IKONA Partners

Who We Are

IKONA Partners is a boutique investment bank and full-service M&A advisory firm serving today's leading technology companies. IKONA was founded to offer bespoke investment banking and advisory services that best meet needs of the modern technology ecosystem.

Software and Tech-Enabled Services Expertise

We are not generalists. We are specialists ready to leverage the full extent of our know-how, resources, sector-specific experience, and relationships amassed over multiple collective decades in the technology M&A ecosystem and over forty closed transactions under our leadership.

Bespoke Processes and Top Tier Execution

Every transaction and situation is unique for every client. However, our base framework provides leverage and optionality throughout every process. Data-driven decision-making and elegant execution are core tenets of our advisory practice.

Broad, Relevant Network

A compelling network isn’t simply access to buyers and investors (since in today’s world most companies receive a myriad of inbound interest from PE firms already). In 2023, an investment banker requires an understanding of strategic rationale and why a party is interested. This also extends to what strategic options are available for companies. Just as the technology landscape has matured, so too has the availability and complexity of financial products serving the space. A standout advisor can strategically and efficiently develop the right menu of options for each client.

We believe robust M&A advisory stems from alignment, domain expertise, and strong process execution.

Meet Our Senior Team

Our senior team has extensive experience across investment banking, corporate finance, strategic operations, corporate development, and private equity.

David Cho

Founder & Managing Partner

david@ikonapartners.com

David Cho

Founder & Managing Partner

david@ikonapartners.com

David is a Founder and Managing Partner at IKONA Partners. David’s investment banking career spans over a decade of advising global technology businesses on transformative strategic transactions.

Prior to founding IKONA Partners, David was a Managing Director at Vista Point Advisors where he was part of the senior leadership team and helped grow the firm’s practice in software and tech-enabled services. Prior to Vista Point Advisors, David was a Product Manager at Zynga where he focused on strategy and development of internet games. David began his career at Wedbush Securities (formerly Pacific Growth Equities) as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Healthcare and Life Sciences Group.

Education:

B.S. in Business Administration | Haas School at UC Berkeley

From:

SF Bay Area

Interests:

jazz, coffee, sushi, good eats

Chet Kristy

Founder & Vice President

chet@ikonapartners.com

Chet Kristy

Founder & Vice President

chet@ikonapartners.com

Chet is a Founder and Vice President at IKONA Partners. Chet has spent over seven years advising a range of private, public, bootstrapped, VC-backed, and PE-owned technology businesses on sales, acquisitions, and debt and equity capital raises. Chet has assisted CEOs, founders, and boards across sectors including media, government, healthcare, education, field service, compliance, tax, analytics, and sales and marketing. Before co-founding IKONA, Chet worked as an investment banker at Vista Point Advisors. Prior to that, Chet was with Greentech Capital Advisors (now Nomura Greentech), an investment bank focused on sustainable infrastructure and technology companies. Chet began his career on the Corporate Banking team at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey (now Truist Securities).

Education:

M.S. in Finance, B.A. in Neuroscience, B.A. in Psychology | University of Southern California

From:

SF Bay Area

Interests:

kombucha, spicy food, steak, tennis, action movies

Charlie Penner

Founder & Vice President

charlie@ikonapartners.com

Charlie Penner

Founder & Vice President

charlie@ikonapartners.com

Charlie is a Founder and Vice President at IKONA Partners. Charlie has over seven years of investment banking, corporate development, strategy, and operations experience with growth stage technology businesses. Prior to IKONA Partners, Charlie worked as an investment banker at Vista Point Advisors where he focused on advising clients in the software and internet markets on M&A and capital raising projects. Charlie also worked in the Corporate Development & Strategy group at PowerSchool (NYSE: PWSC), a leading provider of application technology for the education sector and portfolio company of Vista Equity Partners and Onex. Charlie started his career at Duff & Phelps (now Kroll), in its Technology Investment Banking division.

Education:

B.B.A. with a Concentration in Finance | University of Washington

From:

Seattle, WA

Interests:

skiing, strong cold brew, the next great breakfast burrito

Investment banking and M&A advisory for category-leading technology companies

Who We Are

What We Do

Experts in maximizing value across various transaction types.

Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory

Private Placements and Capital Raising Advisory

Meet Our Senior Team

Our senior team has extensive experience across investment banking, corporate finance, strategic operations, corporate development, and private equity.

Our Principals Have Closed Transactions With

We'd love to hear from you.

We welcome and celebrate different perspectives to help our firm, our clients, and our people.

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