NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EagleTree Capital, on behalf of its private equity fund EagleTree Partners V (EagleTree), announced today that it has exited its investment in Sparks (the “Company”), a global brand experience agency, as part of the Company’s sale to Freeman. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
EagleTree initially invested in Sparks in late 2020, partnering with the Company’s ownership group led by Scott Tarte and Jeff Harrow, who have managed the Company for the past 22 years. The partnership represented a unique opportunity for EagleTree to invest in a market-leading and innovative experiential agency primarily serving the events sector during a difficult market environment resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. EagleTree’s investment was predicated on its belief in the long-term value of live events and Sparks’ market leadership, which is driven by innovative and high-value solutions.
EagleTree worked closely with the Company to identify and execute several strategic acquisitions that allowed the business to accelerate its recovery coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the Company is nearly double the size it was in 2019.
Michael Struble, Senior Partner of EagleTree, said, “We want to thank Scott and Jeff for their partnership over the last three years. This exit represents a validation of our expertise and conviction in the live events sector and in the fact that Sparks is a best-in-class operator. We’ve very much valued the opportunity to work alongside such a talented team.”
“We wish Scott, Jeff and the entire team at Sparks continued success,” added Anup Bagaria, Co-Managing Partner of EagleTree. “We could not be happier about the outcome and are thrilled to be able to provide a great return to our investors.”
Scott Tarte and Jeff Harrow, Co-Chairmen of Sparks, commented, “EagleTree’s understanding of and belief in the long-term potential of in-person connections made them a perfect partner at the perfect time. We are proud of what we accomplished and thank all the members of the Sparks team for their hard work. We can’t wait to see what Sparks and Freeman can do together.”
About EagleTree Capital:
EagleTree Capital is a leading New York-based middle-market private equity firm, with over $5.6 billion of assets under management, that has completed over 40 private equity investments and over 95 add-on transactions over the past 20+ years. EagleTree primarily invests in North America in the following sectors: media and business services, consumer, and water and specialty industrial. For more information, visit www.eagletree.com or find EagleTree on LinkedIn.
About Sparks:
Sparks is a live + digital experiential marketing agency. The Company specializes in creating connection--real human connection--onsite, online or anywhere. Through a thoughtful mix of sound strategy, next-level creative and flawless execution, Sparks creates memorable trade show exhibits, live and virtual events, brand activations, and other immersive experiences that deepen relationships, inspire action, and build trust--and Sparks does it all over the world. To learn more about Sparks, visit https://www.wearesparks.com/