Among other topics on the board’s agenda was how Senior Solution, which specialized in software solutions for financial institutions, could maintain its financial growth of the past few years. Would new funds be needed to support that growth? And, was it the right time to provide additional liquidity to some of its shareholders? Having paid cash for all its deals, Senior Solution’s management knew that the time would come when they would need more resources to continue pursuing their growth plan. Senior Solution’s products were present in more than 130 financial institutions. It had been the main consolidator in the sector, acquiring and integrating five companies over the past six years to complement its portfolio of solutions. But the outlook for new investments seemed promising. By taking an active role in consolidating the sector, Senior Solution could strengthen its product portfolio even more, to serve its customers even better. However, this also posed significant finance challenges for the company, given its capacity to generate cash from its current operations. Furthermore, the company now had a mix of investors, with different expectations in terms of returns and liquidity. So, how could it raise the money? A trade sale was one possibility. But who could the buyer be? Also, what would this mean for the current shareholders and managers? A share issue was another possibility, but how should it be structured? Would the market be ready for a Fintech IPO? The timing of any capital-raising activity was a challenge, since the window of opportunity in Brazil was typically short. After all, the number of IPOs in Brazil over the last two years “could be counted on one hand.” But if the partners decided to go for an IPO, who should it issue shares to? What could potential new ownership structures look like? Alternatively, should it try a private offer to a group of financial investors?
