Global private equity group Kompass Kapital has made a strategic investment in private aviation company Airshare, headquartered in Kansas City. The transaction further enhances the company's historically strong financial position and allocates significant dollars for strategic growth and expansion initiatives. Kompass Kapital will now lead the Airshare ownership group, with previous investors maintaining an active role with considerable equity positions.

This investment accentuates a transformative year for Airshare. Following the company's acquisition of the Wheels Up aircraft management business last September, Airshare doubled in size to nearly 600 employees while operating a fleet approaching 150 aircraft, becoming one of the largest fleet operators in the United States. The company offers a holistic suite of private aviation solutions, managing aircraft nationwide and providing charter services worldwide. The Airshare fractional programme, featuring sales of both fractional shares and jet cards, has continued expanding over the last 12 months. The programme is now available in most of the country, including recent entry into the US Northeast and Southeast regions. Airshare expects its fractional footprint to extend coast-to-coast very soon.

“We are thrilled to have Kompass Kapital join the Airshare ownership group and strongly believe its investment will have a material impact on our future,” says John Owen, CEO of Airshare. “When we made the decision to raise capital in support of our strategic goals, we were diligent in defining the ideal partner for us, both professionally and culturally. We immediately received considerable interest, but it quickly became clear we had the perfect match just down the road in Kompass Kapital. Kompass' reputation is impeccable, and its track record in helping businesses flourish is well known. Additionally, it has already demonstrated great success in partnering with our legacy ownership group through other investments. The confidence it has shown in Airshare is extremely validating.”

“We are very excited to partner with Airshare, where we join a talented team dedicated to serving the private aviation needs of business and leisure customers both domestically and internationally,” adds Bradley Berger, managing partner of Kompass Kapital. “We invest in people, and when evaluating the potential of any opportunity, we start with company leadership. The executive team at Airshare is outstanding, and they inspired us with their vision to strategically expand the company's geographic footprint, fleet and customer base. The growth prospects are very encouraging, and we believe the company is uniquely positioned to further capture market share.”

Airshare is the newest addition to the assets held under management at Kompass Kapital, featuring a diversified portfolio of investments including operating companies, private equity funds, partnerships, real estate, fixed income and public equity. Berger noted the importance of ensuring the company's previous investors remain within the new ownership structure.

“We are grateful to have the legacy investor group retain a substantial ownership position in the company. They will continue to play a central role in our collective success. As we scale, we will ensure Airshare continues to delight customers with an exceptional experience and unwavering commitment to safety every time they fly with us,” continues Berger.

For nearly 15 years, Kompass Kapital has partnered with business leaders across diverse industries who share similar values and an entrepreneurial mindset. The company's stakeholder-centric approach has been proven to establish meaningful, collaborative relationships that deliver impressive results for companies at various stages of maturity. Kompass had been interested in pursuing an investment in private aviation during the rapid growth experienced by the industry following the pandemic. As its leadership began exploring options, Kompass recognised Airshare as a unique opportunity to enter the industry with a well-established company that shared similar values to its own.