Published by Neil Thompson
The Riverside Company, a global private equity firm, has invested in EventsAIR, an Australian events management software solutions provider for in-person, virtual and hybrid events. Additional investors taking part include EventsAIR’s founder, Trevor Gardiner, several other members of the management team, and incoming CEO Matthew Donegan-Ryan. This substantial investment in EventsAIR is one of the largest ever in a private events technology company.
EventsAIR, headquartered in Brisbane, develops software used before, during and after events to manage registration, attendee engagement, operations, housing, travel, marketing and communications. It has delivered more than 350,000 events across Asia-Pacific, EMEA and North America.
EventsAIR customers include professional conference organizers, industry associations, corporations and educational institutions, such as Reed Exhibitions, the British Medical Association, Sanofi-Aventis, Telstra, California State University and the Australian Department of Defence.
“Riverside views this investment as a highly compelling opportunity to build upon EventsAIR’s already impressive international footprint by targeting large and growing customer segments globally where the company has a clear competitive advantage,” said Riverside Managing Partner Simon Feiglin. "In addition, we will further enhance the management team."
Riverside will support EventsAIR with its international expansion plans around the globe and will drive the continued evolution of the product to maintain its market-leading features and functionality. Riverside will also selectively consider accretive M&A by targeting complementary event tech players or expanding into attractive adjacencies.
“Having quickly adapted to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, EventsAIR is ideally positioned to bring in a partner who can help accelerate our global growth ambitions,” said EventsAIR founder Trevor Gardiner. “We are delighted to be working with
the Riverside team and look forward to this next exciting chapter in the company’s evolution.”
Matthew Donegan-Ryan will be joining the business as CEO, effective April, 1 2022. Matthew brings deep event technology domain expertise and experience working with event planners, having worked in the industry for his entire career, including most recently at Hopin, Swapcard and Cvent. He will continue the momentum that Trevor Gardiner has established after decades in the role as CEO.
"I have followed EventsAIR for over a decade and am consistently impressed by the comprehensive breadth of its offerings. EventsAIR now has a market-leading position serving the most complex in-person, hybrid and virtual events globally. I am thrilled to lead EventsAIR on the next phase of its evolution, collaborate with Trevor and the Riverside team, and support the industry for its exploding in-person comeback.”
CEO, Matthew Donegan-Ryan.
The investment in EventsAIR is one more example of Riverside's dedication to the Software and IT industry. Since the firm’s inception in 1988, Riverside has invested in more than 220 companies in this specialization and has a team of global experts dedicated to growing these companies.
Working with Managing Partners Simon Feiglin and Nick Speer on the transaction for Riverside were Principal Nicholas Pejnovic, Vice President Ash Sorrenti and Analyst Thomas Hermsen. Chris Ridd will act as the Operating Partner and Principal, Origination. Grant Marcks sourced the deal for Riverside.
