"Strong businesses have the potential to deliver positive impact to a wide range of stakeholders including customers, employees and investors. Innovation in private equity enables partners like Accel-KKR to help leaders go further than they imagined."
Accel-KKR’s software sector specialty (over 450 software investments since 2000) provides us with a strong foundation of global resources, operating expertise and network to build strong partnerships and create value alongside our partner companies. Similarly, Accel-KKR is on our growth journey as well, having raised 18 funds across five fund families and establishing a global footprint since our founding in 2000.
"Businesses that fail to understand today's data-driven opportunities will quickly fade, while those that adopt modern tools will thrive. We drive key growth across our portfolio by equipping our partners with the right people, processes, and tools."
Access begins with in-depth research to identify key areas for investment and growth. After identifying industries with strong growth potential, Access shares insights with businesses to help them leverage opportunities to modernize and scale. Alongside its partners, Access builds a “Destination Plan” to support the business as it navigates market shifts and scales. This approach provides businesses with the right people, processes, and tech-enabled tools to accelerate value creation.
"Altamont Capital Partners views innovation as key to driving value and sustainable growth, which improves the offerings and operations of firms and their partners. We welcome innovation and believe our team possesses the skill and care to harness it."
Altamont Capital Partners’ investment philosophy is rooted in the belief that strong partnerships foster innovative growth-based solutions that fit the unique needs of each individual company. Our innovative nature is crafted from a combination of values, including partnership, experience, business building, flexibility, and culture. Innovation is key to conducting due diligence, generating value that benefits Altamont and our portfolio companies, and best serving our communities.
"Innovation is no longer optional for firms that want to excel. The best investment firms will find new applications of technology, data, or IP to better deliver value while opening new markets and creating novel products or businesses."
Leadership in data science is core to our firm identity. From inception, we’ve used data, insights, and relationships to solve complex problems and create value for our partners in professional sports and alternative asset management. Arctos Insights, our proprietary research platform, empowers our firm with a vast data lake, advanced analytics and AI, and thought leadership. With these tools, we support decision-makers and drive innovation, fueled by a culture of creativity and disruption.
"The only constant in life is change – private equity must constantly change and innovate to create value and succeed."
Through a disciplined value investment approach, Aterian seeks to partner with leading, middle-market businesses and pursue transformational involvement by improving talent and operational performance, facilitating capability enhancing capital investment, refining strategic profiles, capitalizing on white space and where appropriate, completing high impact add-on acquisitions for all of its portfolio companies. By integrating this approach into our portfolio companies, Aterian creates long-term value for investors and stakeholders.
Headquartered in Boston, with offices in San Francisco, New York, and London, Audax Private Equity manages three strategies: its Flagship and Origins private equity strategies, seeking control buyouts in the core middle and lower middle markets, respectively, and its Strategic Capital strategy (ASC) that provides customized equity solutions to PE-backed portfolio companies to help drive continued growth.
"We think our Buy & Build approach, built over 25 years, helps instill consistency and command. ASC extends on these capabilities to help other sponsors drive 'mid-hold' growth and act on compelling opportunities."
Audax’s approach to innovation is to stay true to our Buy & Build strategy and dedicated middle-market focus, while leveraging deep investments in our team and differentiated capabilities. ASC builds upon this lineage, offering flexible capital solutions to support sponsors in driving organic and inorganic growth. Through ASC’s ‘mid-hold’ equity solutions, sponsors can extend the growth runway of performing investments, align interests, and optimize performance.
Avance is a private equity firm with a passion for building great businesses in partnership with talented founders and management teams. Avance focuses primarily on thematic investments within the services, technology and consumer areas in the U.S., seeking attractive opportunities with catalysts for growth and fragmented spaces with consolidation opportunities. Avance’s team has a long history of partnering with founder-owned businesses, industry executives and management teams and aims to add value to each investment through the application of its STAGE™ value creation framework. Avance has offices in New York and Miami.
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"Over our 40-year history, we have had the privilege of building partnerships with a broad range of innovative founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams from around the world."
"Innovation is vital in PE as it fuels digital transformation, boosts efficiency, and unlocks growth. BayPine's digital-first strategy help modernize portfolio companies, drive value creation, and create lasting value for our key stakeholders."
BayPine's commitment to innovation spans Due Diligence, Value Creation, PE Operations, and Corporate Citizenship. We use a digital-first approach in due diligence, leveraging data analytics to identify transformation opportunities. We partner with management teams to drive tech-enabled process optimization. Our purpose-built team blends tech and investing expertise to modernize portfolio companies. Lastly, we prioritize ESG throughout our investment process.
"Technology innovation is a key enabler of a sustainable value creation strategy. This approach has allowed us to stay competitive by deploying cutting-edge technologies and practices, which fosters new growth opportunities in our portfolio companies."
Bertram Capital utilizes Bertram Labs, its in-house digital development team, to add transformative value to our portfolio companies. Bertram Labs is a group of 12-plus skilled engineers, software developers, social media and digital marketing specialists, website designers, graphic artists and data scientists supporting value creation strategies across the Bertram portfolio. Bertram Labs has led or contributed to more than 200 projects (since inception in 2006).
"Innovation is a key driver for growth and success in private equity – especially at Blue Point. Our commitment to blending data-driven strategies and operational expertise fosters sustainable growth for our companies and support for their employees."
Blue Point focuses on driving long-term growth and innovation across our portfolio. Through proactive due diligence, we leverage operational capabilities, global supply chain expertise and data & digital insights to mitigate risk and unlock value. We help companies become more agile, tech-savvy leaders. We collaboratively foster transformative growth, improving operations and talent development. Programs like Blue Point Cares highlight our commitment to a "one firm, one culture" methodology.
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"Constant innovation keeps clients, suppliers, investors, employees, and other constituents engaged and wanting to do business, leading to long term value creation."
