FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Huckabee & Associates, Inc. (“Huckabee” or the “Company”), a leading technology-enabled architecture, engineering, and consulting services and solutions firm specializing in innovative design, planning, and infrastructure solutions for education facilities in Texas, today announced that it has received a strategic investment from Godspeed Capital Management LP (“Godspeed Capital”), a lower middle-market Defense & Government services, solutions, and technology focused private equity firm. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Through this investment, Godspeed Capital will partner with Huckabee leadership to establish the Company as the platform brand for a new architecture, engineering, and consulting (“AEC”) services and solutions growth strategy focused on providing cutting edge, technology-driven education design and engineering solutions in attractive, high-growth U.S. markets such as Texas.
Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, Huckabee is the largest education architecture and design services firm in the state of Texas, which hosts one of the largest and fastest growing education facilities’ markets in the country, driven by increased family starts and rising school enrollment. Throughout its history, Huckabee has focused exclusively on the planning and design of innovative learning environments in Texas, primarily in the K-12 public education market, but also now expanding into early learning centers, higher education, and museums. The Company is consistently ranked as one of the top education architectural design firms in the nation and has built a reputation for commitment to technical excellence, design innovation, and client-centered solutions. Huckabee has over 240 highly accredited employees across six offices.
Huckabee has made significant internal investments to develop their own education design technology and software tools which have helped position them on the cutting edge of innovation and efficiency. The Company built an education design laboratory, the LEx Collaborative, in partnership with Baylor University to showcase innovations in K-12 learning environments. Huckabee is consistently recognized for its innovative design achievements and work environment by prominent organizations and publications such as the American Institute of Architecture, Engineering News Record, Architectural Record, Building Design + Construction, the Zweig report, and others.
Godspeed‘s partnership with Huckabee aligns with the firm’s government focused investment strategy, as the education facilities market in the U.S. is largely funded by State Government issued bonds. Godspeed and Huckabee intend to expand their reach to government entities through an organic and acquisition growth strategy going forward.
Huckabee’s management team, headed by Chief Executive Officer, Chris Huckabee, will continue to lead the Company, and will work with Godspeed Capital to make meaningful investments to expand its proprietary technology solutions, in-house design and engineering capabilities, corporate infrastructure, and strategic expansion efforts. The current Huckabee leadership and management team will remain fully intact and will retain a significant equity position.
Chris Huckabee said, “We are proud to partner with Godspeed Capital, whose deep industry experience and knowledge across the broader education and government related architecture and engineering markets will provide a powerful complement to help the Huckabee platform expand both within and beyond the education design and engineering services market in Texas. We look forward to working closely with Godspeed to further enhance our core areas of expertise, invest in our accredited team, and pursue acquisitions that broaden our capabilities and expand the platform’s market reach.”
Douglas T. Lake, Jr., Founder & Managing Partner of Godspeed Capital, said, “Huckabee has built a strong reputation for education design innovation through its commitment to crafting engaging learning environments which foster confident, supported, and accomplished students—an ethos that strongly aligns with Godspeed’s focus. We look forward to collaborating with Huckabee to support new innovations in education design while bringing both geographic diversity and scale to the platform as it continues to expand and deliver thoughtful facility solutions that meet the evolving needs of the education market.”
Huckabee was advised by AEC Advisors LLC and Lawson & Weitzen, LLP acted as legal advisor. Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal advisor to Godspeed Capital.
About Huckabee Architects
Huckabee has exclusively served the education market since 1967 and consistently ranks among the top educational architecture firms in the nation. The firm’s expertise ranges from early learning to higher education, the arts, athletics and spaces where learners of all ages can expand their knowledge. Huckabee has six offices, plus the only educational research center in Texas: Learning Experience Labs at Baylor University. The firm’s education-focused services complement a holistic, human-centric and evidence-based approach to design. For more information, please visit the Huckabee Architects website at www.huckabee-inc.com.
About Godspeed Capital
Godspeed Capital is a lower middle-market Defense & Government services, solutions, and technology focused private equity firm investing alongside forward-thinking management teams that seek an experienced and innovative investment partner with unique sector expertise, operational insight, and flexible capital for growth. While a typical investment will involve companies generating approximately $3 million to $30 million of EBITDA, Godspeed Capital has significant support to complete larger transactions through strategic co-invest relationships. The firm focuses on control buyouts, buy-and-builds, corporate carve-outs, and special situations. For more information, please visit the Godspeed Capital website at www.godspeedcm.com.
