Houlihan Lokey Advises Aurora Energy Research

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Aurora Energy Research (Aurora) has received an investment by CGE Partners LLP (CGE). The transaction signed and closed on 30 October 2020. Terms have not been disclosed.

Founded in 2013 by University of Oxford professors and economists that saw the need for a deeper focus on quality analysis, Aurora is a rapidly growing and leading provider of critical data and analytics to the power and energy industry. Its proven thought leadership and data-driven analytics solutions help its international clients successfully navigate the world’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon energy system, providing valuable intelligence through forecasts, reports, software solutions, forums, and bespoke consultancy services. With decades of experience at the highest levels of academia and energy policy, Aurora combines unmatched experience across energy, environmental, and financial markets with cutting-edge technical skills and innovative approaches like no other energy analytics provider.

Founded in 2019, CGE is a European middle-market buyout fund with €440 million targeting strongly performing assets in Western and Northern Europe—but with a global reach. The company seeks high-margin businesses with strong growth potential, backing ambitious management teams with a proven track record and a clear vision. CGE principally invests in majority buyouts of established businesses with an enterprise value of up to €200 million, with a focus on business and technology services. The company has a fresh approach to middle-market private equity investment through its expert operator panel and flexibility to hold investments for the longer term.

CGE is backing the Founder and CEO, Dr. John Feddersen, and existing management team in the transaction and has brought together key resources and expertise to support the company in its next phase of growth, including future M&A. As part of the transaction, Steve Halliday, who is a world-recognized executive in the energy data space, will be investing and joining the board as Chairman. 22C Capital, a US-based data and analytics fund led by S&P Capital IQ Co-Founder Randall Winn, will invest alongside CGE.

Houlihan Lokey served as the sole financial advisor to Aurora and assisted in initiating, structuring, and negotiating the transaction on its behalf. This transaction further enhances the Data & Analytics Group’s extensive track record in the energy and commodities data, analytics, and software sectors, with more than 40 deals completed over the past decade. Recently closed transactions in the industry include the sale of Tecnon OrbiChem to Forest2Market/Fisher International Inc.; the sale of RigData from S&P Global Platts to Drillinginfo; the sale of Poten & Partners to BGC; the sale of eVision to Wolters Kluwer; the sale of Palantir Solutions to 3esi-Enersight; the sale of PowerAdvocate to Verisk Analytics; and the sale of RISI to Euromoney Institutional Investor. This deal also highlights Houlihan Lokey’s ability to navigate challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver an outstanding result to the selling shareholders.