Failed
26 Capital Acquisition Corp.
- Registration2020-12-23 Filed S1
- IPO2021-01-16 IPO, search begins
- Definitive AgreementNo merger agreement yet
- Failed2023-10-13 Merger Failed
- Raised
- $200M
- CIK
- 1822912
- SPAC Ticker
- ADERU
- Focus
- Gaming, Technology, Consumer, Hospitality, Entertainment, Ecommerce
SPAC Team
Leadership
Jason Ader has served as our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman since inception. He is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of SpringOwl Asset Management LLC. Founded in 2013, SpringOwl is a New York-based SEC-registered asset management firm and independent sponsor leading corporate turnarounds, with a particular focus on the real estate, gaming and lodging sectors. Mr. Ader has been involved in turning around companies in the gaming and hospitality industry for many years, including with the Las Vegas Sands Corp. where he served as an independent director from 2009-2016, IGT, The Stars Group and most recently, Playtech. Mr. Ader earned his MBA in Finance from New York University and a BA in Economics from New York University.
John Lewis has served as our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary since inception. He is the Chief Financial Officer of SpringOwl Asset Management LLC. He spent the past 22 years in the hedge fund industry as a Chief Financial Officer and controller, including a combined 17 years at SpringOwl Associates LLC (formerly known as Cumberland Associates LLC) and three years at Ardea Capital Management LP, a start-up hedge fund. Prior to that, he was assistant controller at a mid-sized retail/wholesale corporation with 17 stores. He has a BA in accounting from The State University of New York at Oswego. He is also a New York State Certified Public Accountant and member of the AICPA.
Rafi Ashkenazi will be one of our directors on the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Mr. Ashkenazi has served as a non-executive director of gaming company Flutter Entertainment Plc. until August 2020. Previously, Mr. Ashkenazi served in various roles at gaming company The Stars Group Inc. from January 2013 until its merger with Flutter Entertainment in May 2020. Mr. Ashkenazi served as CEO at The Stars Group from March 2016 to May 2020, COO from January 2013 to March 2015. From January 2006 to January 2013, Mr. Ashkenazi served in various roles at gaming company Playtech PLC, including COO from January 2006 to January 2010 and then from September 2011 to December 2012. Mr. Ashkenazi earned a B.A. in industrial engineering from Shankar College in Israel in 2002.
Joseph Kaminkow will be one of our directors on the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Since October 2018, Mr. Kaminkow has served as Special Advisor to the Chief Product Officer at Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd., a leading gaming provider and games publisher. Mr. Kaminkow previously served as Aristocrat’s Chief Innovation Officer from May 2013 to October 2018. Mr. Kaminkow also currently serves as Vice President of Game Design at Zynga Inc., where he has been since September 2019. He previously served as Zynga’s Chief Game Designer from June 2012 to September 2019. From August 2010 to June 2012, Mr. Kaminkow served as CEO of software company Spooky Cool Labs, LLC. Mr. Kaminkow earned a B.A. from Curry College in 1983.
Gregory S. Lyss will be one of our directors on the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Mr. Lyss serves as our Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Lyss also serves as on the investment team of Saddle Point Management, L.P. (“Saddle Point”). Founded in 2018, Saddle Point is a New York-based SEC-registered asset management firm. From 2011 to 2019, he served as the Chief Investment Officer for TABLE Management, L.P., a single family office. Prior to TABLE, Mr. Lyss was a partner and analyst at Alson Capital Partners, L.P., an investment manager to multibillion dollar hedge funds. Mr. Lyss had previously worked as an investment analyst at Gotham Partners, L.P. and co-founded Cohanzick Management, L.P., a private investment partnership. Prior to Cohanzick Management, Mr. Lyss worked as an analyst for Leucadia National Corporation (now Jeffries Financial Group Inc.). Mr. Lyss serves on the board of directors of Alpha Precision Media Inc. (an Amazon media buying specialist). He previously served on the boards of Calendre Company, MD Insider, and Maverick Brands. He currently serves as the Treasurer and a member of the Board of UJA-Federation of New York, one of the largest local philanthropy in the U.S. Mr. Lyss received his A.B. from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Graduate School of Business.