StepStone Group Inc. (STEP)

Overview

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in LA Jolla, California, StepStone Group LP is a prominent investment firm with a wide-reaching global influence. Its strategic locations span across North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and New York, making it a formidable player in the investment domain. The firm specializes in a broad spectrum of investment strategies, including direct investments, fund of funds, secondary direct, and secondary indirect investments. With a focus on leveraging opportunities in both mature and middle market companies, StepStone Group LP aims to invest in a diverse array of sectors such as natural resources, technology, healthcare, and real estate, among others. Its investment philosophy is characterized by a flexible approach, targeting investments ranging from $15 million to $200 million in firms with an enterprise value between $150 million and $25 billion. This approach enables StepStone Group LP to maintain a significant presence in emerging markets, investing between 5% and 40% of its portfolio in these regions.

Products and Services

• Direct Investments:

  Through its direct investment strategy, StepStone Group LP focuses on venture debt, incubation, mezzanine, distressed/vulture, seed/startup, and various stages of venture and growth capital investments. This approach is designed for engaging with mature and middle market companies across diverse sectors such as natural resources, technology, and healthcare.

• Fund of Funds Investments:

  This investment avenue allows StepStone Group LP to diversify its portfolio by investing in private equity funds, venture capital funds, special situation funds, real estate funds, infrastructure funds, mezzanine funds, and turnaround/distressed funds. The firm considers both domestic and international funds, aiming for broad exposure across various industries and investment stages.

• Secondary Direct and Indirect Investments:

  StepStone’s strategy also includes investments in secondary markets, both directly and indirectly. This involves purchasing existing investments or stakes in funds from other investors, offering liquidity solutions and opportunity for returns from well-positioned assets in the market.

• Global Investment Focus:

  The firm’s global investment strategy covers a wide geographic spectrum, with a particular focus on the United States, North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, including emerging economies like Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia, as well as developed markets in New Zealand, China, India, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia. This global stance allows for a diversified and risk-managed portfolio, catering to various investment preferences and market conditions.

• Co-Investments and Follow-on Investments:

  StepStone Group LP also engages in co-investments and follow-on investments, providing additional capital to existing investments under favorable conditions. This strategy enhances their stake in promising ventures and aligns with their long-term investment ethos.

• Partial Interests in Funds:

  The firm shows flexibility in its investment orientation by considering partial interests in funds. This nuanced approach allows for strategic alignments with other investors and funds, optimizing portfolio exposure and potential returns.