CG Petsky Prunier Advises Swoop and IPM.ai on their Sale to W2O

Acquisition will Fuel New Health Technology Business

CG Petsky Prunier is pleased to announce it has advised tech-enabled, healthcare-focused data companies Swoop Inc. and IPM.ai on the businesses’ sale to global health innovation leader W2O, a portfolio company of New Mountain Capital. Swoop and IPM.ai were previously portfolio companies of U.S. Venture Partners and Archer Venture Partners, among other investors. The sale of Swoop and IPM.ai is CG Petsky Prunier’s third completed transaction with W2O, underscoring the firm’s investment banking expertise and deep relationships with the leading companies in the healthcare marketing, communications, and data and analytics space. CG Petsky Prunier previously advised on the sale of W2O by Mountaingate Capital to New Mountain Capital; in addition, the firm sold healthcare investor relations and financial communications specialist to Pure Communications to W2O in 2016.

Swoop and IPM.ai are pioneers in using machine learning, artificial intelligence, and real-world data to solve big challenges in healthcare. Swoop creates precise patient audiences, improving targeting of healthcare engagement and empowering patients to become active participants in their treatment journey. The company empowers the world’s leading pharmaceutical brands to educate patients about disease states and the therapies that could remedy their conditions, as well as enable them to become active participants in their treatment journey. Swoop’s HIPAA-certified and NAI-accredited system of engagement uncovers unique target audiences for precisely activating patient populations and their healthcare ecosystems through cross-channel marketing strategies. By utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning in conjunction with a real-world evidence, social determinants of health, an outcomes research data universe of more than 300 million de-identified patients, and 65 billion anonymous consumer interactions, Swoop's patient segments are superior in audience quality, lead to optimal conversion, and drive increased Rx lift.

IPM.ai uncovers the ideal patient, enabling accelerated research, development, and commercialization of life-saving therapies in under-defined patient populations. As an Insights as a Service (IaaS) provider, IPM.ai empowers the world’s leading life sciences companies to understand and improve the lives of patients through the development and commercialization of precision medicine for specialty and rare diseases. IPM.ai’s system of insight streamlines market assessment, patient finding, treatment journey mapping, healthcare provider discovery, key opinion leader identification, and brand activation by utilizing granular-level longitudinal analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning in conjunction with real-world evidence, social determinants of health, and an outcomes research data universe of more than 300 million de-identified patients.

Swoop and IPM.ai’s existing leadership group, including founder and CEO Ron Elwell, along with its team of technologists, data scientists, life sciences experts, and digital marketing professionals, will continue with W2O as the cornerstone of the company’s new health technology business.

Founded by Jim Weiss in 2001 and built on an ethos of entrepreneurship, staying fluid, and doing the right thing, W2O has achieved 19 years of uninterrupted growth while remaining fiercely independent. W2O is an alchemic mix of 1,500 people and hundreds of clients and partners – working from bench to bedside – to make the world a healthier place. Driven by data, W2O applies proprietary analytics, and best-in-class technology to build insights that power creative ideas and concepts. W2O seeks to become the partner of choice to empower optimal healthcare knowledge, access, and outcomes – now and in the future. The business’ revenue topped $350 million in 2020, an increase of 50% from the prior year, and is expected to accelerate into 2021.

CG Petsky Prunier, with a team led by Sanjay Chadda and Lexia Schwartz, served as exclusive financial advisor to Swoop and IPM.ai and the companies’ investors.