Our experienced team has more than 200 years of collective investing and operating experience in companies with EBITDA of $1-50 million. Our focused strategy targets investments in growth-oriented, differentiated, entrepreneurial businesses in industrial growth, healthcare and aerospace & defense. We are active with 20 acquisitions closed since October 2023, with 30 percent of our recently raised Fund III deployed.
"With significant competition for quality investments combined with increasing cost and reimbursement pressures in healthcare, private equity firms must have innovative post-closing value creation plans to successfully generate differentiated returns."
With an extensive network of industry contacts and dedicated operating executives, BPOC's innovative value creation formula focuses on four areas: human capital, organic growth, acquisitions, and operating efficiencies. By bringing experienced, larger-company resources to smaller businesses, we seek to enhance the growth trajectory of our portfolio companies.
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"Innovation is vital in private equity, driving growth, resilience, and long-term success. At BPC, we use tailored, data-driven strategies to unlock potential, solve challenges, and create sustainable value for businesses and their communities."
At Brighton Park Capital, we recognize that every company is unique, requiring tailored strategies to unlock their potential. By focusing on product innovation, operational efficacy, growth, and development, we deliver transformative value through thoughtful, customized solutions. This recognition highlights our commitment to proactive diligence, operational excellence, and corporate responsibility.
"Today, innovation is key to navigating market cycles. By embracing strategies like dynamic pricing, AI, improved customer experiences, and optimized processes, companies can increase profitability and deliver strong sustainable returns on investment."
Broad Sky brings deep post-acquisition value creation resources to support its portfolio businesses. The firm studies the key forces shaping demand such as digital and data driven tech transformations, aging infrastructure, regulatory complexity, AI and business automation, and socio-demographic transitions across our categories of focus. We partner with companies to take advantage of opportunities created by market shifts and leverage Broad Sky’s deep resources for value creation.
"We believe innovation drives value creation and helps our portfolio companies grow and thrive. Partnering with management, we embrace new technologies and creative practices that enhance decision-making, strengthen businesses, and deliver results. "
Clairvest values the entrepreneurial spirit of our partners. We seek minority positions alongside our operating partners and are comfortable with ownership positions that align with their interests. As long-term investors, we focus on fundamental value creation rather than market timing or financial engineering. Together, we work to build strategically significant businesses.
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"In ever-evolving and increasingly competitive markets, Clearlake believes that innovation and creativity are crucial to unlock value within portfolio companies and maintain relevance, differentiation, and a competitive advantage."
Clearlake leverages its sector specific expertise, its proprietary O.P.S.® (Operations, People, Strategy) framework, and a combination of private equity, credit and special situations experience to drive value at its portfolio companies. By focusing on innovative solutions for operational challenges and strategic deployment of the firm’s resources, Clearlake collaborates with management teams to revamp operations, transform business models, and refine go-to-market strategies to enhance value.
"Growth is our focus, and with every new partnership, we embrace innovative approaches to drive it forward."
Compass Group is committed to fostering a culture of innovation throughout our investment lifecycle. We stay ahead of industry shifts and emerging trends to identify promising opportunities to elevate our portfolio companies. Our hands-on approach combines market insights with operational excellence to deliver lasting value.
"Doing the same old thing does not generate above market returns."
"PE is hyper-competitive, and what worked in the past is no longer enough. For investors to achieve target returns, customers to achieve desired outcomes, and employees to have fulfilling careers, innovation isn’t a choice; it’s an imperative."
Council Capital embraces innovation across all phases of the investment lifecycle. The firm has developed its own proprietary software and analytics solution to fuel deal sourcing, and it takes creative approaches to sourcing and structuring. It has built a dedicated value creation team to support its portfolio companies on a host of strategic, growth, and operational initiatives. These resources complement the CEO Council which is comprised of many top executives within the healthcare industry.
"Just like the broader healthcare ecosystem continues to evolve, so too does Cressey continually seek to innovate through our partnerships to ultimately drive higher quality care through forward-thinking services and technology."
Cressey & Company is a leading healthcare investment firm because of its rigorous thematic work and focus on investing in leading healthcare companies that set the standard for high quality.
"Innovation drives growth, competitive advantage, and value in private equity. We’re honored to receive BluWave’s “Top Private Equity Innovator Award” for the fourth consecutive year, a testament to our team’s efforts in building something special."
Crest Rock Partners excels through its S.E.A. framework – Strategy, Execution, Accountability – ensuring alignment and value maximization for all stakeholders. With more than 30 years of collective investment and operations experience, the firm helps management teams build exceptional companies while being mindful of social and environmental impacts. Crest Rock Partners values openness, honesty, integrity, and collaboration.
"Innovation is crucial to driving forward growth and efficiency in all PE companies. Trends and diagonal competitors are forever evolving and at faster levels than ever before. New ideas are how to stay relevant and deliver value to shareholders."
Diversis Capital embraces innovation by proactively identifying high-potential companies and unlocking transformative value across our portfolio. By proactively assessing market trends, we are able to make informed investments in emerging sectors and disruptive technologies. Our approach focuses on enhancing product innovation and empowering companies to lead in their markets.
"Innovation is critical to shaping the future of the PE industry. It is not only core to our investment strategy as technology investors, but also to how we operate as a business from sourcing and diligence to portfolio management and value creation."
Edison Partners consistently delivers strong results across multiple economic cycles through its integrated team of investors and operators, and value delivered beyond capital that resonates with entrepreneurs. Unmatched in growth equity, the Edison Edge value creation platform provides operating resources to navigate, accelerate and scale growth. Set apart by its people-first approach, the firm has earned a world-class Net Promoter Score of 75, validating CEO satisfaction and business impact.
"Businesses and industries are constantly evolving, and so innovation is a core part of our due diligence and value creation strategy."
We aim to be a valuable partner by bringing expert operating expertise to our investments through partnerships with talented industry executives and advisors, offering flexible solutions for business owners seeking help with liquidity events or growth capital, making efficient decisions in investments and partnerships, being “industry smart” to help solve problems and drive growth, and leveraging our network of industry contacts to create opportunities and find solutions for our companies.
