Maelstrom reposted this
Excited to share that Maelstrom Equity Fund I, L.P.* is out of the bag. https://lnkd.in/gDfc9ATp Let's dive in - *Arthur Hayes' debut external fund, the first control-buyout PE fund ever to specialize solely on the crypto industry. Targets = profitable, off-chain 'picks and shovels'. Why we are building this: - Problem 1: Founders of cash-flowing, off-chain 'picks and shovels' businesses lack clean exit oppties (current paths to liquidity: "yay we sold the business to Coinbase...only to become mid-tier Coinbase employees for the next 2 years, paid mostly in NASDAQ: COIN over 4 years"). - Problem 2: New TradFi/Silicon Valley entrants to crypto (both present and future, e.g. Robinhood, Charles Schwab, X, Wealthfront, etc.) struggle to find polished, turnkey businesses to acquire (there are diamonds in the rough, but these are difficult for newcomers to source, and require a crypto-native approach to DD; +most of these businesses are not yet integration-ready) - Problem 3: Capital allocators (think pension funds, family offices, etc.) want to deploy into crypto-focused funds *at scale* (9-figure+ sums), but current options e.g. "scaled", large crypto VC funds deliver poor risk-adjusted returns (we’re LPs in many; we know). Our Solutions: - ...to Problem 1: Provide founders cash-heavy, 'clean' exits at reasonable valuations (win-win: more upfront cash for founders sans being subject to 2-4 year unlocks of strategic acquirers' token/stock; with lower entry valuations, leading to higher LP upside for investors in Maelstrom Equity Fund I). - ...to Problem 2: Partner with management teams and our crypto-native executive network (Arthur founded one of the first profitable unicorns in crypto; he knows how to build, and knows all the top builders of the past decade) to create the highest-quality, acquisition-ready portfolio of cash-flowing, growing businesses for future buyers of crypto businesses like Robinhood, Charles Schwab, X, Wealthfront, etc.. - ...to Problem 3: Offer LPs a chance to deploy capital at scale (9-figures +) into the most fundamentally valuable (i.e. actually cashflowing) segment of the high-growth crypto industry, without having to take the risk and ups/downs of direct token exposure. Team: Arthur, me and Adam Schlegel (led SaaS buyouts at Haveli Investments - largest debut PE fund ever) +3 TradFi but crypto-savvy PE-trained junior hires to come. More TBA in the coming months. ____________ This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. Such offers may only be made through a private placement memorandum and subscription documents.
Arthur Hayes’ family office targets $250m for debut crypto-focused private equity fund. The new vehicle, Maelstrom Equity Fund I, will invest between $40m and $75m per deal across four to six acquisitions, focusing on profitable “off-chain” firms such as trading infrastructure providers and analytics platforms rather than token-based projects. The U.S.-registered fund is targeting a first close by March 2026 and a final close by September 2026. It will seek commitments from institutional backers including pension funds, family offices, and crypto investors. Akshat Vaidya, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Maelstrom, will lead the fund alongside Hayes and new partner Adam Schlegel. Each deal will be structured through a special-purpose vehicle, with Maelstrom acting as the anchor investor. Learn why Maelstrom’s $250m debut could mark a turning point in institutional crypto investment: https://lnkd.in/dRMi7F5C #PEInsights #privateequity #fundraising #crypto