Signal Hill Equity Partners

Our Managing Director Ahmed Abdel-Saheb recently attended the PSMJ AEC INNOVATE conference in Boston, Massachusetts, gaining invaluable insights into Al and emerging technologies in the AEC sector. Key Takeaways and Insights: Al-Driven Design and Planning: Al-powered generative design programs can explore thousands of design options in minutes, while also optimizing for factors like energy efficiency and cost - a task that would take humans weeks or months. For instance, Autodesk's generative design software helped create the Bionic Partition for Airbus, which is 45% lighter than traditional designs while maintaining structural integrity. Enhanced Construction Management: Al and machine learning are transforming project management by providing real-time insights that can automatically detect safety hazards, track progress, and even measure stockpiles of materials. For example, Komatsu, a construction equipment manufacturer, uses drones and Al to create 3D maps of construction sites, updating progress daily and detecting potential issues before they become problems. Proactive Maintenance and Facility Management: Al is revolutionizing how we maintain and manage buildings through the use of digital twins - virtual replicas of physical assets. These Al-powered models can simulate various scenarios, predict maintenance needs, and optimize building performance in real-time. In fact, Microsoft's Singapore Headquarters uses a digital twin system that has provided insights allowing them to reduce energy consumption, saving millions in operating costs. We're excited to integrate these technologies into our projects, reinforcing our commitment to growth in the AEC industry. Thank you to the organizers at PSMJ for hosting this educational and insightful event!

We pride ourselves in bringing a depth of experience to our portfolio that build long-term value and create a platform for an enduring company. Urban Life Solutions has achieved incredible growth over the last 5 years and have also seen a new level of professionalism in how they run the business day to day.

Signal Hill Announces Engineering Advisory Committee Managers of growing businesses often seek second opinions or new perspectives when facing unprecedented challenges. At Signal Hill, our team of former CEOs from successful engineering firms is available to provide trustworthy consultation to our portfolio companies. Our Engineering Advisory Committee, consisting of Hugo Blasutta and Jim Bishop, are proven experts in growing and building businesses. With their combined industry knowledge, we ensure our portfolio companies are equipped to overcome challenges that have destabilized other firms. Hugo transitioned from CEO of MMM to CEO of WSP, overseeing 8,000 employees through an acquisition process. With 45 years of industry insights and participation in numerous advisory boards, he played a key role in MacIntosh Perry's growth and success. Jim excels in operations, people development, strategic planning, management, sales, business development, and profitable growth at the CEO, COO, and Senior Executive levels. His expertise includes serving on over ten boards for various engineering companies. Our advisory committee provides insider insights and guidance to help our portfolio companies succeed in this thriving industry. Learn more about our advisory board on our https://lnkd.in/gGYRv84p

At Signal Hill we build enduring companies, and it's our long-term focus that has helped Romet become a leader in delivering data-driven energy measurement solutions, and enabling the utilities’ transition to clean, renewable, and economically available energy.

Signal Hill expands into the United States! We are thrilled to announce the formation of our Washington, DC office and that Ahmed Abdel-Saheb, CFA has joined us as a Managing Director. Ahmed will focus on sourcing and executing U.S.-based investment opportunities, while also growing our presence within the United States. Ahmed has over fifteen years of investment experience, covering private equity, investment banking, as well as the public sector. Previously, Ahmed was a Partner at Godspeed Capital a private equity investment firm focused on organic and acquisition growth strategies in the lower middle-market. Join us in welcoming Ahmed to our team. You can read the press release here. https://lnkd.in/gXpqvsdb

Signal Hill is thrilled to announce that two of our portfolio companies, Romet Limited and Urban Life Solutions (ULS), have been named as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for this year. The program recognizes excellence in #management according to four criteria: purpose and strategy, culture and commitment, capabilities and innovation, and governance and financials. As Canada’s leading business awards program, this designation is a privilege to hold. Achieving their 7th consecutive win for this title will place Romet Limited within a prestigious group of companies in Canada’s Best Managed Companies Platinum Club. Romet prides themselves on maintaining a workplace culture which cultivates drive and creativity among their team. We are grateful for our partnership with Romet and the dedicated work of CEO Brent Collver for his leadership. Urban Life Solutions is also a repeat winner of the Canada’s Best Managed Companies program. Providing essential services all over Canada, ULS is committed to delivering high quality results through a skilled team of workers. From landscaping, to towing, to snow removable, ULS has been able to apply expert management to all their brand divisions. Led by Bhanu Walia, the team has proven themselves as pioneers in strategy and quality. Join us in congratulating Romet and ULS for their well-earned accomplishment.

Last week, Signal Hill employees attended the AEC Advisors LLC Industry Updates Webinar. The diverse panel of industry executives covered topics ranging from ownership transitions, growth indicators, M&A predictions, and public versus private sector influences. AEC shared research collected across a diverse range of #AEC companies. The panel discussed the appeal of private equity for AEC firms and emphasized the importance of investing rather than selling, maintaining leadership, and favourable market valuations. Overall, it was exciting to see that the industry remains in a great position looking into 2024 and 2025. A key topic was the impact of #AI (Artificial Intelligence) for AEC firms and understanding the potential influences and consequences that AI will pose. The AEC webinar provided predictions about what the revolutionary impact of AI might look like and how it can be used today. The experienced leadership panel summarized both the back-office and direct applications of AI to better inform strategies going forward. In a highly competitive space for talent, culture remains a central focus of our leadership strategy and will continue to in the future by helping employees’ skills and interests to be aligned with the work they do. Looking ahead, we hope to see the continued support for STEM education among young people to grow the next generation of #engineers. Thanks to AEC Advisors for putting on the event. Watch the full webinar here: https://lnkd.in/gZ-Nvcwt

National Volunteer Week is an opportunity to celebrate people who dedicate their personal time and resources to help others in the community. Signal Hill is made up of people who are active volunteers in their community, from helping coach hockey to raising money for cancer research. We are proud of their contribution but would like to spotlight the important work that the team at Signal Hill does with Children's Aid Foundation of Canada (“CAFC”). CAFC is a charity that is dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth, and families involved with the child welfare system. Often, children and families in these vulnerable situations need support, and CAFC provides them with guidance and resources such as tutoring, extracurricular activities, financial literacy, and other programs so that they can build independent, successful lives. The team at Signal Hill believes in the noble work being carried out by CAFC and that every child should be given a fair chance to succeed and have volunteered their time to raise money and awareness for this charity. We have done everything from hosting a charity rock concert, called Signal Hill Rocks, featuring a band with many of our investment professionals, to starting the Holiday Bike Challenge which raises money by having volunteers ride stationary bikes an extended distance. The volunteers at Signal Hill have raised over $650,000 to support CAFC since 2018 and intend to continue our support in the future. Working together as a team to support a cause that we believe has been a memorable experience for the people at Signal Hill. To see how you can get involved or to learn more about the organization, visit: https://lnkd.in/ggsTNDYE