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"Innovation enables us to take an honest look in the mirror and objectively assess how we can improve as investors. In so doing, we push ourselves to improve our ability to partner with businesses that operate in industries of consequence."
Innovation is woven into the fabric of our firm, with a focus on continuous process improvement across all facets of our business. We strive to author differentiated industry theses to drive our origination and capture efforts, conduct confirmatory and preparatory diligence to prepare our businesses for transformative growth, and execute value creation strategies that enhance our companies’ competitive differentiation and durable value propositions. We recruit and cultivate talent that shares a passion for building industry leaders, and we organize and operate our firm in a manner that maximizes our team's potential while supporting our management team partners in pursuit of their visions for growth.
"As private equity investors, we aim to partner with great companies and help them achieve their full potential. Prioritizing innovation in our own business is the first step to accelerating and maintaining healthy growth for our partner companies."
FFL embraces innovation and is always looking to refine and improve its hyper-specialized Sector Exploration and Expertise Development (“SEED”) strategy. SEED is the organizing principle of the firm, and FFL generally spends multiple years exploring each SEED area: developing relationships, curating a pipeline of target companies, and shaping detailed value creation theses. FFL is constantly evolving its practices across all of these areas in order to drive differentiated results.
"If you are not innovating, growing and improving, you'll get left behind. Frontenac’s culture of continuous improvement consistently evolves in order to support our investors, our portfolio companies, and our team."
Frontenac is a pioneer in executive-led investing, having launched the CEO1ST® program nearly three decades ago. Every Frontenac investment begins with the CEO1ST approach, in which Frontenac partners with an experienced industry executive to develop a thesis, identify potential investments, source target companies and ultimately drive value alongside management and the investment team. This thematic approach is complemented by the firm’s operationally intensive playbook.
"By empowering visionary founders, we transform challenges into opportunities and accelerate growth. This award reflects our belief that with the right support, bold ideas can reshape industries and create a brighter future for all."
We partner with growth-stage companies outside of traditional investment hubs that are industry disrupters, challenging institutions entrenched in their markets and pushing the evolution towards better solutions. Our flexible, founder-friendly approach, our own experience as operators, and our vast network of resources allows us to support rapid growth. In addition, we invest in entrepreneurial communities in cities across the country to develop and source exciting ideas.
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"PE competition has been and is likely to keep increasing over time. Maintaining and seeking out continued innovation across deal sourcing, underwriting and aiding companies in growth is paramount to ensuring successful outcomes for investors."
Gauge’s track record of innovation is rooted in our people and portfolio company teams. By hiring great minds from a range of backgrounds, there is an ongoing dialogue surrounding best practices and how we can continue to improve in these four concepts. This is supplemented by a data-driven approach to every aspect of operations to quantify and support our decision-making processes, ensuring change is not made simply for the sake of change, but rather to improve as investors and citizens.
We focus on relative value opportunities in the middle-market and have a large team to pursue opportunities in parallel, maintain value discipline, and drive value creation.
"Our action-oriented approach puts innovation at the heart of our value creation strategy. Our investment team and Strategic Advisory Board partner with outstanding management teams to drive transformational change in high quality businesses."
Genstar targets high-quality businesses that have the potential to be transformed into industry leaders through a rigorous focus on human capital and strategic business improvement. Genstar has a history of partnering with operating executives and management teams to drive improved operational execution at its portfolio companies.
"We believe innovation is key to unlocking growth opportunities. Our value creation strategy focuses on partnering with companies at the forefront of their industries and helping make tangible improvements to drive growth and scale their businesses."
Great Hill drives transformation and growth within its portfolio by partnering with management teams to offer deep domain expertise and strategic counsel. Utilizing proven value-creation strategies that accelerate growth and enhance strategic value, Great Hill works with portfolio company management teams to implement innovative solutions across go-to-market optimization, product innovation, IT enhancement, geographic expansion, and talent initiatives as well as support strategic acquisitions.
"Innovation allows us to uncover new opportunities, solve complex challenges, and create lasting value for the businesses and communities we support."
At Great Range Capital, transformative value creation is guided by Midwestern values of hard work, integrity, and collaboration. We honor the unique culture and heritage of each business, working closely with leadership to craft strategies that drive growth while preserving what makes them successful. By optimizing operations, empowering employees, and connecting businesses to trusted resources, we create lasting value for companies, their people, and their communities.
"The PE industry is capable of not only funding many of the innovative ideas that ultimately drive the U.S. economy, but also providing support and experience that new entrepreneurs may leverage to avoid pitfalls and take advantage of opportunities."
GreyLion’s LIFT Playbook is core to our approach to partnership and value creation. We utilize the four key tenets of Leadership, Investment, Flexibility and Technology to develop a plan to drive growth and value, which we seek to realize upon exit. GreyLion leverages our operating network both during the diligence process as well as to serve on boards and serve as mentors to first-time founders and entrepreneurs.
"Gridiron's growth is driven by strengthening team and operational capabilities, advancing technology, and fostering a culture of innovation. We deeply value our forward-thinking team and partner companies that champion innovation for lasting value."
Our Gridiron Playbook and Thematic Areas of Expertise enable us to proactively identify target industries and new partnerships, facilitating direct sourcing and relationship building with management teams. This approach allows us to quickly establish strategic plans, enhance teams with talent, and drive growth post-partnership. Gridiron's Centers of Excellence, led by Operating Partners, offer best practices and resources to execute strategic initiatives.
"With the incredible democratization of AI and digital capabilities over the past decade, GrowthCurve Capital believes the time has come to use the power of these capabilities to drive growth and create sustainable value within portfolio companies."
GrowthCurve Capital believes AI provides opportunities to unlock new areas of value creation within our portfolio companies by enhancing their operational decision-making at scale. Together with a differentiated approach to human capital, we believe this ecosystem empowers management teams to create sustainable value.
Founded in 1980, GTCR is focused on investing in transformative growth in companies in the business & consumer services, financial services & technology, healthcare and technology, media & telecommunications sectors. Since its inception, GTCR has invested more than $25 billion in more than 270 companies, and the firm currently manages more than $35 billion in equity capital. GTCR is based in Chicago with offices in New York and West Palm Beach.
