Nicola Wealth Management Ltd., a Vancouver-based wealth planning firm, Thursday announced its participation in the initial close of Vanedge Capital I L.P.

Vanedge’s fund has raised over $100-million in committed capital from a strong line-up of limited partners that includes Nicola, additional institutional investors (including Teralys Capital, BC Renaissance Capital Fund, and BDC Venture Capital) and a select group of individual investors.

Vanedge Capital is a sector-specific fund that will focus on interactive digital media, particularly companies that can build long-term value by creating compelling interactive consumer digital experiences. Vanedge plans to invest throughout North America, with a primary focus within Canada.

“Nicola Wealth believes in offering clients extensive diversification that breaks the traditional mold by including alternative strategies such as Vanedge’s fund,” says Nicola president, David Sung.

“By investing in Vanedge, our clients have the opportunity to participate in an exceptional investment otherwise not available to the retail investor.”

Sung notes Vanedge’s positive long-term investment potential. “Vanedge’s leadership team and focus on the interactive arena offer the type of solid foundation our firm seeks in a good alternative investment. Nicola Wealth Managment believes in a broad asset allocation for our client portfolios, and we believe this fund is an excellent complement to our clients’ long-term strategies.”

The fund will be managed by a veteran team with decades of operating experience:

– Paul Lee (managing general partner) is an active and successful investor in several digital companies such as ALI Technologies, Blast Radius, Bycast, and others. He was also a key long-time executive at videogame giant Electronic Arts (most recently President of EA Worldwide Studios);

– Glenn Entis (general partner) is an Academy Award winning computer graphics pioneer who co-founded computer animation studio Pacific Data Images (now the northern studio for DreamWorks Animation). He was also CEO of DreamWorks Interactive and SVP / chief visual and technical officer for EA Worldwide Studios;

Divesh Sisodraker, Vanedge’s CFO, held key management positions at ALI Technologies (CFO) and Pivotal (CFO, then CEO). As CFO at Taleo, he oversaw their successful IPO in 2005; and

Jason Chein was general manager for China with EA, where he built the company’s successful Shanghai studio from scratch.

Nicola Wealth Management, managing over $1 billion in assets, is a financial planning and wealth management firm serving the needs of high net worth individuals and their families.

IE