Origin Merchant Securities Inc. (“OMSI”) is pleased to announce Vega Education Services (“Vega”) and International Business University (“IBU”) have raised growth capital from a consortium of investors led by JKR Investment Group (“JKR”). OMSI was exclusive advisor to Vega on this transaction.

Vega is a Toronto-based provider of recruitment, academic and support services to the post-secondary sector, notably through a partnership with International Business University.

IBU is a Canadian, student-focused university that offers a growing set of undergraduate and graduate academic and professional degree programs that are career-relevant, and can be completed in an accelerated time frame.

JKR is a Cyprus-based, entrepreneurial investment fund with a focus on the education vertical. The fund helps ambitious start-ups and growing companies build profitable businesses.

Origin Senior Leads: Jim Meloche, Shaun Quennell.

Origin Merchant Partners (“Origin”) is pleased to announce that it served as the financial advisor to Kivuto Solutions Inc. (“Kivuto”) on its sale to Valsoft Corporation Inc. (“Valsoft”).

Kivuto is a leading independent provider of edtech solutions, providing a suite of software solutions trusted by academic institutions around the world to enable a modern learning environment in which students have easy access to the tools they need to succeed. By partnering with a broad ecosystem of partners, Kivuto provides solutions to thousands of renowned academic institutions. Founded in 1997, Kivuto is headquartered in Ottawa and employs ~55 dedicated, highly qualified team members.

Valsoft acquires and develops vertical market software companies, enabling each business to deliver the best mission-critical solutions for customers in their respective industries or niche. A key tenet of Valsoft’s philosophy is to invest in well-established businesses and foster an entrepreneurial environment that molds companies into leaders in their respective industries. Valsoft looks to buy, hold and create value through long-term partnerships with existing management.

Origin Senior Leads: Jim Meloche, Shaun Quennell.

Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that Birch Hill Equity Partners has made an investment in Yorkville Education Company (“Yorkville”). Origin Merchant Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Yorkville with respect to this transaction.

Yorkville Education Company, is the parent company of Yorkville University and Toronto Film School. Yorkville University is a private for-profit university established in 2003 in New Brunswick, providing a variety of career-focused degree programs to students across Canada. Toronto Film School is a for-profit post-secondary institution based in Toronto, Ontario. The school offers creative diploma programs in the areas of film, entertainment, fashion, design, and video games.

Birch Hill Equity Partners is a Toronto-based mid-market private equity firm with a 25-year history of driving growth in their portfolio companies and delivering returns to investors

Origin Senior Leads: Jim Osler, Jim Meloche

Origin Merchant Partners is pleased to announce that ChildVentures has successfully completed its strategic investment from Fusion Ventures Holdings.

Origin Merchant Partners acted as the exclusive financial advisor to ChildVentures with respect to this transaction.

ChildVentures is a premium, early childhood education business with multiple locations in the Greater Toronto Area. First established in 2002, Childventures Early Learning Academy has developed an excellent reputation as an innovator and leader in child development. ChildVentures has adopted a blended curriculum style that incorporates various teaching methods from Baby Signs and High Scope® to Montessori and Core Knowledge®, which are all carefully designed to enhance children’s development and stimulate their growth.

Fusion Ventures Holdings is a strategic investor focused on mid-market acquisitions within North America. Fusion Ventures Holdings invests with a long-term horizon and a strong growth orientation. Target industries include home products and services, construction, real estate, and education. Fusion Ventures Holdings is passionate about taking companies to the next level through sound strategic thinking, focused execution, and a compelling client-oriented vision, all within a strong value based corporate culture.

Origin Senior Leads: Jim Meloche, Jim Osler