Daniel Batista

## PROSPECT INFORMATION: Name: Daniel Batista Title: Founder Fund: Stormlight Capital Inc. Background: Daniel Batista, an Acquisition Entrepreneur and Fractional COO/CFO in Los Angeles, California, has a rich background spanning over 20 years in entertainment, media, technology, and consumer products. He founded Stormlight Capital with a mission to acquire and scale small to medium-sized privately held businesses within the travel and entertainment sectors. His recent ventures include acquiring Candeeland Kids Downey, a family entertainment center, in July 2025. This acquisition followed a two-year journey into Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) which he described in a post on July 14, 2025 as "a deep dive... It became my second full-time job." He further explained his motivation, stating, "I found myself searching for more long-term financial stability, autonomy, and a new challenge. I went back to that spark." He also mentioned, "the timing couldn't feel more right—my son was born in February, and the family entertainment space suddenly felt much more personal. Even more special, the customer base of this business is overwhelmingly Latino—a community I proudly belong to and have spent over a decade serving professionally." In August 2025, Daniel shared insights from being interviewed on Will Smith's Acquiring Minds podcast, noting that Candeeland Kids Downey, an indoor play center, "boasts 50% net margins." He retweeted Will Smith's post on August 29, 2025, which highlighted this "hidden gem" of an industry, and on August 28, 2025, Daniel expressed his gratitude to Will Smith for having him on the podcast. Prior to his acquisition, Daniel was the Chief Operating Officer at Exile Content Studio from January 2023 to May 2024, and Chief Digital Officer from June 2022 to January 2023. During his tenure at Exile Content Studio, he frequently shared updates on their projects, successes, and industry recognition. For instance, on January 30, 2024, he congratulated the team for their film 'In the Summers' winning the U.S. Grand Jury prize for a drama at Sundance, stating, "Winning both the U.S. Grand Jury prize + the Directing award at Sundance is nothing short of amazing!" He also celebrated the success of Exile's podcast "Shoot the Messenger," which won a Gold Signal Award for "General Best Emerging Podcast." On October 10, 2023, he thanked "Signal Awards for the recognition... and to all those who voted for Shoot the Messenger!" Additionally, he rallied support for the podcast on September 20, 2023, saying, "Appreciate the vote to make this great podcast the winner of the Best Emerging Podcast Award :)" Other notable achievements highlighted include Exile Content Studio podcasts winning PopCon2023 Podcast Awards in August 2023, his pride in the show VGLY being #1 in Mexico on HBO Max in May 2023, and the launch of the investigative podcast series "Shoot the Messenger" in January 2023, which he described as "Exile Content Studio's first always on bi-weekly podcast series where each season we'll do deep dives on an international news story that warrants a reexamination." Furthermore, he proudly announced his role as Chief Digital Officer at Exile Content Studio on July 19, 2022, and engaged in discussions about broader issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and racial injustice. In a May 27, 2020 post, he proposed a "similar system (e.g., PANCON) for potential pandemics so that we can be prepared for each stage of risk." In terms of education, Daniel holds an MBA from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management (2010-2011), a BS in Business Administration, and a BA in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley (1998-2002). He also studied at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in 2001. Daniel's skills include Business Strategy, Operations Management, Business Development, Strategic Planning, and Management Consulting. He is bilingual in English and Spanish. Fund details: - Description: Stormlight Capital Inc. is a long-term holding company dedicated to acquiring and scaling a single small to medium-sized privately held business in the travel and entertainment sectors. With a focus on sustainable growth and operational excellence, Stormlight Capital seeks to partner with a company that has strong fundamentals and untapped potential. The firm is led by Daniel Batista, a seasoned C-suite executive with over two decades of experience in media, entertainment, technology, and consumer products. Daniel’s leadership track record includes roles as COO of Exile Content, a Blackstone-backed studio focused on Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic market; Co-Founder and President of BESE, a media startup launched with Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldana; and executive positions at Mitú and theAudience. Earlier in his career, Daniel led strategy consulting engagements at L.E.K. Consulting and held senior international roles at Universal, Warner Bros., and Paramount. His strategic, operational, and global perspective make him uniquely positioned to lead Stormlight Capital in identifying and stewarding the long-term success of its future acquisition. Daniel holds an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and dual degrees in Business and Psychology from UC Berkeley. - Website: https://www.stormlightcap.com - Location: Los Angeles, California, United States - Lead qualification: - Recent deals: Research: - Query: Stormlight Capital Inc. (web (Daniel Batista) recent investments? fund focus / thesis? - Answer: Stormlight Capital Inc. focuses on acquiring and growing small to mid-sized businesses in the travel and entertainment sectors. Its recent investments target companies with strong fundamentals and growth potential.