GLOBAL CAPITAL MARKETS

  • Vitech America, Inc. (Vitech)

    Was created in 1994 as the US holding company of a Brazilian wholly-owned subsidiary, Bahia Tecnologia Ltda., that assembled and distributed computer equipment and related products throughout Brazil.

  • Vitech´s Challenge

    In 1995, desiring to grow more rapidly, Vitech had identified and held negotiations to acquire several leading regional Brazilian computer distributors, but the Company lacked cash for acquisitions.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    Kennedy was retained to arrange “growth” capital alternatives. In February 1995 Kennedy presented to Vitech an IPO proposal from leading U.S. underwriter D.H. Blair & Co. With an IPO proposal in hand, Kennedy then raised $2 million in convertible debt in September 1995. In November Kennedy advised Vitech conduct a $22 million IPO with US broker HJ Myers. By 1998, IDC reported Vitech the #1 seller of computers in Brazil.

  • Kennedy´s Follow-on

    Kennedy was retained by Vitech America, Inc. to advise on their acquisitions of Microtec Sistemas Indústria e Comércio S.A. (July 1997), Tech Stock Ltda. (October 1997), Tech Shop Ltda. and Rectech-Recife Tecnologia Ltda. (November 1997). The next year Kennedy was retained to structure a $100 million Medium-Term Global Financing Facility (April 1998). By the year-end Kennedy had raised $43.1 million in Global Notes.

    GLOBAL CAPITAL MARKETS

  • Technology Acceptance Corp (TAC)

    was created in 1998 by Vitech America, Inc. as a Special Purpose Company under the laws of the Cayman Islands to raise capital for the Company in order to provide financing for their computer sales in Brazil.

  • Vitech´s Challenge

    In 1997 Vitech America was fast becoming the leader in sales of personal computers in Brazil. To be competitive in the local PC market which then saw global leader Dell just enter Brazil, Vitech had to offer sales financing at competitive rates to its expanding customer base as it´s multinational competitors were doing, like HP, Dell, IBM and Itautec. Vitech did not have the financial resources.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    Kennedy was retained as Vitech´s financial advisor in January 1998 to explore with Brazilian banks the implementation of a global debt issuance facility. Within months Kennedy had commitments from Banco Fibra and Unibanco to structure TAC and distribute up to $100 million in global medium-term notes from an offshore facility. Kennedy structured TAC with Unibanco and Banco Fibra and then he raised $20 million in a first tranche that closed in April 1998. By the year-end Kennedy had raised $43.1 million in Global Notes.

  • Kennedy´s Follow-on

    Kennedy was retained by Vitech in December 1999 to set-up an off-shore special purpose investment company to re-purchase defaulted TAC notes. Kennedy immediately set-up Special Opportunities Investments Corp. in the B.V.I. and raised $13.9 million which he used to negotiate the purchase of deeply discounted TAC notes.

    GLOBAL CAPITAL MARKETS

  • CTF Technologies, Inc. (CTF)

    is the market leader in providing comprehensive logistics and financial services to trucking fleet operators throughout Brazil.

  • CTF´s Challenge

    In 2007 CTF had ambitious growth plans and was seeking long-term capital to launch several new capital intensive projects. CTF met with many local banks and private equity funds to raise this expansion capital, but all their capital requirements were too rigorous.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    Kennedy Partners was retained by CTF as a financial advisor in June 2007 to seek less onerous financing alternatives off-shore. With Kennedy´s network of contacts at US financial institutions, he sought those that specialize in raising convertible and mezzanine debt, which is notably much less expensive than Brazilian bank debt and less intrusive than private equity capital. Within months Kennedy got CTF several proposals from U.S. financial institutions on convertible debt with terms on the $15mm they were seeking.

  • Kennedy´s Follow-on

    Kennedy Partners was retained by CTF in March 2008 to sell the company. In May 2008 he negotiated a sale for 100% of CTF to Endurance Capital Partners in Brazil.

    BRIDGE LOAN

  • Alcana Destilaria de Álcool de Nanuque S/A (Alcana)

    was a Brazilian privately-held company in the 1990s and 2000s that grew and cultivated sugar cane to be converted into hydrated alcohol and granulated sugar.

  • Alcana Challenge

    During the 1990s, a majority of the Brazilian ethanol producers came under extreme financial hardship due to 1) low prices from an oversupply of ethanol, and 2) a lack of demand because of a small number of “multi-use” cars in circulation. By 2004 Alcana was practically bankrupt and couldn´t pay its field workers to plant their 2005 crop.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    Kennedy Partners was summoned by then partner WorldInvest in early 2005 to raise up to R$2 million for their client Alana. By April Kennedy had structured a loan that raised capital by pre-selling Alcana´s newly planted crop to Kennedy´s investors. With this capital, the Company was able to raise additional cash by further pre-selling of a larger crop and thus return to a profitable business. This allowed WorldInvest to sell Alcana to a foreign private equity fund by the end of 2005.