"Innovation allows us to identify and invest in industry leading growth companies with the greatest return potential. We are also able to stay competitive by adapting to evolving market trends and using functional strategies to enhance company performance."
Guidepost works to optimize value creation by investing in scalability and accelerating growth. Its Value Creation Group (VCG) provides portfolio company operational support. Leveraging strong corporate social responsibility practices enables collective goals to be achieved with entrepreneurs, limited partners, and team members. Our approach applies these practices broadly across our firm, investment process, and with portfolio companies and entrepreneurs throughout the investment lifecycle.
"Innovation drives value creation and helps the firm to maintain our competitive advantage. It allows firms like ours to identify new investment opportunities, streamline portfolio management, and adapt to market shifts, ensuring long-term value creation and superior returns to investors."
"We aim to enhance the strategy of a business and to amplify its growth plans. It is important to have a full complement of tools to provide that kind of strategic assistance in an ever-evolving marketplace."
Halifax employs a strategy-led value creation approach, the Halifax ‘ValuFactors’, which are aimed at unlocking value during our hold period. Our process begins, in partnership with management, by developing a strategic blueprint for success that will inform our efforts to (i) strengthen the platform and drive operational improvement and (ii) execute a growth strategy via organic growth and a re-positioning of the business.
"Innovation is a meaningful source of the outperformance that the private equity asset class has delivered over the past several decades. Finding better ways to source, diligence, mitigate risk and support value creation as we scale our investments is critical to our continued success. This is a fast moving, increasingly competitive business, and if you aren’t getting better every day through innovation, you are certainly falling behind."
HCI invests in strong businesses within large, fragmented, and stable industries. Our initial platform investments are small relative to the size of the market opportunity, but we focus on adding value and driving transformational growth organically and through M&A. We work closely with management and industry experts to create a clear vision and roadmap. Post-acquisition, our deal team drives M&A strategy and velocity, while our in-house operations team ensures seamless integration and organic EBITDA growth through improvements in all functional areas of each business. We leverage outside executive partners for industry expertise and relationships or functional expertise. Our goal is to embed sustainable growth capabilities within each platform, ensuring long-term success beyond HCI's ownership.
"We at Heartwood are innovating by empowering high-quality founder, family and management held companies with access to talent, strategic governance, and capital for investment in organic and acquisition-lead growth."
Our in-house value creation specialist team works relentlessly with management across human capital, e-commerce / digital marketing and operational initiatives so these high caliber companies can innovate, grow and win. At Heartwood, we emphasize building a deep management team and a strong and engaged external board focused on long-term strategic goals. Heartwood’s remarkably different lower-leverage business model empowers management teams to invest in people, productive assets and strategy.
"By embracing innovation, private equity firms can adapt to changing market dynamics, enhance their decision-making processes, and ultimately deliver superior returns for investors."
At our firm, value creation is at the heart of everything we do. We prioritize driving sustainable growth through innovative, forward-thinking strategies, while continuously enhancing our operations with cutting-edge tools and systems that streamline decision-making and accelerate execution.
"Innovation drives transformation and long-term value creation. At Housatonic Partners, we focus on long-term partnerships with exceptional entrepreneurs, knowing that sustained growth comes from fostering innovation within companies."
At Housatonic Partners, we know that building long-term relationships with excellent people is the key to building successful companies. We enjoy working with the business builders that we support with our capital and experience. Over the years, we’ve worked to create a culture and framework where CEOs and entrepreneurs feel valued as individuals and treated fairly as business partners.
"Innovation is essential because it drives value creation and operational efficiency. By embracing new technologies and strategies, we can unlock growth opportunities and ensure our portfolio companies stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market."
ICV Partners exemplifies innovation, strategic growth, and community impact in private equity. As a minority-led firm, we support lower middle-market companies, driving their growth. Our rigorous evaluation processes leverage advanced analytics and industry expertise to assess scalability and risks. We drive operational improvements, scaling, and innovation. Our operations champion diversity and inclusivity, ensuring efficiency and agility. We embrace sustainability and community initiatives.
Industrial Opportunity Partners LLC was founded in 2005 by a group of like-minded finance and operations executives who came together to build a private equity firm centered on a shared passion for the companies that are the backbone of our economy – middle-market manufacturing and distribution businesses. We are currently investing out of our fourth fund.
Inverness Graham is a Philadelphia-based buyout firm that acquires innovative companies where technology is transforming traditional industry. The firm’s Flagship strategy focuses on high-growth businesses in Healthcare, Tech-Enabled Services / Software and Advanced Manufacturing. The firm’s Green Light strategy targets tech-enabled businesses where environmental sustainability is a key driver of accelerating growth. Inverness Graham executes a differentiated, repeatable model for value creation.
"Continuing to raise the bar for a new standard of innovation and excellence both at our firm and at our partner companies ensures we're working to build the best companies we can for our limited partners and key stakeholders."
Investcorp is a global investment manager specializing in alternative investments across four asset classes: private equity, real assets, credit and liquid strategies. Since our inception in 1982, Investcorp has been investing in private equity amongst other asset classes. Investcorp’s North American private equity group invests in middle-market business and professional services businesses and commercial services businesses. Today, Investcorp manages $55 billion in assets.
"If you are not growing, you are dying. We are in the business of growth, and growth requires innovation. Value creation techniques that worked years ago probably don’t work today, so it’s important to always keep a forward-looking mindset."
Kian Capital is a lower-middle-market investment firm with over $1 billion in capital under management, 25 realizations, 15 active investments and a focus on four industry sectors: consumer, services, value-added distribution and specialty manufacturing. Kian prioritizes being the first institutional investor in founder-owned/owner-operated businesses, having invested in 35 of these companies since 2013, and has been recognized on Inc.’s Founder Friendly Investors list for 5 consecutive years.
