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Arrowfly, a prominent award-winning B2B media and marketing enterprise, has finalized the acquisition of Prosper Company, a move that significantly broadens its footprint within the foodservice and hospitality sectors. The acquisition includes the Prosper Forum and Prosper Accelerate, two of the industry’s most prestigious leadership conferences designed to bridge the gap between established senior executives and the rising generation of industry leaders. This strategic expansion allows Arrowfly to integrate high-level, invitation-only events into its existing portfolio of more than 40 brands, which spans sectors including healthcare, engineering, retail, and food. By bringing Prosper Company under its umbrella, Arrowfly secures a direct pipeline to the decision-makers currently steering major global brands, as well as the emerging talent poised to inherit those roles in the coming decade.
The transaction comes at a critical juncture for the hospitality and foodservice industries, which are currently navigating a complex landscape of labor shortages, technological disruption, and shifting consumer expectations. Through this acquisition, Arrowfly aims to provide its partners with unprecedented access to an engaged community of restaurant and foodservice executives. The addition of Prosper Company’s assets reinforces Arrowfly’s commitment to delivering high-value, data-driven marketing and editorial content to professional audiences. The integration will be supported by Arrowfly’s proprietary performance platform, Clara, which provides real-time visibility into audience engagement and lead quality, offering a technological edge to the newly acquired event series.
Strategic Integration and the Mission of "A Better Table"
Founded in 2023, Prosper Company was established with a mission centered on the concept of building "A Better Table." This philosophy emphasizes inclusion, mentorship, and the collaborative exchange of ideas between the current C-suite and future leaders. The Prosper Forum, the company’s flagship event, is an invitation-only annual gathering that serves as a nexus for operators, franchise owners, and senior executives from the world’s leading hospitality organizations. Unlike traditional trade shows, the Forum focuses on deep-level leadership development and strategic networking, creating an environment where industry veterans can mentor the talent nominated by their respective CEOs.
A cornerstone of the Prosper Forum is the Prosper Accelerator, a signature 24-month leadership program. This program pairs senior executives with emerging leaders to foster long-term professional growth and organizational stability. By acquiring this program, Arrowfly is not merely purchasing a set of events but is investing in a structured talent pipeline that addresses one of the industry’s most pressing concerns: succession planning. In an era where the "Great Resignation" and generational shifts have left many organizations with leadership gaps, the Accelerator program provides a proactive solution for talent retention and development.
Prosper Accelerate, the second major component of the acquisition, complements the Forum’s mission through a three-day intensive leadership conference. This event blends high-level keynote presentations with functional think-tank breakouts. These sessions cover a wide array of critical business pillars, including finance, supply chain management, operations, technology, marketing, and human resources. The goal is to provide actionable insights that help leaders navigate the structural costs and operational hurdles inherent in the modern foodservice economy.
Leadership Perspectives on the Acquisition
Matt Logan, CEO of Arrowfly, emphasized the unique value proposition that Prosper Company brings to the Arrowfly portfolio. According to Logan, Prosper has succeeded in creating a rare environment where the current stewards of the industry’s largest brands interact directly with their successors. He noted that the access provided by these conferences is something that cannot be easily replicated or bypassed through traditional marketing channels. Logan stated that Arrowfly’s primary objective is to invest in the existing foundation of the Prosper community while leveraging Arrowfly’s extensive resources to expand its reach across the broader industry.
David Jobe, co-founder and CEO of Prosper Company, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the alignment of values between the two organizations. Jobe noted that the decision to join Arrowfly was driven by a shared commitment to the "Connected Community" that Prosper has cultivated since its inception. He remarked that the partnership would allow Prosper to focus on purposeful growth and widen its impact on the talent pipeline while remaining true to its core mission of inclusion. Jobe, alongside co-founder and President Luke Kircher, has seen the organization grow from a startup in 2023 to a fixture on the industry calendar in just three years, drawing support from more than 300 founding partner organizations.
A Chronology of Growth and Industry Impact
The trajectory of Prosper Company reflects the rapid demand for high-level networking and leadership training in the post-pandemic era.
- 2023: Prosper Company is founded by David Jobe and Luke Kircher with a focus on "A Better Table." The inaugural Prosper Forum is launched, establishing the 24-month Accelerator program.
