Private Equity Firms in the US

Abry Partners is a leading private equity investment firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, with a core focus on media, communications, business services, and information sectors. Established in 1989, Abry has built a reputation for partnering with management teams to drive growth, operational efficiency, and long-term value. The firm targets investments in North America and selectively in Europe, managing a diverse portfolio of companies across its key verticals. With decades of sector-specific experience, Abry Partners stands out for its deep industry knowledge and hands-on investment approach. The firm typically invests in established, cash-flow-positive companies, deploying capital across a range of transactions including buyouts, recapitalizations, and growth equity. Its team of experienced professionals works closely with portfolio companies to support strategic initiatives, M&A execution, and operational improvements. Abry has raised over $14 billion in capital across multiple funds and continues to expand its footprint by identifying scalable business models and strong leadership teams. The firm's consistent success is rooted in its disciplined investment philosophy, strong relationships, and commitment to delivering value for both its investors and the companies it supports.

Accel-KKR was established in 2000 as a joint venture between Accel Partners and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), combining the expertise of a leading venture firm with a private equity giant. Headquartered in Menlo Park, California, the firm specializes in mid-market software and technology-enabled services. It has raised more than $19 billion across multiple funds, including buyout, growth capital, and credit vehicles. Accel-KKR differentiates itself with a flexible investment strategy, capable of taking majority, minority, or structured equity positions. The firm emphasizes active collaboration with management, leveraging its operational expertise and strong industry connections to accelerate growth and expand market reach.Over its two-decade history, Accel-KKR has invested in more than 300 companies worldwide, producing a long list of successful exits through IPOs and strategic sales. The firm’s portfolio spans enterprise software, data analytics, cybersecurity, and IT infrastructure, reflecting its deep focus on software-driven business models. With around 240 employees, Accel-KKR operates from offices in Menlo Park, Atlanta, Chicago, London, and Mexico City. Its hybrid DNA, born from venture and private equity, gives it a unique position in the mid-market, enabling it to provide flexible, growth-oriented capital. Today, Accel-KKR remains a highly active investor in the software space, committed to helping innovative companies scale into global leaders.

Adams Street Partners is a leading global private markets investment manager headquartered in Chicago. Established in 1972, the firm has over five decades of experience in private equity, offering a comprehensive suite of investment strategies including venture capital, growth equity, buyouts, private credit, and secondary investments. The firm is 100% employee-owned, fostering a culture of alignment and long-term commitment to its clients. With a presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, Adams Street Partners leverages its extensive network and deep industry insights to identify and capitalize on investment opportunities. The firm's global footprint includes offices in key financial centers such as Austin, Beijing, Boston, London, Menlo Park, Munich, New York, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, and Toronto, enabling it to maintain close relationships with portfolio companies and investors worldwide. Managing approximately $62 billion in assets under management, Adams Street Partners serves a diverse client base comprising corporate and public pension plans, foundations, family offices, and endowments. The firm's commitment to excellence and innovation in private markets investment management has solidified its reputation as a trusted partner for institutional investors seeking long-term value creation.

Founded in 1984, Advent International is one of the largest and most experienced global private equity firms. With decades of industry leadership, it has established a strong track record of successful investments and deep sector expertise. Advent has invested in over 420 private equity transactions across 43 countries. The firm partners with management teams to accelerate growth through strategic support, operational improvement, and long-term vision alignment. With $94 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2023, Advent primarily focuses on buyouts and growth equity investments across five key sectors, maintaining a flexible and globally integrated approach.

AE Industrial Partners (AEI) is a private equity firm specializing in control investments in aerospace, defense & government services, space, power & utility services, and industrial technology. Founded by experienced industry executives, AEI brings deep operational expertise and strategic resources to its portfolio companies, focusing on accelerating growth, innovation, and long-term value creation. AEI’s investment philosophy centers around partnering with management teams to transform and scale businesses in highly technical and regulated sectors. The firm’s team combines financial acumen with sector-specific insight to identify and build companies that are well-positioned to lead in their markets. AEI typically targets companies with strong engineering capabilities, defensible market positions, and opportunities for operational enhancement or strategic consolidation. With headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida, and offices in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, AE Industrial Partners is active across North America. The firm manages multiple funds and strategies, including private equity, venture capital, and structured capital solutions, allowing for flexibility across the capital stack. AEI has earned a reputation as a leading investor in the aerospace and defense ecosystem.

