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Copilot Blog

Breaking the €10m ARR software ceiling

John Messer at Copilot Capital explores why building out the leadership team of software businesses is critical for breaking €10m Annual Recurring Revenue
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Meet Olly Demaine, Investor, Copilot Capital

Always “fascinated by investing”, Olly knew he wanted to do more than number crunching. His passion for supporting founders and building businesses made Copilot the ideal fit for his second private equity role.
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Copilot Capital backs Zendr to build Europe’s leading SME freight partner

B2B software investor Copilot Capital makes a majority investment in Zendr, a B2B logistics platform providing SMEs with better freight solutions via a cloud-based platform.
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Breaking €10m ARR: How Copilot helps companies scale

Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) is the lifeblood of a software business. It drives investment, underpins valuations, and provides the foundation for sustainable growth.
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𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬.

You can do very well in private equity by being brilliant at deals. But a team of brilliant dealmakers doesn’t make a great firm.
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AI isn’t killing SaaS. It’s accelerating the best SaaS companies

Predictions that AI will eat SaaS’s lunch, and potentially SaaS itself, are everywhere. If correct, that would mean a seismic shift in the face of the technology landscape and the power players in software.
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Private equity is like sales - you have to optimise the funnel

Like sales, private equity is an industry of deal makers.
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Why our operating model starts with culture

Ask most investors what it takes to be best-in-class and you’ll hear the same answers: find great deals, have a strong investment strategy, create value.
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🛫 Meet Alba Topallaj, Software Investor at Copilot Capital 🛫

From Advent International to PSG and Accel-KKR, Alba has built her career around scaling software businesses.
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Olly Demaine
Olly Demaine
Associate
About
Olly Demaine

Olly grew up in Cornwall and studied at Exeter University, where he played rugby as part of the High-Performance Programme. Whilst the beaches and the rugby in the South-West were great, he, perhaps erroneously, traded this to move to London to begin his career.

After cutting his teeth at Alantra in their tech-services M&A team – Olly moved into investing joining LLCP, backing European businesses across a range of sectors. It was here he began to focus on software, drawn by its pace of change and the variety of growth opportunities it presents.

At Copilot, Olly focuses on partnering with founder-led software companies across Europe. The chance to work closely with both founders and the Copilot team was a key draw – collaboration and teamwork have been part of his mindset since his rugby days.

Outside of work, Olly spends winter skiing and summer kitesurfing. In between, he heads back to Cornwall whenever he can to spend time with family. 

Favourites
  • Airport
    London City
  • Book
    Why Nations Fail
  • Podcast
    Fin vs. History
  • Movie
    Hot Fuzz
  • Bonus Question
    Jam or cream first on a scone?
    Jam!
Flight crew
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Farhana Atteib
Farhana Atteib
Associate
About
Farhana Atteib

Born in Chad, Farhana has lived across 3 continents (Africa, Europe and North America), learned to speak 4 languages (French, English, Arabic and broken Spanish with a Cuban accent!), and has called 7 different countries home. She studied in south of France at emlyon bs. She then moved to London, where she started her career as an investor at KKR and as a questionable striker at a Football Club (with an impressive total of 3 goals in 3 years).

After exploring a wide range of industries - from botox manufacturing to European festivals - she chosen to specialize in technology, inspired by the relentless innovation, rapid growth, and profound impact on the world.

At Copilot, Farhana is excited to be part of an outstanding culture where she can learn from some of the best software investors, take full ownership on her work, and collaborate with exceptional founders and companies.

Farhana is not only passionate about sports (she ran a marathon and yes, she’ll definitely bring it up) but also about the Arts in general, where she can easily be swept away by a painting, a photograph or even a flamenco show.

Favourites
  • Airport
    N’Djamena (NDJ)
  • Book
    Barbarians at the Gate
  • Podcast
    Founders
  • Movie
    Human
  • Bonus Question
    Favourite Artist
    Noah Davis
Flight crew
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Georgia Henderson
Georgia Henderson
Office Manager
About
Georgia Henderson

Georgia grew up in the South of France before returning to the UK to complete degrees in Anthropology and International Business. Driven by a passion for understanding people and the systems they create, she developed a lasting interest in how culture, structure, and business operations come together to shape organisations.

Prior to joining Copilot, Georgia worked at a boutique human capital advisory firm, gaining experience of the role people and operational frameworks play in the success of investment firms.

At Copilot, Georgia is now responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the London office while supporting finance, events, compliance, and administration. She is passionate about creating environments where teams can thrive and is excited to play a growing role in building the operational infrastructure that supports Copilot’s long-term growth.

Favourites
  • Airport
    Bergerac (EGC)
  • Book
    Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity
  • Podcast
    The Rest is Entertainment
  • Movie
    The French Dispatch
  • Bonus Question
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Will Southgate
Will Southgate
CFO
About
Will Southgate

Will grew up in the UK (Croydon) and has spent his career in finance, helping investment firms and high-growth businesses build the operational foundations needed to scale with confidence.


