New partners will launch real estate investment initiative focused on Rise of the Rest communities
Washington, D.C. – July 11, 2018 – Revolution’s Rise of the Rest (ROTR) announced that veteran real estate investors, Starling Cousley and Clint Myers, will join the firm as partners to launch a new Rise of the Rest real estate initiative. Rise of the Rest recognizes that some of the most compelling investment opportunities in the next decade will emerge from startups in often overlooked cities across the United States, and the addition of Starling and Clint will allow the firm to launch a new investment strategy focused on real estate projects in these communities.
In their roles, Starling and Clint will focus on direct property investments that enhance emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems, by identifying desirable locations for such projects and working with a network of regional partners to support and grow local real estate initiatives. The Rise of the Rest real estate team will also explore potential investments in the newly designated ‘Opportunity Zones’ – areas with special incentives for investments as a result of legislation that Revolution Chairman and CEO, Steve Case, helped champion last year.
“Our existing Rise of the Rest initiative has been focused on investing in entrepreneurs leveraging technology to disrupt major sectors like health care, education, and financial services outside of Silicon Valley,” said Case. “As we’ve traveled the country on our Rise of the Rest bus tours, we’ve seen the need for great real estate projects in emerging ecosystems where these entrepreneurs and their teams can work and live.”
“Real estate plays a crucial role in allowing markets to thrive and create a better environment for startups and entrepreneurs,” said Clint Myers. “Our objective with the Rise of the Rest real estate initiative is to be a leader in helping to develop these ecosystems from the perspective of the built environment.”
“Clint and I look forward to joining the Rise of the Rest team to pursue a differentiated real estate strategy, focusing on a number of markets that are often overlooked by traditional institutional investors. We strongly believe the next wave of entrepreneurial growth will be driven by cities that provide both a desirable quality of life and affordable cost of living,” said Starling Cousley.
Cousley and Myers will report to J.D. Vance, Managing Partner of the Rise of the Rest Seed Fund. Vance said, “I welcome Starling and Clint to our team. Just as our existing Rise of the Rest initiatives are supporting and backing great entrepreneurs in rising cities around the country, I’m confident that our new real estate initiative can help bring growth and opportunity to communities that have been left behind for too long.”
Prior to joining Rise of the Rest, Starling Cousley was a Managing Director and Fund Manager with Hines where he helped oversee a variety of value-add and core-plus investment initiatives including serving as a member of the U.S. Value Added Funds management team since 2007. Prior to joining Hines, he was a Vice President and Fund Manager with Parkway Properties, Inc., where he focused on acquiring properties located in the Southeast U.S. He received his MBA from Harvard Business School and his M.Accy. and B.Accy. from the University of Mississippi.
Clint Myers was a Senior Managing Director and the Chief Strategy Officer for Hines where he served as a member of the firm’s internal proprietary research group and oversaw a variety of firm-wide strategic initiatives. Prior to joining Hines, he was in charge of Americas Research and Strategy at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. He received his M.S. in Finance from Boston College and his B.A. in Economics from the University of North Carolina.
About Revolution and Rise of the Rest
A Washington, D.C.-based investment firm founded in 2005, Revolution’s mission is to help build disruptive, innovative companies that offer consumers more choice, convenience, and control in their lives. Revolution launched its Rise of the Rest program in 2011, and its iconic bus tour has now visited more than 30 cities nationwide. In 2017, it launched the Rise of the Rest Seed Fund to make early-stage investments in rising cities. Firmwide, Revolution is positioned to deploy $1.3 billion of investment capital to back startups at nearly every stage of their lifecycle. For more information, please visit: www.revolution.com or follow us on Twitter @Revolution and @RiseOfRest.
Contact:
Meredith Balenske
meredithb@revolution.com
202-776-1413
