Elevation Partners

Elevation Partners was founded in 2004 by a high-profile group of individuals including tech veterans from Silver Lake Partners and Apple, as well as U2 frontman Bono. The firm, named after a U2 song, focused on buyouts and growth equity investments in media, entertainment, and technology companies. Its primary mission was to invest in businesses that could capitalize on the convergence of technology and intellectual property.

During its active years, the firm was involved in several major deals, including the formation of VG Holding Corp through the merger of BioWare and Pandemic Studios, and a significant 40 percent stake in Forbes Media. It was also an early investor in social media, purchasing a 1% stake in Facebook in 2010. Despite some high-profile challenges with investments like Palm, Inc., the fund reported an 11.4% annual return through September 2014.

The firm began winding down its operations between 2012 and 2015 as its assets were acquired by other entities. By 2015, the portfolio under the Elevation Partners name was closed. Following the firm's dissolution, its members moved on to other ventures, such as NextEquity Partners and The Rise Fund.