Ann Arbor, MI – Hennepin Partners acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Above The Treeline, Inc. dba Edelweiss (the “Company”), a leading SaaS provider of analytical and workflow tools relied on by all major stakeholders in the book industry, on its sale to Valsoft. Varnum LLP acted as Edelweiss’ legal counsel.
Edelweiss, widely recognized as an industry-standard digital platform, provides a centralized resource for book professionals to discover, sell, and order new book titles. The platform is used by all major publishers and hosts 95% of the U.S. frontlist, making it an essential tool for managing frontlist and backlist sales. Its suite of analytical and workflow tools enables publishers, booksellers, libraries, and reviewers to “work better, read more,” supporting an enriched and efficient book discovery process.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with John and Annie Rubin to drive forward the modernization of the book industry,” said Anthony Caruso, Investment Partner at Valsoft. “Edelweiss has built an unparalleled reputation over the years, and its vibrant ecosystem – connecting industry professionals to discover both new and classic titles – is truly impressive. We’re excited to support Edelweiss’ continued growth and to bring new features and products that will better serve the industry.”
This acquisition marks Valsoft’s first venture into software for the book market. The Company aims to deepen Edelweiss’ impact in the U.S. with its flagship suite while also leveraging Valsoft’s global reach and expertise to expand internationally. The Edelweiss team will remain in their leadership roles, dedicated to supporting and expanding the Company’s impact.
“Since we started the business in 2002, we’ve been driven by an unwavering commitment to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the book industry,” stated John Rubin, CEO and Founder of Edelweiss. “We are excited to have Valsoft as a partner in this mission and are confident that our shared values and vision will enable us to maintain our unique culture, drive growth, and secure a strong, enduring future for Edelweiss.”
Regarding working with Hennepin Partners, John Rubin remarked, “We considered a number of options when selecting our M&A advisor, ultimately choosing Hennepin Partners because of the team’s deep expertise working with vertical SaaS businesses. Hennepin Partners leveraged this experience to position our story in a way that ultimately maximized value. Hennepin also ran a very efficient process – from preparing the Company for launch to helping create marketing materials, managing deal communication and driving a tight deal timeline. They played an instrumental role in helping us achieve an exciting outcome for shareholders and our customers. I would highly recommend Hennepin Partners to other SaaS business owners interested in exploring their strategic options.”
Annie Rubin added, “A key consideration for us beyond finding a group with deep SaaS experience and an acute understanding of Edelweiss’ mission and market, was partnering with a team of high integrity that we could trust – Hennepin Partners was all that and more, providing expert guidance and comfort throughout an experience all founders can admit comes with stress of the unknown. They were a true shoulder-to-shoulder partner to us and always had our best interest in mind.”