Mats Penberthy

Director   

• ppenberthy@tytonpartners.com
• Connect on LinkedIn

About Mats

Philip “Mats” Penberthy is a Director at Tyton Partners, where he brings over 15 years of experience at the intersection of education, investment, and strategy. He advises K-12 institutions, edtech companies, and private equity investors, helping them navigate market dynamics, sharpen go-to-market strategies, and scale impact with intention.

Mats began his career as a middle school teacher in Miami-Dade County, where his classroom earned “model” status for instructional excellence. He went on to support district-wide improvement initiatives and serve as an internal consultant for TeacherCraft, an edtech startup focused on empowering educators.

At Tyton, Mats supports clients in translating vision into action—whether developing market expansion strategies, evaluating investment opportunities, or driving operational improvement. His recent work includes:

Recent project highlights include:

• Leading growth strategy engagements for public and private higher education institutions to optimize program offerings based on local demand dynamics.

• Managing sell-side diligence engagements for several K-12 academies serving students with special needs.

• Shaping a foundation strategy aimed at closing equity gaps in entry-level college math courses through improved courseware products.

• Developing a product and go-to-market strategy for a large K-12 assessment provider to enhance data-driven instruction through a new API product.

• Conducting research into the impact of education savings accounts (ESAs) and other school choice programs nationwide.

Before joining Tyton Partners, Mats spent three years as a director and consultant in EY-Parthenon’s education practice, advising private equity, edtech, and nonprofit clients.

Mats’s work reflects a commitment to elevating educational experiences through strategic innovation, helping clients navigate change, seize opportunities, and deliver lasting impact.

Industry Focus

• K-12:

  • Led product and growth strategy projects for publishers, ed tech providers, and non-profits across the K-12 space

  • Developed positioning recommendations for K-12 academies providing targeted support to populations with special needs

  • Contributed to research on the evolution of school programs and its impacts on students and families

• Higher Ed:

  • Led growth strategy project for public institution focused on aligning programs with current and future local demand dynamics

  • Developed growth and positioning recommendations for graduate nursing school to support capital raise

• Impact:

  • Led foundation strategy project to drive greater equity in gateway college math courses

  • Led product strategy engagement for K-12 non-profit introducing an advising network for district leaders

• Private Equity:

  • Led 40+ buy- and sell-side engagements across ECE, K-12, and Higher Education segments ranging from SaaS to services

  • Supported M&A transactions ranging from $20M-$5B

  • Published newsletters and publications highlighting key trends and transactions across the landscape

Publications and Speaking Engagements

• Contributing author, Paying for Choice 2024

• Contributing author, Investor Newsletters

  • Innovative Solutions for Budget Deficits

  • Investing Early (Childhood)

  • Education Investment Opportunities

Education

• MBA, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern

• BS, University of Washington

Interests and Passion Projects

• Spending time with family

• Watching sports teams from the Pacific Northwest (Go Zags!)

• Running or relaxing on the lake

Why Clients Love Working with Mats

“Mats is extremely sharp, creative, and talented at managing clients and projects. He got up to speed on our business remarkably quickly and was able to offer valuable guidance and suggestions.”