"Innovation is a cornerstone of value creation, augmenting leadership, driving operational improvement, and identifying growth opportunities. Kian’s Blueprint for Enduring Value applies innovative best practices across our portfolio."
Kinzie Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm investing in lower middle-market companies in transition. We seek to create lasting positive outcomes by leveraging technology and a strong operational focus.
"Looking ahead 2025, I anticipate technology integration moving even more to the forefront. As industries across the board embrace advanced analytics, AI-driven decision-making, and more automated processes, we’ll see companies evolve faster than ever."
We place greater emphasis on operational improvements within our portfolio companies, such as bringing in the right strategic partners, hiring talent to lead changes and continuing to implement digital tools to enhance efficiency and transparency. AI is a big topic of discussion as well. We have doubled down on leadership development and strategic hiring, ensuring that each of our businesses is led by individuals who can guide teams through a rapidly changing environment.
Level Equity is a private investment firm focused on providing capital to rapidly growing software and technology-enabled businesses. Level provides long-term capital across all transaction types in support of continued growth. The firm has raised $3 billion in committed capital, has backed over 100 companies since inception, and has offices in New York City and Greenwich, CT.
"At Level Equity, fostering innovation starts with empowering our investments and teams to thrive by staying true to what made them successful. We partner with forward-thinking businesses, valuing diverse ideas that drive long-term growth."
Level Equity drives innovation by improving the status quo in firm operations and portfolio value creation. Its investment sourcing engine, powered by a custom tech stack, enables quick engagement with industry-leading businesses, streamlined due diligence, and enhanced M&A execution. Instead of relying on static playbooks, Level’s approach to value creation offers dynamic, tailored support that’s grounded in respect for the complexities of scaling a business.
LFM Capital, founded by engineers and former operators, is a Nashville-based private equity firm focused on lower middle-market manufacturing companies. The firm’s mission is to partner with portfolio company management to develop and build world-class operations through a combination of manufacturing and operations excellence and targeted growth and expansion strategies.
"Innovation is one of the keys to success in private equity. We at LFM are big believers in continuous improvement -- not just on the shop floor -- but across every workstream. We need innovation to keep getting better at what we do."
LFM is focused on empowering our management teams to lead effectively and accelerate growth. We work hard to build strong partnerships with portfolio company leaders, align on strategy and prioritize initiatives. LFM employs a pull strategy with our companies, encouraging leaders to reach out to us when we can be helpful, and not the other way around.
Livingbridge is a leading middle-market private equity firm. We empower businesses to unlock their true potential. This is investment done the right way, built on ambition and experience. Nobody has seen it all, but some get closer than others and since we started in 1999, we’ve supported over 170 investments. We take a flexible approach to investing, but we’re keenly focused on where we can add the most value, which is why we focus on four core sectors: technology, services, healthcare and education, and consumer. We are an ambitious and international team with offices in London, Manchester, Australia and the U.S. It is our footprint, local knowledge and network that has supported the successful growth of our companies over the last 25 years, with many now household names.
Livingbridge takes full advantage of its global footprint to help its investees pursue unique growth opportunities. For Veramed, a U.K.-based biostatistics and programming CRO, we've aided management in executing global M&A, acquiring a U.S. competitor to add both geographic and product scale to the platform. Livingbridge can also enable organic growth, as we have done with Quorum Cyber, a leading managed security provider. From the day we invested in Quorum, we pursued aggressive organic growth in the U.S., outside its existing U.K. market presence. By helping Quorum management build a U.S. go-to-market function, we've significantly accelerated growth in the business.
LLR Partners is a lower middle-market private equity firm investing in technology and healthcare businesses. We collaborate with our portfolio companies to define high-impact growth initiatives, turn them into action and help create long-term value. Founded in 1999 and with more than $7 billion raised across seven funds, LLR is a flexible provider of equity capital for growth, recapitalization and buyouts.
LLR believes that companies choose growth partners not only for the value of their capital, but for the value that they can create together. Our dedicated Value Creation Team (VCT) brings together deep functional and operating expertise, a multi-touch and collaborative process, and data-driven advisory services to help companies achieve or exceed their growth aspirations over the life of the investment. Together, we grow companies every day.
Founded in 2007, Long Ridge Equity Partners is a specialist growth equity firm focused on the financial and business technology sectors. Leveraging deep sector knowledge and an extensive network of industry resources, Long Ridge serves as a value-added partner to high-growth businesses. With more than $1.75 billion under management, Long Ridge provides leading management teams with partnership, strategic resources, and capital to drive profitable expansion.
"Private Equity is uniquely positioned to accelerate innovation through collaboration, value creation, and mentorship of portfolio leaders. Embracing new technologies and strategies can unlock growth, improve efficiency and drive profitable expansion."
Long Ridge’s active, board-level engagement and special focus on founder-led businesses allows us to collaborate with management to understand their unique cultures, leverage our industry networks for board and executive hires, support and/or lead M&A diligence and sourcing, enhance governance and internal controls, lead debt/equity financings, and identify strategic initiatives that often lead to successful exits.
Lovell Minnick Partners is a private equity firm with a 25-year track record of partnering with growth-oriented companies. LMP leverages deep sector experience and a broad network of strategic advisors to help founders scale their companies at an accelerated pace. The firm collaborates with management teams to achieve long-term success and value creation through organic growth and strategic acquisitions.
"As the industry evolves due to advancements in technology and ever-changing market dynamics, it’s vital that firms focus on innovation within their portfolio companies to enhance their value and position them for success in competitive spaces."
LMP’s founder-friendly approach and innovative growth strategies enable long-term partnerships with entrepreneurs and management teams, which drive business objectives and enhance portfolio companies’ growth trajectories. With thorough industry experience, LMP delivers value to its investors and strategic partners. Since inception, LMP has raised over $5B of committed capital, invested in more than 50 unique platform companies and completed over 200 add-on acquisitions.
Main Post Partners is a consumer growth equity firm focused on investing in founder-owned, high-growth consumer companies. Main Post invests in both majority and minority positions primarily in first institutional capital situations where founders, entrepreneurs and management teams are looking for an experienced partner to help build their companies to full potential.
