Rob Louv is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Athena Equity Partners (“Athena”). Rob has an extensive background in Technology equity investing and investment banking with multiple successful equity investments and over 300 M&A and Private Placement transactions, representing over $350 billion in aggregate consideration.
Rob has worked on a broad range of transactions from buyouts to raising growth capital for fast growing market disruptive companies. He is also a successful entrepreneur co-founding ArchPoint Partners (an Investment Bank focused on the Software domain) and selling the firm to Houlihan Lokey. In addition, he supports future entrepreneurs with the Long & Louv Entrepreneurial Scholarship Fund at Vanderbilt University.
Mr. Louv has worked with an extensive range of Software domains including being a pioneer in focusing on Software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) companies, Technology Enabled Services, B2B Vertical Applications, MarTech, Data Analytics, Human Capital Management, Enterprise Software, & Infrastructure Software.
Prior to co-founding Athena Mr. Louv was a Managing Director, Chairman and Co-Head of the Houlihan Lokey Technology Group. Under Rob’s leadership the Technology Group has been ranked #1 in number of US M&A transactions < $1 billion transaction value since 2016. Before Houlihan Lokey purchased ArchPoint Partners they had no meaningful presence in Technology investment banking.
Prior to Houlihan Lokey, Rob was a co-founder and the Managing Partner of ArchPoint Partners. ArchPoint Partners was a successful Software investment bank focusing on M&A and Private Placement transactions which was sold to Houlihan Lokey.
Prior to founding ArchPoint Partners, Mr. Louv was a Managing Director and Co-Head of Technology Banking at Montgomery & Co. where he served on the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Compensation Committee.
Prior to joining Montgomery & Co., Rob was a senior banker in the Global Mergers and Acquisitions Group with J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc. supporting clients in TMT. Additionally, Rob led the firm’s West Coast M&A efforts for Software, and Technology Enabled Services.
Before attending graduate school, Rob worked for SunTrust as an Assistant Vice President (youngest ever in the region), executing leveraged loans, and providing financial advisory services.
Mr. Louv earned his MBA from Vanderbilt University, graduating in the top 5 percent of his class, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Finance from the University of Florida. He attended both universities on academic scholarship. Rob is a member of the Vanderbilt University Owen Board.
(1) Note: #1 Technology M&A Adviser 2016-2022 by number of deals below $1.0 billion transaction value