# Atwater Capital

Atwater Capital is a Private Equity based in Los Angeles, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Private Equity
- **Headquarters:** Los Angeles, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Los Angeles, CA, United States
- **Founded:** 2018
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.atwater-capital.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/atwater-capital

## Regulatory record

- **CRD number:** 299075
- **SEC file number:** 801-121164
- **Registration status:** Registered
- **Reports private funds:** Yes
- **IAPD record:** https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/299075

## About

Atwater Capital is focused exclusively on the Media and Entertainment sectors. It was founded with the vision of uniting the creative aspects of evaluating investments and growing companies with deep operational and financial expertise under one roof and one team. The firm seeks to extract synergies by applying quantitative rigor to creative strategy on behalf of portfolio companies and stakeholders, bringing nimble and disruptive operational and financial strategies to its investments.

## Sectors

- Media & Entertainment
- AI/ML

## People

- Vania Schlogel — Founder & Managing Partner
- John Sheehan — Managing Director
- Meri Khananashvili — Director
- Melissa Smith — Head of Finance & Valuation

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at Atwater Capital?

Founder and Managing Partner Vania Schlogel leads investment decisions. She previously invested in media at KKR and was a member of the Leveraged Finance division at Goldman Sachs, then served as Chief Investment Officer of Roc Nation. The investment team includes Managing Director John Sheehan, a former Goldman TMT banker, and Director Meri Khananashvili, who previously negotiated independent film financing and distribution deals at CAA.

### What investment stages does Atwater Capital typically target?

Atwater invests across the full lifecycle of media and entertainment companies, from early-stage startups to growth equity and buyouts. The portfolio includes early-stage ventures like Magnific, an AI-driven creative tool, alongside mature content houses such as Plan B Entertainment and LEONINE Studios. This flexibility allows the firm to back IP and talent at the stage where it can add the most operational value.

### How is Atwater Capital related to KKR and CAA?

Atwater's advisory board includes Joe Bae, Co-CEO of KKR, and Kevin Huvane, Co-Chairman of CAA. The KKR connection has produced direct co-investment activity, most notably in LEONINE Studios, which the firms own jointly. The CAA tie gives Atwater proximity to creative talent and deal origination within Hollywood's agency ecosystem, reinforced by Director Meri Khananashvili's prior role in CAA's Media Finance Group.

### Which sectors does Atwater Capital explicitly invest in?

Atwater focuses exclusively on media and entertainment. Sub-sectors include filmed entertainment, music and digital audio, content production, sports media, and AI-enabled creative tools. Representative investments span a Hollywood production company (Plan B), a music-licensing platform (Epidemic Sound), a professional volleyball league (LOVB), and a generative AI platform for creatives (Magnific).

## Related profiles

- [AT PARTNERS](https://altss.com/profile/at-partners)
- [Auctus Capital](https://altss.com/profile/auctus-capital)

---

Last updated: 2026-08-11T15:06:04.815Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/atwater-capital

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology