on education industry issues, directions, and deals. 
 
And the information flow is two-way — this is a conference where you’ll be involved, challenged, and thoroughly immersed in the strategies the experts use to achieve rewards.
 
You’ll understand such growing areas as corporate training, as companies are once again budgeting for this investment in their workforces.  And we’ll look at which areas of vocational education are experiencing the greatest demand, from hospitality to beauty, from culinary to IT technology.  The model for such education is rapidly changing, as content moves from the classroom to online methodologies.
 
To serve as headmaster for this conference, we’re extremely pleased to welcome Daniel Black of The Wicks Group, a New York City based private equity firm that seeks to acquire and develop companies in selected segments of the information, education and media industries.
 
Daniel is a Managing Partner at Wicks, and spends a substantial amount of his time sourcing and managing investments in the education industry.  He also serves on the boards of all of Wicks’ operating companies.
 
Previously, Daniel was co-head of merchant banking at BNY Capital Markets Inc., responsible for investing the firm’s capital in private equity partnerships, and managing relationships with financial sponsors with private equity firms.  He is also a director of the Advent Claymore Group of closed end public mutual funds and formerly a trustee of Bank Street College of Education.  Daniel received his AB from Dartmouth College in Government.
Along with Daniel, our four panel discussions will feature 20 knowledgeable private equity experts in the education space, including GPs, portfolio company operating executives, investment bankers, lenders, consultants, and more. They will share their real-world perspectives, lessons learned and industry outlooks, including insights on recent deal activity and managing current portfolio companies.
Register now for both the questions and the answers to middle-market education matters —
 
• What is the current state of federal regulations on the education space?  What is the latest word on gainful employment?
• Are state regulators in sync with, or diverging from, U.S. Department of Education proposals?
• Which careers are in prime demand by post-secondary students?  Culinary arts?  Allied health?  Information technology?  Other areas?
• Who are the standout companies in the post-secondary space?  Where are they focusing their efforts?
• What are the most promising opportunities in the K-12 space?
• What technology advancements are changing the game with for-profit education companies?
• What recent middle-market deals are notable?  What deals are in the pipeline?
• What is happening to the roles of teachers and instructors?  How should the industry be adapting?
• How are lenders viewing education deals, and what criteria are foremost?
• How are private equity firms adding value to their education portfolio companies?
• And much, much more.
 
Networking That’s as Productive As Your Learning.
 
Our previous education conferences have filled up quickly for good reason — we provide exceptional opportunities to connect with fellow attendees and featured speakers.  With planned session breaks and an open lunch, you’ll have plenty of time to exchange ideas and business cards in an informal, collaborative setting.
 
You should attend this MasterClass if you are a —
 
• GP or LP looking to invest in education companies.
• New PE firm considering investing in education.
• Hedge fund manager or venture capitalist interested in this specialized space.
• Partner or operating executive of an education portfolio company.
• Lender seeking participation in education transactions.
• Investment banker pursuing deals with education companies.
• Attorney or advisor representing education companies.
• Executive search professional recruiting for the PE industry.
 
Remember, register with our Early Bird Discount by June 3, 2011, and you’ll save $400 off our standard fee! Please make your reservation now while seats are available; we don’t want you to be disappointed later.  We’ll be looking forward to greeting you.
 
For more information, please feel free to contact Shaina Mardinly at 212-832-7333 ext. 0 [email protected].
 
This conference is being produced by The Capital Roundtable, America’s leading conference organization focusing on “need-to-know” information for professionals in the middle-market private equity community.  For more information about The Capital Roundtable’s 30 annual MasterClasses and other events and programs, please visitwww.capitalroundtable.com.
The Capital Roundtable thanks Dow Lohnes PLLC and Parthenon Group LLC for sponsoring this outstanding event. It’s due in great part to their collaboration and support that we have the resources to make this event so worthwhile for you.