Brendan Fitzgerald
Verified Expert in Finance
Finance Expert
Indialantic, FL, United States
Toptal member since February 14, 2020
Brendan has raised over $700 million and built strategic relationships with numerous Fortune 500 companies to help grow businesses in more than ten industries. He loves freelancing, as it allows him to apply his skills to a variety of problems. Brendan uses his years of experience as a startup CEO and financial advisor to help companies create viable business plans and raise the capital needed to implement them.
Career Highlights
Education Highlights
Case Studies
Industry Expertise
Other Expertise
Work Experience
President
Viseon Partners, Inc.
- Created business plans, pitch decks, and financial models and provided financial advisory services to dozens of companies with compelling business ideas in a host of different industries.
- Assisted a market-leading broadcast antenna manufacturer to adapt its business strategy to new FCC regulations.
- Found the buyer and then managed the sale of an $80-million business unit of a multi-billion-dollar contract manufacturer.
- Led the team that structured and syndicated a $700+ million investment in refined coal production facilities.
- Raised $15+ million of capital for an early stage technology fund.
- Helped a seed-stage medtech venture fund develop its business plan, set up the fund, evaluate investment opportunities, and raise capital.
CEO
GolfLine, Inc.
- Identified the market opportunity and developed the business plan for this SaaS company that created solutions that allowed customers to bid on products and services and have the bids accepted or rejected in real-time using AI technology.
- Co-invented three patents that were critical enablers for the company.
- Established a partnership with the largest owner/operator of golf courses in the US to enter the golf industry.
- Raised the seed-stage capital needed to fund the company.
- Developed both mobile apps and web-based software products that allowed consumers to bid on golf tee times.
President
Meridian Realty Investments, LLC
- Developed the business plan then built a $500-million portfolio of institutional quality real estate assets by acquiring eight large multi-tenant office and multifamily properties along with approximately $50 million in raw land.
- Raised over $100 million of "venture debt" and over $300 million of long term debt from life insurance companies and conduit lenders to fund these acquisitions.
- Syndicated ownership interests to over 250 high net-worth individual investors through a nationwide broker/dealer distribution channel, raising almost $200 million of equity.
- Prepared all of the offering materials and successfully completed the broker dealer compliance and due diligence processes.
- Provided ongoing asset management services, running a $60-million annual business.
- Ran formal sale processes and completed successful exits on seven of eight properties despite very difficult market conditions. Achieved returns that far exceeded same year vintage real estate funds.
- Created the business plan for a value add industrial real estate fund, structured and organized the fund, raised capital, identified, evaluated and consummated investment opportunities, then oversaw the management of the portfolio.
CEO
Viseon Energy, LLC
- Founded and developed the business plan for this renewable energy finance company that provided equity financing for utility-scale solar and wind energy projects.
- Spearheaded a joint venture with Grubb & Ellis, then one of the largest real estate companies in the world, to launch the company.
- Developed one of the industry's first equity investment vehicles for investors that were not focused primarily on tax benefits.
- Partnered with Goldman Sachs to become the platform company for the renewable energy investments of the Goldman Sachs Infrastructure Fund.
- Partnered with SoCore, a subsidiary of Edison International, to pursue rooftop solar financing opportunities.
President
Microgistics, Inc.
- Created the business concept and raised approximately $5 million of seed capital to fund one of the first companies to commercialize wireless location technology by providing location enabled software to colleges and universities.
- Negotiated and executed a technology licensing agreement to access the core enabling technology.
- Designed and built both location systems and user tracking devices for college campuses, theme parks, and shopping mall applications.
- Launched a personal safety service for students on college campuses.
- Partnered with industry leaders like IBM and Sears to enable first generation geofencing solutions for stores and malls.
VP, Corporate Development
TCI International, Inc.
- Ran one of the business units of this small publicly-traded government contracting company and was VP, Corporate Development of the parent prior to its acquisition by a Fortune 500 company.
- Developed and evaluated investment strategies, return targets, and risk mitigation strategies to manage the company's significant cash reserves.
- Led a successful bid for a $40-million government contract in Brazil.
- Spearheaded the company's initiatives to invest in new business lines by evaluating numerous opportunities and presenting recommendations to the CEO.
Senior Vice President
Flash Comm, Inc.
- Developed the business concept and wrote the business plan for this nationwide wireless messaging company that provided ubiquitous "text-type" messaging throughout the United States in the precellular era.
- Co-invented the critical enabling patents.
- Developed strategic relationships with Fortune 500 companies Harris Corp. and Lexmark International.
- Raised $10 million of seed capital to launch the company.
- Oversaw day-to-day operations, including product development activities.
Manager, Commercial Business Development
Harris Corporation
- Managed the defense conversion activities of a $250-million business unit for this Fortune 500 defense contractor.
- Evaluated numerous defense-oriented technologies and developed opportunities to use them to meet market needs in other industries by raising external capital and developing strategic partnerships.
- Negotiated highly profitable technology licensing agreement with consumer products company.
- Positioned the company to participate in a major commercial communication satellite program.
- Worked closely with senior management at the business unit and corporate level to identify acquisition targets, perform due diligence and consummate transactions.
Engineering Consultant
Advanced Technology, Inc.
- Served as a member of the after-action team established by NASA following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
- Worked at Morton Thiokol solid rocket motor production facility evaluating design and manufacturing processes in an effort to identify root causes of O-ring failure.
Platoon and Company Commander
United States Marine Corps
- Commanded a platoon of 30+ marines in both domestic training and overseas deployments.
- Commanded a company of 160+ marines.
Education
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree in Business Administration
Harvard University - Cambridge, MA, USA
Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering
University of Notre Dame - Notre Dame, IN, USA
Skills
Finance
Market Opportunity Analysis, Investment Decision-making, Fundraising, Seed Fundraising, M&A (Buy-side), M&A (Sell-side), Financial Modeling, Due Diligence, Fund Formation, CFO, Financial Risk Assessment, Series A, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Valuation
Industry Expertise
Asset Management, Commercial Real Estate Analysis, New Business Ventures, Renewable Energy, Institutional Investors, High-tech Startups, Venture Capital
Other
Product Planning, Opportunity Identification, Product Development, Business Operations, Joint Ventures, Management Consulting, Strategic Planning, Joint Venture Development, Business Planning, Leadership, Debt Financing, Investor Reporting, Operations Management, Mobile Apps, Patents, Business Partnerships, Fundraising Consultant, eCommerce, General Management, Entrepreneurship, Intrapreneurship, Strategic Partnerships, Strategic Planning & Execution, Tax Equity, New Product Development, Term Sheet Negotiations, Opportunity Assessments, Offering Documents, Corporate Development, Market Research & Analysis, Investor Agreements, Investor Presentations, Investor Relations, Startups, Enterprise Startups, Pitch Decks, Legal Documentation, Legal Structuring, Dispute Resolution, Healthtech, Machine Learning
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