    MERCHANT BANKING

  • Resource Holdings, Inc. (RHI)

    was a US public-reporting company in early 2010 that had plans to invest or finance small-sized gold mining operations in Brazil.

  • RHI´s Challenge

    In late 2009 RHI came to Brazil as a “start-up” and it needed capital for its initial operations, including market research and leg-work in uncovering and negotiating Brazilian investment opportunities.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    Kennedy Partners was retained by RHI as a financial advisor in November 2009 to raise seed capital and follow-on venture debt. Over the next year and a half Kennedy raised $1.5 million in venture capital until Kennedy closed on long-term funding of $11.4 million from Platinum West Ventures, LLC, part of U.S. hedge fund Centurion.

  • Kennedy´s Follow-on

    Kennedy Partners was retained by RHI as Director of RHI´s Brazilian Subsidiary, Mineral-Parçeiros em Mineração Ltda., where he oversaw RHI´s investment in gold mining operations with Abdala Mineração Ltda. in Cuiaba, MT.

    GLOBAL CAPITAL MARKETS

  • Resource Holdings, Inc. (RHI)

    was a US public-reporting company in 2010 that had negotiated a financing with a small-sized gold mining operations in Brazil.

  • RHI´s Challenge

    In June 2010 RHI had signed a Letter of Intent to provide $9.5 million in growth financing for Abdala Mineracao, a gold mining operation in Cuiaba, Brazil. Therefore RHI needed to raise at least that amount and more to pay for all the transaction´s closing costs.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    Kennedy Partners was retained by RHI in September 2010 to assist the company raise approximately $10 million to close the Abdala financing. By September 2011 Kennedy had assisted RHI and raised $11.4 million from Platinum West Ventures LLC (Centurion) in 3 year 15% secured notes plus an equity kicker of 15% of RHI´s voting shares.

  • Kennedy´s Follow-on

    Kennedy Partners was retained by RHI as a financial advisor to conduct corporate finance advisory on their planned acquisitions and raise capital during 2011 to 2014. Subsequently, Kennedy raised $927,500 in sales of RHI common stock (2012) and raised $550,000 in two Bridge Loans (2013-14).

    FINANCIAL ADVISORY

  • Intercontinental Telecom Corporation do Brasil Ltda. (ITC)

    was created in 1998 with the “spin-off” of the IT department from Microtec Sistemas Indústria e Comércio S.A. ITC immediately became a fully-dedicated provider of wire-less broadband communications services to Microtec clients.

  • ITC´s Challenge

    In 1999 ITC had plans for an aggressive growth strategy to implement its pioneering wireless broadband services in the many rapidly growing regional cities of Brazil.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    Kennedy Partners was retained by ITC as a financial advisor in December 1999 to raise private equity capital to fund this expansion plan. In May of 2000 Kennedy closed on $20 million in a private equity investment (at a $75 million pre-money valuation) from Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec (CDPQ), a North American emerging markets private equity fund.

  • Kennedy´s Follow-on

    Kennedy Partners was retained by ITC as a financial advisor in June 2000 to assist on closing numerous targeted acquisitions, including “Fairness Opinions” on their valuations during 2000 to 2002.

    VENTURE CAPITAL

  • BioPetro Participações, S.A. (BioPetro)

    was created in 2005 with the help of research at the University at Sao Carlos.

  • BioPetro´s Challenge

    From 2006 to 2007 the founders of BioPetro had invested heavily and developed an innovative technology solution that would produce biodiesel at significantly below market costs while using a variety of raw materials. In 2008 they were seeking a significant amount of capital to build a biodiesel plant using their proprietary technology.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    Kennedy Partners was retained by BioPetro as a financial advisor in September 2008 to raise capital to construct their planned biodiesel plant. By June 2009 Kennedy had raised R$5 million from Brazilian private equity fund, Endurance Capital Partners (ECP), by merging BioPetro with ECP´s stalled biodiesel start-up, BioClean Energy S.A. (at a US$10 million pre-money valuation). By April 2010 BioPetro was producing biodiesel from their newly constructed plant.

