Our Story
Born on
La Croisette.
Every year, thousands of people who work in growth, media and marketing head to the South of France for Cannes Lions. Deals get done, ideas get born, and a lot of it happens over a beer rather than in a boardroom.
Last year, one of those was Volando Partners.
As Rick Ankers and Will Gilgrass were enjoying a beer on La Croisette, a chance meeting with Abeed Janmohamed sparked an idea. Rick and Abeed took it further, bringing in Andy Dougan — different backgrounds, same observation. That somewhere between early growth and exit, businesses were being left to figure it out alone. Startup advisory on one end, transaction support on the other — and a gap in the middle where the real work happens.
Not just another M&A firm focused on getting companies to exit. A partner for every stage — the scaling, the building, the figuring out what makes a good company a great one. Operators first, advisors second — because the best advice comes from people who've actually been in the room. And they back what they believe in, taking equity alongside their clients so they're only rewarded when you are.
Later that week, another table by the Mediterranean, and Rick met Sarah Jackson. A year on, Sarah's a partner too — having the kinds of conversations that started all of this, and meeting the founders and people building something worth backing.
That's still how Volando works today. Build. Scale. Exit. Wherever you are in that journey, there's a seat at the table.