April 28, 2025
As part of ION Analytics’ Influencer Fireside Chat series, Kelly Barofsky, a Director in GEM’s Investment Research Group, sat down with Giovanni Amodeo for an in-depth discussion on how GEM defines, sources, and selects investment opportunities in the lower mid-market. Kelly begins by outlining her journey to investment management before elaborating on the attributes that make the lower mid-market an attractive market segment. They then discussed why GEM believes sector specialization is an advantage for managers, the implications of growing a fund slowly vs. scaling more quickly, and how we assess a manager’s ability to translate their strategy into true value creation for their portfolio companies. Kelly concludes by providing an outlook for the market, noting the resilience of GEM’s buyout portfolio while also acknowledging a challenging IPO environment and ongoing investor concerns related to tariffs, recession risk, and the broader macroeconomic landscape.
Watch the full conversation below.
Kate Simpson and Jay Ripley spoke with James Comtois at Institutional Investor about Kate’s decision to join GEM, the evolution of the venture market, and how the firm is navigating current challenges and opportunities to meet the growing demand for access.
The firm announced that Kate Simpson has joined GEM as Managing Director on the Investment team. With more than 20 years of experience, she will help guide the firm’s venture capital strategy and further strengthen its investment platform.
GEM is proud to announce that Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Stephanie Lynch, has been recognized by Pensions & Investments as one of the 2025 Influential Women in Institutional Investing, honoring leaders driving impact and positive change in the industry.
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