Harvest Partners Acquires Majority Stake in The Learning Experience

Harvest Partners has completed a majority acquisition of The Learning Experience from Golden Gate Capital. Headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Florida, The Learning Experience is a prominent provider of early childhood education, serving kids from six weeks to six years old. Despite the acquisition, TLE's management team, led by Co-Founder and CEO Richard Weissman, will continue to steer the company while retaining significant ownership. Golden Gate Capital will maintain a minority interest in TLE. Harvest Partners, a private equity firm with a history of successful investments in middle-market companies, sees early childhood education as a priority sector. The Learning Experience, with its unique brand and proprietary curriculum, operates over 430 schools in the U.S. and the U.K., supplemented by its innovative Bubbles and Friends edutainment platform. This acquisition aims to boost TLE’s strategic growth, leveraging Harvest’s financial resources. TLE has plans to further expand its offerings and geographical footprint, building on its success under prior stewardship by Golden Gate Capital. The deal was facilitated with Harris Williams & Co. as financial advisor and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as legal advisor to Golden Gate and TLE. Ropes & Gray LLP and Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisors to Harvest.