He began his career in accounting practice before moving into several roles in private equity (including a stint working with Dave Sun at another firm), where he worked across portfolio management and support, FP&A, systems implementation, debt financing, tax, and reporting. He also contributed to fundraising, due diligence, and deal execution.
Most recently, Will led the finance function at a venture capital firm, where over nearly six years he focused on supporting tech founders and CFOs as they built and scaled their finance functions.


When the opportunity arose to join Copilot, Will couldn’t resist the chance to help the talented deal team build the firm from the ground up. As Copilot’s CFO, he brings a hands-on, solutions-oriented approach to financial leadership, supporting the firm, the fund, and the portfolio.

Favourites
  • Airport
    The Gatwick terminal with Nandos
  • Book
    Notes from a Small Island
  • Podcast
  • Movie
  • Bonus Question
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Rebecca Visciola
Rebecca Visciola
Associate
About
Rebecca Visciola

Rebecca grew up in Italy and moved to London to dive into Europe’s thriving innovation and investment hub. She’s passionate about how technology can bring industries back to the drawing board and reshape their foundations - from how people power organisations to the products they create, and last but not least, the experience of the end-user.

Before joining Copilot, Rebecca worked for one of the largest late-stage technology investors. This experience gave her a front-row seat to witness what scale-ups can grow into over time across various software categories.

At Copilot, Rebecca is excited to back and nurture the next generation of European software leaders alongside ambitious founders. As she supports entrepreneurs, she learns from their growth journeys and strives to give back, with a shared goal of always trying to leave the world a more interesting place. Joining Copilot at the start of its own adventure, Rebecca is eager to help build a world-class team of software investors, much like the scale-ups she invests in.

Favourites
  • Airport
    Rome (FCO)
  • Book
    Unreasonable Hospitality
  • Podcast
    The Diary of a CEO
  • Movie
    Dead Poets Society
  • Bonus Question
    Go-to-app
    The Nudge / OpenTable – yes, I am definitely a foodie
Flight crew
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Kemar England
Kemar England
Associate
About
Kemar England

Kemar's life has taken him across the globe -- from growing up in Jamaica, studying and working in the US, and now helping to build Copilot in London, UK. The broadness in his international perspective mirrors the broadness of his involvement in the technology industry from startups to growth equity to large legacy enterprises, and from software to semi-conductors.

His passion for technology driven from a love of innovation and growth, and from living in Silicon Valley during the 2010's. He further nurtured his love of technology companies through consulting, diligencing, operating, and investing in tech companies.

At Copilot, Kemar is energised by supporting founders with well-loved products to build and scale into well-loved companies.

Favourites
  • Airport
    Kingston (NMIA)
  • Book
    The Outsiders (Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success)
  • Podcast
    Odd Lots
  • Movie
    The Dark Knight
  • Bonus Question
    Desert Island Disc
    Drake, Take Care
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Danny Friedkin
Danny Friedkin
Co-Founder & Chairman
About
Danny Friedkin

Danny is an active leader within The Friedkin Group (TFG), spearheading new initiatives that take the organization into uncharted territory. One of these strategies, Copilot Capital, was born out of a clear vision to build a business with a specialist team of software enthusiasts. Adept at navigating markets across the globe, Danny brings The Friedkin Group’s business acumen to new audiences in Europe. Through his experience in private equity as well as working within various divisions at TFG, he generates opportunities at the intersection of investing and operations.

Alongside his leadership at Copilot Capital, he runs a venture investment strategy, with a focus on innovation within Transportation. He is also leading a Group-wide AI transformation initiative, focusing on identifying actionable use cases for Gen AI, computer vision and enhanced data practices across TFG organizations.

Danny has a B.A. in Economics from Stanford University, an M.B.A. from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business, and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.

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Favourites
  • Airport
    Houston (IAH)
  • Book
    Leaves of Grass (Original 1855 Edition)
  • Podcast
    The History of Rome
  • Movie
    Lord of the Rings (Extended Edition)
  • Bonus Question
    Ultimate plane
    P-51 Mustang
Flight crew
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Charlie Daniel
Charlie Daniel
Co-Founder
About
Charlie Daniel

Charlie is driven by the sense of purpose that comes from creating and scaling great companies.

A skiing nut, it’s no surprise his journey so far has been off piste. One of his first jobs was helping to start a merchant bank that took him on a number of adventures across sub-Saharan Africa. The journey was littered with many features, frustrations, and failures but the learnings were completely unique and impossible to obtain by sitting in a glass cage.

Charlie then co-founded another business that provided M&A and fundraising for investment firms backed by permanent capital. Through a series of fortunate events, they picked up The Friedkin Group as one of their clients. Over the course of various projects and lockdown zooms with Danny Friedkin, it became clear Charlie’s future was with him. Together with Danny, Charlie has built a unique strategy for investing in specialist teams like John and the Copilot Capital crew.

