About
KOAT Capital is a diversified merchant bank and holding company built for the age of intelligent infrastructure. We partner with visionary founders and resilient businesses at the intersection of AI, Critical Infrastructure and Enterprise Technology.
Founded on a decentralized philosophy, KOAT gives its portfolio companies the autonomy to operate and the conviction of a committed long-term partner behind them. We don't manage from a distance. We sit at the table — on capital decisions, leadership development, and the moments that define a company's trajectory.
Operating across North America and Europe, we back businesses at every layer of the AI stack — from the critical minerals and physical infrastructure that power compute, to the enterprise software and agentic systems built on top of it. Our mandate is straightforward: find exceptional operators, back them with capital and counsel, and stay in for the long game.
Focus
Artificial Intelligence
Enterprise AI, agentic systems, and the applied layer where intelligence meets operations at scale.
Focus
Infrastructure
The platforms, critical minerals, and physical assets that power AI — from data centres to the supply chains that make them possible.
Focus
Media
Content, distribution, and the new economics of attention in a digitally native world.
We treat every investment as a long-term asset — not a position to optimize and exit. KOAT's approach to capital allocation is disciplined, relationship-driven, and grounded in the conviction that the best returns come from building things that genuinely matter.
Team
Managing Partner
Daren Trousdell
Daren is a serial technology entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience founding, scaling, and exiting high-growth companies. He is the founder and former Chair and CEO of NowVertical Group, and co-founder of Clip Money, a transformational fintech payments platform. Earlier, he founded and sold Mindblossom — a leading digital media and technology agency — to Dentsu Aegis Network, where he subsequently led North American client strategy and corporate development. Daren brings deep global M&A experience across deal origination, execution, and integration, with transactions ranging from $5M to over $400M.
Partner, EMEA
Marcel Van Der Wal
Marcel brings deep expertise in European markets and cross-border transactions, leading KOAT's EMEA operations from Amsterdam. He has a strong background in private equity and institutional capital deployment across the Netherlands and broader Europe.
Operating Partner, AI Services Group
Jane Crowell
Jane leads operational transformation across KOAT's North American portfolio, with a focus on AI adoption, systems modernization, and scaling high-growth businesses. She brings extensive experience building and running technology services organizations.
Operating Partner, AI & Software
Sasha Grujicic
Sasha oversees KOAT's AI and software portfolio, working directly with leadership teams to accelerate product development, drive operational efficiency, and build durable technology businesses. He brings deep expertise in scaling software companies and deploying AI at the enterprise level.
Contact
Reach out to discuss a partnership,
investment, or advisory engagement.