KYLE PHILIPP graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1998 with a BS in industrial and systems engineering. He then spent two years with Deutsche Bank as an associate to senior telecom analyst Stuart Conrad. When DB launched their Angel Investment Group in April 2000, Philipp left to found Vision Fuel, LLC. As the first “idea-hub,” Vision Fuel served the DB Angel Investment Group by performing deal origination, research and due diligence on emerging technology companies in the southeastern United States. In 2004, Philipp co-founded Gyre Capital Management, LLC, to expand on the Vision Fuel model by incorporating hedge fund management and fundraising expertise into the existing roots in private equity. In 2005, with a $100MM investment from Credit Suisse, the company launched the Gyre Opportunity Fund. The GOF seeded several Gyre investment funds including Gyre Global Asset Fund, a fund of funds focusing on emerging markets and natural resources, and Gyre Commodities Alpha Fund, a long/short futures fund based on a proprietary commodities index that was later licensed to Prudential as the Bache Commodity Index. Philipp served on the investment committee and management team for all of the Gyre funds and was also director of the Gyre Opportunity Fund. In 2008, he cofounded Philipp Family Holdings, LLC, which subsequently acquired Gyre. He then launched Ambata Capital Partners, Ltd, a global investment and advisory firm specializing in clean energy and sustainability, with a strategic focus on the Middle East and Africa. He currently serves as a partner of Ambata Capital Partners and is responsible for overseeing the group’s direct investments, including Reykjavik Geothermal, Ltd., a specialized geothermal power developer focused on developing some of the world’s best geothermal resources primarily in emerging markets. In 2013, Ambata partnered with Dave Stewart (Eurhythmics) and his production company, Dave Stewart Entertainment, to create First Artist Ventures, LLC (FAV), a new media company. Through a combination of investments and partnerships, FAV is building a media company for the 21st century. Philipp is currently CEO of FAV, focusing on delivering innovative solutions for funding, marketing and monetizing creative content.