"Innovation is part of our DNA and a core criteria for the businesses we invest in. We must keep up with these businesses' innovation in the way we diligence and add value to our partner companies."
We take a proactive, industry and thesis specific approach to deal sourcing, relationship building, desktop research and ultimately 3rd party diligence, which allows us to tangibly invest in and add value to businesses upon our involvement. With a "Partnership, not Ownership" approach, Main Post Partners works closely with a network of successful executives to provide operational and strategic support to its partner companies.
Mainsail Partners is a growth equity firm that invests in bootstrapped B2B software companies to help them realize their full potential. The Mainsail team is purpose-built to include experienced investors and software operators who work alongside founders and their management teams to help scale operations and accelerate growth. With offices in Austin and San Francisco, Mainsail has raised more than $2.2 billion in committed capital and partnered with 100-plus companies over the last 20 years.
"Growing an enduring business today requires balancing battle-tested best practices with fresh ideas and tools. Founders can thrive by partnering with investors who combine experience with innovation to help them meet the evolving needs of customers."
Mainsail has a dedicated Operations Team that helps founders build great teams, develop industry-leading products, design data-driven and scalable infrastructure, and grow market share. Mainsail’s hands-on support is delivered with a collaborative approach that respects founder-led cultures and helps build on each company’s commitment to customers. Most importantly, we value active listening and empathy over having the loudest voice in the room.
McNally Capital partners with founder- and family-led businesses in aerospace & defense and industrial technology & services in the lower middle-market. From our thesis-driven investment methodology and deep sector expertise to our proprietary value creation roadmap, Atlas, what sets us apart is the enduring quality of our relationships and our long-standing reputation for transparency, integrity and partnership.
"At McNally Capital, adopting innovative strategies and leveraging bleeding edge technologies throughout the investment lifecycle is crucial in distinguishing in a crowded marketplace and delivering exceptional value for all stakeholders involved."
McNally Capital's value creation roadmap, Atlas, offers a rigorous, repeatable framework along with a suite of tools and resources designed to identify and achieve optimal performance improvements and value creation in each portfolio company. Refined through our team's unique experiences, Atlas guides the entire investment process—from sourcing and due diligence to 100-day planning, post-close execution, and exit strategies.
"There will always be down markets, and truly skilled professionals can show their true capability by succeeding in these times with innovative operational improvements and deal-sourcing/capital return strategies."
MiddleGround Capital's hands-on approach to private equity leverages deep operational expertise to drive meaningful improvements. They collaborate closely with portfolio company leaders to craft strategies that foster sustainable, long-term growth. Their commitment to ESG principles reflects a responsible approach to corporate citizenship, aiming to positively impact communities and industries while maintaining a focus on growth and profitability.
MidOcean Partners is a New York-based alternative asset manager specializing in middle-market private equity, alternative credit, and structured capital. Since its inception in 2003, MidOcean Private Equity has targeted investments in high-quality middle-market companies in the consumer and business services sectors. MidOcean Credit Partners was launched in 2009 and currently manages a series of alternative credit strategies, collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) & separately managed accounts.
"Innovation is vital for adapting to an environment with higher capital costs. It drives growth, productivity, and operational excellence. It enhances investment strategies, talent diversity, and the use of technology & AI for competitive advantage."
At MidOcean, innovation is central. Through proactive due diligence, we identify companies with potential and provide the expertise and resources to unlock it. Our transformative value creation process entails refining strategy to enhance operational efficiency. As a modern PE firm, we work with Operating Partners, who bring C-suite experience and unique insights, to execute synergistic acquisitions. Our commitment to corporate citizenship and responsible investment ensures sustainable practices.
Founded in 2005, Monomoy Capital Partners is a private investment firm with over $5 billion in assets under management across a family of investment funds. Monomoy provides industrial and consumer middle-market businesses with strategic capital, unmatched management and operational expertise.
"Innovation is key to Monomoy’s value creation strategy in the middle market. Every company we invest in has unique challenges and opportunities, and we believe a tailored, data-driven approach unlocks the greatest potential for our partners."
Monomoy employs a value-creation strategy that seeks to enhance company performance and growth, partnering on improvements in data analytics, supply chain, pricing, and planning. It fosters collaboration through programs like its Executive Conference and boot camps and integrates ESG to support excellence and sustainability.
"Innovation is the cornerstone of success in private equity. As investors, we are not just funding businesses, we are partnering with management teams to identify new opportunities, solve complex challenges, and unlock growth potential. The ability to innovate allows us to adapt to market changes, leverage emerging technologies, and create value in ways that go beyond traditional approaches. At New Harbor Capital, innovation is embedded in our investment model, enabling us to help businesses grow sustainably and stay ahead in an ever-evolving landscape."
"Innovation in private equity enables growth. At New Heritage, we enable our companies to flourish by bringing new ideas to the table while respecting the successful track records and accomplishments of our founders."
New Heritage knows how to avoid the pitfalls that come with accelerated growth. We add value to our portfolio companies by helping augment people, process and infrastructure that enable our companies to double and triple in size. We respect the passion and vision of our founders – and believe we can add that value in a culture of collaboration and partnership.
"We believe that innovation drives growth in founder-owned businesses. By seeking to modernize operations and leverage technology, we aim to scale companies, enhance competitiveness, and position them for long-term success."
Our value creation approach is centered on seeking to implement best practices and scale founder-owned businesses, in partnership with rollover shareholders. Our team is purpose-built, inclusive of nine in-house, full-time operators with specific functional expertise, designed to drive transformative value creation.
NexPhase Capital (‘NPC’) is a thematic and operationally-focused private equity firm that partners with growth-oriented companies that are seeking a value-added partner in order to navigate the “next phase” of their growth. Founded in 2007, NPC has raised and managed $2.6 billion of capital and completed well over 100 investments since inception. NexPhase Capital is based in New York City.