  • Kennedy´s Follow-on

    Kennedy Partners was retained by BioClean Energy S/A as a financial advisor in early 2011 to seek long-term capital for their rapid expansion plans. In April 2011 Kennedy negotiated a $25 million US Initial Public Offering proposal by Rodman & Renshaw, LLC.

    MERCHANT BANKING

  • Eucalis Comercial de Madeiras Ltda. (Eucalis)

    started its business and operations in August 2014, processing logs into sawn timber for sale to the wooden packaging industry.

  • Eucalis´s Challenge

    In April 2014 Eucalis negotiated control of a family-run timber milling business that had ceased operating over several years. By August the mill was operating but the Company projected that it would need extra capital to modernize the plant and buy regular quantities of raw material in order to ramp-up sales in order to maximize its plant capacity utilization.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    Kennedy Partners invested along with “angel”capital of $200,000 in June 2014. Kennedy was retained by Eucalis in September 2014 to raise expansion capital, Kennedy raised $175,000 in the form of Units of $25,000 comprised of a 2 year secure promissory note and Eucalis shares.

  • Kennedy´s Follow-on

    Kennedy Partners was retained by Eucalis in June 2015 to "turn-around" the company and raise expansion capital, of which John raised R$ 305,000 (USD 87,500) in Bridge Loans with individual investors. In 2016 when Eucalis was closed down, John negotiated with the majority owner of Eucalis to compensate investors with free shares in a newly created US investment company called Brazil Timber Corporation, which in August 2016 closed on the 100% acquisition of Agropecuária São Paulo Minas S.A. which contains approximately 4,000 hectares of forestry property in Minas Gerais state.

    MERCHANT BANKING

  • Agrivest Americas, Inc. (AAI)

    was a US public-reporting company that had plans in 2011 to 2014 to invest in small to medium-sized agricultural farming, mining and services companies in Brazil.

  • Agrivest´s Challenge

    In late 2010 Agrivest came to Brazil as a start-up so it needed capital to pay for the research and leg-work in uncovering and negotiating Brazilian investment opportunities, including mining geologists, lawyers and everyday advisors.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    Kennedy Partners was retained by RHI as a financial advisor in November 2010 to raise seed capital. Over the ensuing years Kennedy raised $160,000 for the Company.

  • Kennedy´s Follow-on

    Kennedy Partners was retained by AAI in April 2014 to conduct acquisition due diligence on Grupo Shalon S.A. Then in March of 2015 Kennedy Partners was retained to advise them on a merger, in fact a "Reverse Take-Over" (RTO), eventually closing with NXChain, Inc. (OTC.NXCN.QB) in December 2015.

    FINANCIAL ADVISORY

  • CTF Technologies, Inc. (CTF)

    is the market leader in providing comprehensive logistics, refueling and financial services to trucking fleet operators throughout Brazil.

  • CTF´s Challenge

    In 2007 CTF´s majority shareholder and CEO wanted to sell 100% of CTF for personal reasons. After receiving purchase proposals from several Brazilian private equity funds, the CEO refused their offers mainly because of their onerous “cashing-out” restrictions on him.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    Kennedy Partners was summoned by CTF in March 2008 and retained as a financial advisor to seek buyers for the Company. In May Kennedy negotiated and closed an agreement for the sale of 100% of CTF to Endurance Capital Partners, a Brazilian private equity fund.

    MERCHANT BANKING

  • Alta Floresta Gold, Ltd. (AFG)

    is an established privately-held Canadian gold exploration company which owns 6 gold deposits in the “Juruena Belt” in Central Brazil.

  • AFG´s Challenge

    In June 2014 AFG negotiated a management buy-out with ECI Exploration and Mining Inc. (ECI) for their ownership of Alta Floresta Mineracao Ltda. (AFM) in Brazil. From 2007 until 2013 ECI had invested up to $11 million in exploring these 6 gold deposits which resulted in the Cajueiro deposit attaining a NI 43-101 Resource Compliant Report indicating it had 470,000 ounces in gold reserves. However, AFG had very little capital available to build-out a gold mining plant for Cajueiro. In January 2015 AFG approached Kennedy Partners in discussions to raise the necessary capital to put Cajueiro into production.

  • Kennedy´s Solution

    After months of site visits and tests, Kennedy proposed a financing via newly-created U.S. C-corporation that Kennedy would set-up, capitalize and make an investment into AFG. In July 2015 Kennedy signed an agreement to invest $2.3 million into AFG for a 41% equity stake and had a 2-year operator´s contract to supervise the development and operations at Cajueiro. In September Kennedy set-up Brazil Gold Corporation and raised $50,000 in Seed Capital while in parallel Kennedy sought to raise $2.5 million for the investment in AFG.