In December 2021, Prairie Capital, a Chicago-based middle-market private equity firm, closed the successful sale of BOTE, LLC (“BOTE”), a Prairie Capital VI portfolio company. This exit highlights Prairie’s investment strategy of partnering with founders to build market-leading companies in high-growth markets.

Prairie sold BOTE to Kent Outdoors, which is a portfolio of leading outdoor and recreational consumer brands. BOTE is a premier, lifestyle brand with a passionate and enthusiast following in the outdoor watersports market. In 2016, Prairie partnered with Corey and Magda Cooper and invested in BOTE to assist the co-founders in scaling the business.

Prairie’s investment thesis focused on growing the emerging BOTE brand into a market leader. This required substantial company-building investments including: (i) expanding the direct-to-consumer channel and online digital marketing tools; (ii) strategically developing and launching new products entering new end markets; and (iii) hiring key personnel such as the CFO, VP of Sales, Product Director, and eCommerce Manager. These investments, among others, enabled BOTE’s revenue to quadruple during Prairie’s hold period.

For more information, please visit the Prairie website (https://www.prairie-capital.com/), the BOTE website (https://www.boteboard.com/) or contact DJ Lipke at dlipke@prairiecapital.com