"Innovation catalyzes value creation in private equity. It empowers us to identify opportunities, optimize operations, and drive growth. By fostering it, we help founders achieve their vision and portfolio companies thrive in evolving markets."
As part of the investment thesis, each NexPhase Capital deal team identifies actionable value creation opportunities through foundational and growth investments. Post-close, NPC implements these initiatives by leveraging industry expertise and setting corporate direction. The investment team collaborates with management to drive growth through foundational investments, including recruiting senior management, upgrading processes, and establishing key performance metrics.
Nordic Capital is a leading sector-specialist private equity investor with a resolute commitment to creating stronger, sustainable businesses through operational improvement and transformative growth. Focus sectors are Healthcare, Technology & Payments, Financial Services, and Service & Industrial Tech. Key regions are Europe and globally for Healthcare and Technology & Payments investments. Since inception in 1989, Nordic Capital has invested EUR 26 billion in close to 150 investments.
"For us, innovation and sector-specialist experience are essential to drive transformation and value creation. It will result in portfolio companies that not just lead, but also shape their markets, and is critical to achieving a sustainable future."
Nordic Capital is driving transformative growth with deep sector knowledge. We do this by partnering closely with founders and management teams to build strong companies and trusted partnerships. We bring structure, capital, international sector and operational expertise, and a strong external network to help management teams realize their business plan, accelerate growth and develop in a sustainable way. Our proven Ownership Excellence model makes a difference at the core.
Norwest Equity Partners (NEP), a Norwest Capital strategy, seeks to invest in growing and profitable middle-market companies. NEP helps create opportunities, jobs, and value by championing successful companies and helping to build them into industry leaders. Investing nationally from offices in Minneapolis and West Palm Beach, NEP takes a respectful, collaborative approach that sets it apart from other capital sources.
"At NEP, we talk about innovation in terms of realizing opportunity. In our industry, empowering companies to create and grow enduring value is key. We champion our companies, their people, and their processes to help unlock their full potential."
We find and fuel what's working at our companies and champion them for enduring success. We work together to deploy value creation strategies that combine a framework of solutions custom tuned to leverage wins, navigate challenges, and help our companies achieve greater success. Our team of functional and industry veteran executives also work closely with our companies, acting as advisors, consultants, and strategic thought partners to help companies drive growth.
Founded in 2001, One Equity Partners is a middle-market private equity firm focused on the industrial, healthcare, and technology sectors in North America and Europe. The firm seeks to build market-leading companies by identifying and executing transformative business combinations. OEP is a trusted partner with a differentiated investment process, a broad and senior team, and an established track record generating long-term value for its partners.
"Innovation remains top-of-mind within the private equity industry, as firms navigate and adapt to everchanging market dynamics, and consistently strive to optimize returns for investors."
OEP has acted as a private equity innovator by executing a differentiated sourcing and value creation strategy aimed at capturing synergies through the execution of transformative combinations. OEP focuses primarily on business-to-business (“B2B”) companies that operate in markets with attractive secular tailwinds, have leading market positions and have strong management teams.
OpenGate Capital is a leading transatlantic investment firm focused on operationally intense investments with a deep specialization in corporate carve-outs in the Industrial sector. The OGC team of 24 professionals is located across Los Angeles and comprised of a cohesive and integrated group of five senior leaders who have worked together for an average of 15 years. Since 2005, 42 platform investments with 26 full realizations across Fund I, Fund II, Fund III and pre-fund investments.
"Innovation creates differentiation. In an asset class with billions of dollars in dry powder, differentiation is critical. We've achieved this by developing an operational playbook, honed through the successful carve-out of over 30 companies globally, enabling us to act with speed and certainty. "
OGC is honored to be recognized. We believe that investing in companies, developing innovative approaches, and prioritizing operational excellence are key drivers of transformative investment value. Our focus on fostering resilient, compliant, and socially responsible companies underscores our commitment to generating long-term success. Additionally, we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive community that reflects the broader world, enabling us to make the highest-quality investments possible.
"The most impactful form of innovation, is just simple execution. We believe that execution is a highly underrated value creation tool."
At ParkerGale, we believe the future is already here, it's just not evenly distributed. The founder-owned software companies we acquire are doing a lot of things right. They have profit discipline, they are close to their customers. But, they just don't have time (or the skills on the their teams) to execute the way a well-run private equity owned business can. We bring people, tools, data, introspection, and innovation to build on the solid foundations they have created.
"We believe innovation has become a requirement to achieve superior returns. We have to be innovative to be selected as the preferred investment partner for a Seller. Our companies need to be innovative with the solutions they bring to their clients. We simply have to do more to achieve growth today. We believe the best and move innovative ideas come from within, so we bring our teams together to collaborate to push all our efforts forward."
We differentiate ourselves by developing a proprietary vision for our platforms early on in a deal execution process to share with our Sellers. This vision drives the development of our value creation pillars, which serves as the foundation of our diligence. We go beyond traditional table stakes diligence to deep dive into the investment required to realize our value creation goals, including areas of commercial opportunity, how to leverage data and technology to improve the services we deliver and where to thoughtfully invest in talent. Every value creation plan is uniquely tailored to each platform and its thesis at work.
Permanent Equity invests in private companies deliberately built for long-term success. We commit for the long-haul with 30-year funds, no intention of selling, and rarely use debt. With Permanent Equity, what happens next doesn’t have to be concerning or complicated. When we invest, “next” means that we serve and support, build meaningful relationships, and roll up our sleeves to preserve legacy and grow deliberately.
"Real innovation means not prioritizing what looks impressive, and instead making decisions based on merits. It’s a belief in continuous improvement – an operational approach anchored on honesty, agility, calculated risks, and a win-together mentality."
One of our foundations at Permanent Equity is to focus on being helpful, not impressive. To that end, we've recently published our thoughts on constructing better, positive-sum deals; open-sourced our Operator's Dictionary, an indispensable guide to terms and ideas we use internally and with our portfolio companies; and revamped and reissued The Messy Marketplace as a resource for sellers and advisors. Our resources are designed to empower sellers and operators who care what happens next.
