Leeds Equity Partners Acquires Big Blue Marble Academy
New York, USA – January 3, 2024. Leeds Equity Partners ("Leeds Equity") announced today that it has acquired Big Blue Marble Academy (“BBMA” or the “Company”), a leading provider of early childhood education across the Southeast United States. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Big Blue Marble Academy provides high-quality early childhood education primarily for infants to four-year-olds, promoting whole-child development and kindergarten readiness through a curriculum emphasizing mindfulness, global perspective, service learning, and language skills. The Company’s schools provide a research-based, play-focused experience that nurtures students’ growth and development.
The acquisition of Big Blue Marble Academy builds upon Leeds Equity’s deep experience in and commitment to early childhood education and its decades of immersion in the education sector and the Knowledge Industries.
“Our investment in Big Blue Marble Academy is a testament to our longstanding belief in the transformative power of early childhood education. BBMA provides its students access to a high-quality educational experience and we are proud to support the Company’s growth as it helps lay the foundation for lifelong learning and success.” said Scott VanHoy, Partner of Leeds Equity.
“Leeds Equity has an unsurpassed track record of success in partnering with and supporting early childhood education providers,” said Jeff Wahl, Chief Executive Officer of Big Blue Marble Academy. “Our team is thrilled to have the dedication and expertise our new partner brings as we continue to expand our reach and provide premier learning experiences to thousands of students across the United States.”
“Early childhood education is a systemically underserved sector in the United States and has been a core area of investment for Leeds Equity for decades,” said Chris Mairs, Managing Director of Leeds Equity. “We are dedicated to providing both capital and strategic support to innovators in this field, and we are so pleased to partner with Jeff and the entire BBMA team to help accelerate their expansion while continuing to deliver exceptional student outcomes.”
Latham & Watkins served as legal counsel to Leeds Equity Partners, Baird and William Blair served as financial advisor to BBMA.
About Leeds Equity Partners:
Leeds Equity is a New York-based private equity firm dedicated exclusively to partnering with management teams in the education, training, and information services industries (the "Knowledge Industries"). The firm was founded in 1993 and currently manages approximately $5 billion of capital across a broad spectrum of companies within the Knowledge Industries. Leeds Equity seeks to leverage its sector-focused expertise and market insights to create long-term value for its partner companies and investors.
For additional information on Leeds Equity Partners, see http://www.leedsequity.com/.
About Big Blue Marble Academy:
Big Blue Marble Academy operates 67 schools across eight states providing early care, preschool, after-school care, and summer programs for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years. BBMA nurtures students’ minds through a robust preschool curriculum that ensures children are cognitively, socially, and emotionally prepared for kindergarten and beyond. Its emphasis on global awareness and character development teaches children invaluable lessons, growing big hearts that are ready and eager to take on the world.
For additional information on Big Blue Marble Academy, see https://bbmacademy.com/