Charlie also runs TFGI’s venture programme alongside Danny and has led various early-stage growth investments across Auto, Logistics, SaaS and Advanced Manufacturing.

Favourites
  • Airport
    London Heathrow (LHR)
  • Book
    The Wager
  • Podcast
    Hidden Brain
  • Movie
    Parasite
  • Bonus Question
    Desert Island Discs
    The Beach Boys ‘Pet Sounds’
Flight crew
ID CARD
Zerxis Billimoria
Zerxis Billimoria
Manager
About
Zerxis Billimoria

Zerxis grew up in Bombay and moved to London in 2018. After training as an accountant and earning his MBA, he realized that what he loved most was the challenge of investing in promising teams and helping them on their growth journeys.

His passion for the tech world began when he saved enough money to buy his first smartphone (Google’s Nexus S) and observed the computing world’s shift from hardware to software. He believes that after high-speed internet, software is the next “utility”- with the potential to further enrich all aspects of business and personal life.

While at business school, Zerxis worked with John and assisted him on several software deals. When offered the chance to help build Copilot, Zerxis was thrilled to team up again. 

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Favourites
  • Airport
    Bombay (BOM)
  • Book
    Extreme Ownership
  • Podcast
    The Vergecast
  • Movie
    Casino Royale
  • Bonus Question
    Favourite Copilot
    J.A.R.V.I.S. from Ironman
Flight crew
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Alba Topallaj
Alba Topallaj
Director
About
Alba Topallaj

Alba began her investing career focused on consumer, retail, and industrials; but since she discovered the world of software seven years ago, she hasn’t looked back.

The intersection of people and software is Alba’s sweet spot. She deeply admires entrepreneurs and believes that software has the power to transform every industry, while empowering employees.

In and out of work, she is driven by her belief that “life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

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Favourites
  • Airport
    New York (JFK)
  • Book
    The Power of Now
  • Podcast
    Invest Like the Best
  • Movie
    Gladiator
  • Bonus Question
    Desert Island Discs
    Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Flight crew
ID CARD
David Sun
David Sun
Director
About
David Sun

David (but you can call him Dave) has spent most of his career obsessed with B2B tech—how to grow it, scale it, and turn brilliant products into brilliant businesses.

Prior to joining Copilot, Dave spent seven years at one of the world's largest B2B technology investors. Ready to become an operator, he then joined a B2B SaaS scale-up, where he got a front-row seat to the challenges of steering a business in hyper-growth mode.

Joining Copilot has been a dream opportunity for Dave, as it combines his passion for investing in B2B technology with the chance to help build a tech-led firm from the ground up.

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Favourites
  • Airport
    Sydney (SYD)
  • Book
    The Innovators
  • Podcast
    How Other Dads Dad
  • Movie
    The Godfather
  • Bonus Question
    Ultimate plane
    Heart of Gold (from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)
Flight crew
ID CARD
Kitarack Chapman
Kitarack Chapman
Director
About
Kitarack Chapman

Though he has lived in London for over 10 years, Kitarack’s story spans the globe. He grew up in Laos (where he kept pet chickens), studied in the United States, and eventually moved to London where he began his investment career.

He later found his passion for working with technology companies, and notably sat on the board of a rapidly growing travel tech business—including through the height of the Covid pandemic. Navigating that tumultuous phase yielded invaluable experience in operations, teamwork, and resilience.

These days, Kitarack enjoys working with exceptional colleagues and founders on all things technology and takes pride in helping shape Copilot into a world-class software investment firm.

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Favourites
  • Airport
    Chattanooga (CHA) / Vientiane (VIE)
  • Book
    The Leopard
  • Podcast
    Radiolab
  • Movie
    Band of Brothers
  • Bonus Question
    Product obsession
    My well-worn Trek road bike
Flight crew
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John Messer
John Messer
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
About
John Messer

John started his career advising software companies on sales acceleration, but found his calling scaling them into global champions. He loves to work with founders who have built their firms from the ground up, and soon started to dream about launching his own - an investment firm focused exclusively on helping software founders scale. When his path converged with like-minded Danny and Charlie, Copilot was born.

Always fascinated by people (he’s yet to meet another investor who studied Anthropology), John knew that to build a great firm he had to start first with the right individuals.  He didn’t have to look far to build a diverse founding team that understood his vision: Kitarack was on board immediately , Alba, a long-time friend, shared John’s passion for software scale-ups; Zerxis had been a trusted colleague on several of John’s deals; and Dave was a friend and teammate (both on the rugby pitch and in the classroom) from London Business School.

With this ambitious and adventure-minded team in place, Copilot took flight.

Favourites
  • Airport
    Not-London Luton (LTN)
  • Book
    What we do is who we are
  • Podcast
    Farnham St
  • Movie
    Remember the Titans
  • Bonus Question
    What is the cure for jetlag that never fails?
    Not eating during the duration of the flight!