- 2024–2025: The organization sees rapid adoption, with over 300 partner organizations joining the community. The events become known for their exclusive nature and focus on the "next generation" of talent.
- August 2026: The Prosper Forum convenes at The Ritz-Carlton, Orlando. The programming reflects modern challenges, including sessions on Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption, workforce policy, capital strategy, and M&A trends.
- Late 2026: Arrowfly officially announces the acquisition of Prosper Company.
- October 28–30, 2026: The upcoming Prosper Accelerate conference is scheduled to take place at the Omni Dallas Hotel, marking the first major event under the Arrowfly banner.
This timeline illustrates a swift evolution from a niche leadership concept to a cornerstone of the foodservice executive calendar. The move to Orlando and Dallas for major conferences signals the scale at which the organization now operates, drawing attendees from across North America.
Market Context: Navigating the $1.1 Trillion Foodservice Industry
The acquisition of Prosper Company by Arrowfly occurs against a backdrop of significant economic and operational shifts in the restaurant and hospitality sectors. According to recent data from the National Restaurant Association, the U.S. restaurant industry is projected to reach $1.1 trillion in sales in 2024. Despite this growth, operators face a "new normal" characterized by higher food costs, increased labor wages, and a highly competitive market for skilled management.
Industry data suggests that labor turnover remains one of the highest costs for hospitality brands. Replacing a mid-level manager can cost an organization upwards of $15,000 to $20,000 in recruitment and training expenses, while C-suite turnover can cost hundreds of thousands in lost productivity and search fees. Programs like the Prosper Accelerator are designed to mitigate these costs by fostering internal loyalty and preparing "bench talent" to step into higher roles seamlessly.
Furthermore, the rapid adoption of technology—from automated kitchen equipment to AI-driven customer analytics—requires a new type of leader. Today’s executives must be as proficient in data science and digital strategy as they are in traditional hospitality and culinary arts. The think-tank breakouts at Prosper Accelerate are specifically designed to address these technological shifts, providing a forum for leaders to share "what is working" in real-time.
The Role of Data and the Clara Platform
One of the most significant advantages of this acquisition is the integration of Prosper’s live events with Arrowfly’s proprietary technology platform, Clara. In the B2B media space, the value of an event is increasingly measured by the quality of the data it generates. Arrowfly’s partners will now be able to gain real-time visibility into the engagement levels of the C-suite attendees at Prosper events.
Clara allows for a more sophisticated approach to demand generation and audience insights. By tracking which topics resonate most with attendees—whether it be capital strategy, AI, or organizational culture—Arrowfly can tailor its digital content and editorial coverage across its 40+ brands to meet the specific needs of the market. This creates a feedback loop where live events inform digital strategy, and digital engagement drives attendance at live events. This synergy is a hallmark of modern B2B media companies that are moving away from traditional advertising models toward comprehensive "community-as-a-service" models.
Broader Implications for B2B Media and Hospitality
The acquisition of Prosper Company signals a broader trend of consolidation in the B2B media landscape, where high-touch, high-value live events are becoming the "gold standard" for professional engagement. As digital noise increases, the value of face-to-face interaction among decision-makers has surged. Arrowfly’s move suggests that the future of B2B media lies in owning the "room where it happens," supplemented by robust digital platforms and editorial independence.
For the hospitality industry, the continuation and expansion of the Prosper Forum and Prosper Accelerate under Arrowfly’s stewardship offer a sense of continuity. The commitment to a "Better Table" ensures that the industry’s push toward diversity, equity, and inclusion remains a central pillar of leadership development. As the industry prepares for the 2026 conference in Dallas, the focus will likely remain on how the next generation of leaders can navigate an increasingly volatile global economy while maintaining the human-centric focus that defines hospitality.
In summary, Arrowfly’s acquisition of Prosper Company represents more than just an expansion of a portfolio; it is a strategic investment in the intellectual capital of the foodservice and hospitality industry. By combining Prosper’s mission-driven leadership programs with Arrowfly’s technological infrastructure and media reach, the combined entity is positioned to shape the future of industry leadership for years to come.
