EMPIRE ASSET FINANCE LAUNCHES WITH $100M BACKING FROM ARENA INVESTORS TO DELIVER CAPITAL-EFFICIENT, TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN EQUIPMENT FINANCING SOLUTIONS

The following information was released by the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA):

Empire Asset Finance, LLC (Empire), a new subsidiary of Arena Investors, LP (Arena), a $4.6 billion[1] global multi-strategy investment firm, announced its official launch, introducing a financing model built on the principle that lending is not a zero-sum game, and we win when everyone wins.

Arena has committed $100 million to grow Empire into a leading equipment finance platform. Empire provides non-investment-grade middle market companies with flexible equipment financing unavailable from traditional capital providers. The firm specializes in capital leases, operating leases, and loans, with a focus on the mid-to-large-ticket segment of the $1.3 trillion annual U.S. equipment finance market (Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation 2024 Horizon Report).

Empire is led by Chief Executive Officer Rick Rockhold and Chief Operating Officer/Chief Credit Officer Mike Miroshnikov, seasoned equipment finance executives with a combined 60 years of industry experience.

Unlike traditional bank structures such as term loans or asset-based lending (ABL) revolvers which often require blanket liens and provide limited advances against equipment, Empires solutions deliver advance rates of up to 100% for new equipment and competitive advance rates for used or sale-leaseback equipment. Targeting deals of $3 to $50 million, Empire operates in a segment that finances critical, revenue-generating assets for U.S. and Canadian middle-market companies.

By financing assets against their productive value rather than underwriting solely on rigid formulaic covenants, Empire enables these businesses to expand while preserving liquidity from their traditional bank facilities. The firm also addresses an industry culture reliant on outdated workflows that slow decisions, frustrate customers and employees, and produce uncertain outcomes.

Empire will work directly with end users through its sales team, ensuring a robust origination channel. To maximize reach, Empire will also source deals indirectly from peer group lenders and lessors through its capital markets team.

Since its founding, Arena has provided creative and flexible solutions for those seeking capital but who cannot be served by conventional institutions, said Vivek Nayar, Managing Director of Arena. Empire carries that spirit forward, bringing Arenas resources to the equipment finance space and doing so with a philosophy that creates value for everyone involved.

As Arenas newest investment platform, Empire brings the resources, agility, and service to deliver equipment financing that fuels the CapEx needs of middle market companies, said Rick Rockhold, CEO of Empire. For too long, mid to large ticket clients have been stuck with a 50-year-old lending model. By pairing advanced technology with direct private credit, were changing that dynamic, delivering faster, more efficient, and more transparent solutions that actually match the pace of our clients businesses.

About Arena Investors, LP

Arena Investors, LP is a global institutional asset manager founded in 2015 by Daniel Zwirn, a veteran investor with over two decades of experience building alternative asset platforms.

Arenais a global multi-strategy investment firm with approximately $4.6 billion[2] of assets under management and programmatic capital as of June 30, 2025. The firm is a subsidiary ofArenaInvestors Group Holdings ("AIGH"). AIGH, along with its affiliate, Ceres Life Insurance, comprises the Westaim Corporation (TSXV: "WED"), an integrated asset management and life insurance and annuity provider.

About Empire Asset Finance, LLC

Empire Asset Finance, LLC is a direct private credit lender focused on mid- to large-ticket equipment financing solutions for underserved middle-market companies. Backed by Arena, Empire delivers flexible capital structures, white-glove service, and technology-driven execution that empowers businesses to grow while preserving liquidity.