HoriZen Capital's Investment Manager | Pierre-Alexandre Heurtebize on Q2 Deals Review and 2020 goals

15 Jul 2020 · 38 min
37:45

In this SaaS District podcast episode, host Akeel Jabber interviews Pierre‑Alexandre Heurtebize, Investment Manager at HoriZen Capital. Pierre shares his professional background (private‑equity, PwC transaction services, consulting) and why he joined HoriZen to combine remote work with a hands‑on PE model that adds operational value. He outlines HoriZen’s investment criteria (annual revenue $500K‑$5M, churn <5% / mo, LTV > $1,500, 3‑7 years in business) and walks through three Q2 opportunities: (1) an industrial‑focused marketing platform (~$500K ARR, 3‑4% churn, 20% YoY growth, valuation $1.3‑$1.5M); (2) a personalized‑email SaaS (~$2M ARR, heavy reliance on a few enterprise clients, valuation pressure leading to a pause at $2.5‑$3M with earn‑out); (3) a Twitter‑analytics tool (~$400K ARR, break‑even, not meeting the revenue threshold, considered for a partnership rather than acquisition). The conversation covers COVID‑19’s mixed impact on deal flow—more cash‑run‑out sellers but also higher valuation expectations—and the firm’s strategic shift toward growth‑marketing partnerships (e.g., DropSend, Postalytics) and hiring interns to augment deal sourcing and analysis. Pierre explains why HoriZen rejects most inbound opportunities (misaligned expectations about capital‑raising vs. acquisition) and outlines Q3 goals: close at least one deal by September, expand the intern team, deepen professional networks (lawyers, VCs), and remain open to partnership‑driven growth projects. The episode ends with a call for referrals and a promise to make the format a quarterly update.

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