Morae and FirstClose Recognized Among Elite Group of Businesses Building the Future

Lateral Investment Management, LLC (“Lateral”), a growth-oriented private equity firm focused on founder-operated technology and technology-enabled services businesses, today announced that two of its portfolio companies, Morae Global (“Morae”) and FirstClose, Inc. (“FirstClose”), have been featured on the 2024 Inc. 5000, which recognizes the fastest-growing private companies in America.

Now in its 43rd edition, the Inc. 5000 showcases some of the most successful and innovative privately-held companies within the U.S. Honorees are ranked according to percentage revenue growth. The list has become widely recognized for highlighting some of the fastest-growing early-to-mid-stage companies across sectors that have matured into major market leaders.

“We are proud of our partners at Morae and FirstClose and the success they have achieved in their respective fields,” said Richard de Silva, Founder and Managing Partner of Lateral. “Both companies are representative of Lateral’s investment approach to partner with high-conviction founders to help transform their bootstrapped businesses into market leaders. We are excited to support the Morae and FirstClose management teams as they scale their businesses and define leadership positions in their target markets.”

Lateral invested in Morae, a technology-based legal solutions provider for large corporations and major law firms, in 2019. Last year, the firm supported Morae’s acquisition of Exigent, a UK-based provider of AI-driven legal managed solutions. Lateral invested in FirstClose, a leading fintech provider of workflow automation solutions and data services for mortgage and home equity lenders, in 2022. Since then, FirstClose has deployed its software platform to help banks, credit unions, and independent mortgage lenders meet the growing demand for home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), and announced integrations with major technology partners.

About Lateral Investment Management, LLC

Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Lateral is a growth-oriented private equity firm that invests in founder-operated technology and technology-enabled services businesses. The firm focuses on profitable, U.S. middle market companies that have not previously received institutional financing and makes $15 million to $75 million investments to accelerate their growth. By taking a highly customized approach to thematic deal origination, a founder-friendly approach to partnering with business owners, and a systematic and proactive approach to value creation, Lateral helps to transform its portfolio companies into category leaders. For more information, visit: https://lateralim.com/

Amanda Shpiner/Alex Jeffrey Gasthalter & Co. 212-257-4170 Lateralim@gasthalter.com