Minority investment to fuel growth across the U.S. while continuing to exceed the early childcare industry’s highest safety and curriculum standards

July 09, 2024 07:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Tierra Encantada, the leader in Spanish immersion early education^®, today announced a significant minority growth investment from Susquehanna Growth Equity (SGE), an entrepreneur-centric growth equity firm. This milestone marks Tierra Encantada’s first institutional investment since their founding in 2013 and underscores their accelerated influence in the youth enrichment market.

Led by CEO and Founder Kristen Denzer, Tierra Encantada provides Spanish immersion childcare to children ages 6 weeks through 6 years. Their premium early education environment includes onsite commercial kitchens to provide children an elevated culinary experience that includes global meals made from scratch with organic ingredients.

“We are on a strong growth trajectory thanks to our amazing team, and we are thrilled to have found the ideal, founder-friendly partner in SGE,” said Kristen Denzer, CEO & Founder of Tierra Encantada. “Their patient capital and operational resources will be incredibly valuable during this next stage of growth. This investment validates the strength of the brand, allowing us to deepen our proven ability to provide a premier experience for families and franchisees, while accelerating our nationwide expansion.”

“We’ve been thoroughly impressed with Tierra Encantada and their relentless commitment to details in everything from industry-leading safety protocols and bilingual curriculums to the nutritious, carefully prepared meals they serve children and the development of their own employees. Tierra Encantada is the clear leader in Spanish immersion early education, and we believe their differentiated model represents the future of childcare,” said Kyle Squillario, Managing Director of SGE. “We are proud to be partnering with a proven founder in Kristen and eager to support Tierra Encantada’s continued growth through the opening of new franchise-owned learning centers and leveraging our own experience across the evolving education sector.”

For over a decade, Tierra Encantada has provided a vital service to communities across the United States, responding to the pervasive challenge countless families face: a lack of high-quality childcare. With the childcare industry expected to grow into a $91 billion dollar industry by 2030, this investment emphasizes a shared vision for new market expansion and continued innovation in the youth enrichment industry.

About Tierra Encantada

Founded in 2013 in Eagan, MN, Tierra Encantada is the fastest growing Spanish immersion childcare company in the United States. From the elevated, from-scratch meals prepared with organic ingredients to the proprietary STEAM curriculum, Tierra provides the care that today’s parents are seeking for their children. Tierra has received numerous accolades including “Top New & Emerging Franchises” by Entrepreneur Magazine, “The 50 Franchise Companies Doing the Most to Champion Diversity” by Entrepreneur Magazine, “10 Hottest Franchise Businesses in America” by Inc. Magazine, as well as Inc. and Financial Times’ lists of the fastest-growing privately held companies. Tierra currently has locations in four states, and is seeking qualified candidates to help further expand the franchise to select markets across the United States. For more information, visit tierraencantada.com.

About Susquehanna Growth Equity

Susquehanna Growth Equity (“SGE”) is an entrepreneur-centric growth equity fund with flexible capital and time horizons. SGE is exclusively focused on growth-stage software, services, internet and information services companies. The firm has invested over $2 billion in 70+ market-leading technology and services companies over the last 15 years and has portfolio companies across the US, Canada, Europe, and Israel. SGE is backed by a unique and patient source of capital, enabling the firm to give entrepreneurs and management teams freedom and flexibility to maximize growth. To learn more, please visit www.sgep.com.

Contacts

For media inquiries, please contact:

Meg McDougall
Chief Marketing Officer, Tierra Encantada
Phone: 262-416-8363
Email: meg.mcdougall@tierraencantada.com

For Susquehanna Growth Equity:
Gasthalter & Co.
sge@gasthalter.com
(212) 257-4170

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