Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP client AutoAlert has completed a major growth equity investment from HGGC, a leading middle market private equity firm based in Palo Alto. As part of the transaction, AutoAlert founders Boyd Warner and Jeff Cotton will reinvest a substantial portion of their proceeds and retain a significant minority stake in the business. Steve Young, Managing Partner and Co-founder of HGGC, will become Chairman of the Board of AutoAlert.
AutoAlert provides cloud-based data mining and portfolio management services to automotive dealerships. Founded in 2002, AutoAlert pioneered the category with its SaaS technology platform, which includes lead generation software, hardware, in-house training and support to enhance sales efforts and opportunities. Now more than 2,700 automobile dealerships use the company’s services, which helped sell more than 305,000 vehicles for more than $687 million in gross revenue last year.
Knobbe Martens has represented AutoAlert since it was founded in 2002. Orange County partners William Bunker and Philip Nelson manage the company’s intellectual property portfolio, while Craig Summers and David Jankowski lead the intellectual property litigation and enforcement efforts.
With over 275 lawyers and scientist nationwide, Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP dedicates its practice to all aspects of intellectual property law including litigation. Consistently ranked among the top intellectual property firms worldwide, Knobbe Martens serves a diverse group of clients from multinational corporations to emerging businesses of all stages. Headquartered in Orange County, California, Knobbe Martens also has offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Seattle and Washington, D.C. More information about the firm can be found at www.knobbe.com.