"Financial engineering can no longer be the primary driver to achieve industry leading returns. As an industry, we need to add value across multiple dimensions - talent management, technology investment and process optimization."
"We work in a highly competitive industry, and things are becoming increasingly more efficient. Doing what everyone else is doing is a path to mediocre results. As such, we are constantly looking for new ways to conduct business and not tether ourselves to past practices."
"We recognize the importance of fostering innovation within our companies. The same applies to our industry. That’s why we explore ways to leverage technology and adopt new approaches to better serve our companies and optimize how we manage our firm."
"Innovation is necessary and inherent in private equity investing since we must create company value in just a short hold period. We leverage a deep playbook of company-building investments to innovate nearly all aspects of our portfolio companies."
"At Quad-C, we are proud to support management teams as they grow their business through the introduction of new business lines, automation of key business processes, professionalize operations and find accretive acquisitions."
"We have made innovation a priority to help us stand out in a competitive market. Companies want a partner who can drive the business forward and investors want superior returns. Innovation fuels both, and we believe leaning into it will help us win."
"Innovation in private equity drives competitive advantage, enhances portfolio value, mitigates risk, and creates long-term sustainability, helping firms adapt to market changes and achieve superior returns."
Resurgens Technology Partners is a tech-focused private equity firm investing in North American and select European lower middle-market application and IT/infrastructure software businesses. Resurgens’ growing team offers a diversity of investing, operating and talent management experience, applying an active and engaged value creation approach with each portfolio company. Resurgens is headquartered in Atlanta, with additional professionals located in Austin, London and Silicon Valley.
"Innovation is essential to drive industry growth and success. It enhances efficiency, uncovers new opportunities, and helps firms adapt to market changes. By fostering innovation, we can build better companies and improve investment performance."
RFE continues to innovate its playbook for transformative value creation, developed over the last four decades. The firm partners with management-led companies to navigate their next phase of growth. At the core of RFE’s playbook is an employee-centric approach, combined with strategies to develop top-tier management teams, inorganic growth engines and intelligent systems infrastructure. These initiatives drive growth and transform RFE’s investments into leading middle-market platforms.
"Innovation is the engine that enables private equity firms to identify opportunities, drive transformation, and generate superior returns for stakeholders. Without it, firms risk stagnation and falling behind in a highly competitive industry."
The Ronin team embeds into each company as interim senior executives to build a robust back-office infrastructure capable of scaling the business for growth and seamlessly integrating acquisitions. This partnership empowers management to focus entirely on growing the business without being burdened by back-office operations.
"Innovation is vital to unlock value and drive growth. Rubicon’s unique engagement model aligns investment theses with operational transformation, leveraging collaborative expertise to drive growth, scale operations, and achieve lasting success."
Sagard Private Equity Canada combines innovative technology with deep industry expertise to drive growth in the Canadian mid-market. Our data-driven due diligence process leverages Sagard's platform to identify promising opportunities early. We create value through partnerships, supporting portfolio companies with organic growth and strategic M&A. Sagard operates with modern infrastructure that enables operational improvements while maintaining a focus on long-term success and sustainable growth.
"Innovation drives growth and helps companies navigate evolving markets. Through our Growth Team, Serent provides hands-on expertise in areas like Payments, Pricing, and Technology, enabling companies to seize growth opportunities and achieve results."
"Innovation helps drive efficiencies that ultimately lead to stronger companies. At Shoreline, we strive to position our companies for sustained success during our ownership and beyond and innovative practices is a key step in that evolution."
"Innovation brings inventions to market, building sustainable businesses. Amid breakthroughs in AI, energy, and healthcare, private equity's leadership is vital in transforming invention into innovation through the power of capital markets."
"At Sumeru, innovation is the cornerstone of our approach. It drives growth, scalability, and differentiation. Our expertise in product, go-to-market and operations helps our companies unlock their potential and become market leaders."
"TA is committed working collaboratively with our management teams to unlock efficiencies and embrace new ways of working through innovation. By leveraging our strategic resources and global network we empower businesses to scale and thrive."
"On behalf of The Riverside Company, we are deeply honored to accept the 2025 Top Private Equity Innovator Award from BluWave. This recognition is a testament to our team's unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation across several key areas - whether it’s using technology to originate deals or helping our companies with transformative value creation using many different tools. Thank you, BluWave, for this prestigious award and for recognizing our efforts to lead with purpose and integrity."
"Creative discourse is foundational to our approach at Thoma Bravo and will continue to be a driving force for growth in our business and across the private equity industry. As the technology and software landscape evolves, our ability to continually innovate remains essential to identifying and capitalizing on market opportunities to create value for our portfolio companies and investors."
Thoma Bravo invests in growth-oriented software and technology companies and collaborates with their management teams to drive innovation, operational efficiency and sustainable growth. Under Thoma Bravo’s ownership, companies consistently see strong outcomes through organic and inorganic growth strategies resulting in innovative product development, market expansion and operational improvements. The firm's private equity software portfolio includes approximately 80 companies that have generated over $28 billion of annual revenue. *Includes control and non-control investments as of September 30, 2024.
"Innovation is crucial in private equity as it equips firms with a suite of cutting-edge tools and solutions to quickly seize opportunities while mitigating risk. This allows us to drive sustainable value across the portfolio for all stakeholders."
"Innovation is crucial to our business. It allows portfolio companies to unlock unrealized value in businesses, whether through adding new capabilities, further differentiating product or service offerings, driving operational efficiency or onboarding new talent. We understand great businesses are not built overnight and value is created over multiple economic cycles. Trive partners work shoulder-to-shoulder with family and founder-owned businesses, which very often involves finding new and innovative ways to tackle opportunities or challenges to realize a company’s full potential."
"Innovation can come in many forms, but we think it works best for us when it is in the service of being great partners to business founders. That’s why we continue to lead in not only how we make the deal process as easy as possible for those founders, but also how we create value in our companies once we invest."