AllianceBernstein (AB) is a global investment management firm that provides diversified investment solutions to a wide array of clients, including institutions, pension funds, private wealth managers and individual investors. Tracing its roots to 1967 and now headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, AB manages around US$829 billion across equity, fixed‑income, multi‑asset, hedge‑fund and private‑credit strategies. The firm’s research‑driven approach emphasizes fundamental analysis, global macro insights and quantitative techniques to construct portfolios that seek superior risk‑adjusted returns. AB operates over 45 offices worldwide, enabling local market insights and client service across the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Products range from actively managed mutual funds and separately managed accounts to alternative strategies and bespoke solutions for large institutions. AB is also recognized for its sell‑side research franchise, Bernstein Research, which provides market‑leading insights and analysis. The firm prioritizes responsible investing, integrating environmental, social and governance considerations into its investment processes and engaging with companies to improve long‑term performance. With a workforce of more than 4,000, AllianceBernstein aims to deliver consistent investment excellence while fostering a culture of collaboration, diversity and integrity.

Alpha Wave Global is a diversified global alternative asset manager founded in 2012 and headquartered in New York City, with additional offices in major financial centers worldwide. The firm operates across three main verticals: private equity, private credit, and public markets. Managing approximately US $19–21 billion in assets, Alpha Wave provides growth-stage capital, structured lending, and special-situations investment strategies. The firm invests across sectors such as fintech, information technology, life sciences, cleantech, and agritech. With a portfolio of over 200 companies, Alpha Wave partners long-term with founders and management teams to drive scalable growth. Its global presence and multi-strategy capabilities enable it to deliver capital, operational support, and differentiated return streams across market cycles.

AltamarCAM Partners is an independent, partner-led private asset manager founded in 2004 and headquartered in Madrid, Spain. The firm specializes in providing institutional investors—including insurance companies, pension funds, and financial institutions—as well as high-net-worth individuals, with access to global alternative investments across private equity, venture capital, life sciences, real assets (real estate and infrastructure), and private debt/credit. Their investment strategies encompass primaries, secondaries, and co-investments, tailored to meet diverse client needs. With over €20.8 billion in assets under management, AltamarCAM operates through a network of specialized entities, including Altamar Private Equity, Altan Capital, and Altamar Advisory Partners. These subsidiaries enable the firm to offer a comprehensive suite of services, from fund management to independent financial advisory and merchant banking. The firm's global presence includes offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, Cologne, London, New York, and Santiago de Chile, supported by a team of more than 350 professionals. AltamarCAM is committed to delivering long-term value through a disciplined investment approach and a strong focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. Their diversified portfolio and strategic partnerships, such as the recent collaboration with Mirabaud to launch an evergreen semi-liquid private equity strategy, underscore their dedication to innovation and client-centric solutions in the private markets.

American Industrial Partners (AIP) is a private equity firm founded in 1988 and based in New York City. The firm specializes in control investments in middle-market industrial businesses across North America, combining deep operational expertise with flexible capital solutions. AIP currently manages over US $16 billion in private equity capital. The firm closed its eighth fund at a US $5 billion hard cap in 2023. AIP invests across sectors such as aerospace, automotive, chemicals, logistics, industrial services, and metals, targeting companies where operational transformation can drive substantial value creation. Under AIP’s disciplined strategy, portfolio companies now generate approximately US $28 billion in annual revenue, operating more than 240 facilities and employing over 70,000 people. The firm’s approach emphasizes operational improvements through strategic partnerships with management teams in control investments.

Aquiline Capital Partners, founded in 2005, is a global private investment firm headquartered in New York with offices in London and Philadelphia. With deep roots in financial services and technology, Aquiline offers tailored investment across three primary strategies—private equity, venture capital, and credit—to support growth‑oriented companies in sectors such as insurtech, fund administration, legal tech, and embedded fintech. The firm deploys flexible capital solutions, including equity injections ($50 M–$350 M typical range), senior and junior debt, ARR‑based financing, and structured equity, often taking either majority or minority stakes in platform companies valued between $75 M and $2.5 B. Aquiline differentiates itself by working hand‑in‑hand with management teams, leveraging industry expertise and operational support to drive long‑term value creation. As of March 2025, Aquiline manages approximately USD 12 billion in assets and has invested across more than 110 companies. Its focus remains on businesses headquartered in the US and UK, with selected exposure across Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. The firm’s culture is grounded in tenacity, creativity, and integrity, supported by a team of around 80 professionals including 20 partners deeply embedded in the financial services ecosystem.

Arcano Partners, founded in 2003, is an independent international financial advisory and alternative asset management firm headquartered in Madrid, Spain. It operates across four core business lines: Investment Banking, Asset Management (including Private Equity, Credit, Real Estate, Sustainable Infrastructure, Venture Capital, and Aviation Finance), Asset Finance, and Research & Strategic Advisory. The firm is recognized for its Merchant-Banking model and emphasis on sustainable, responsible investing. With over €12 billion in assets under management and advisory since inception, Arcano’s Asset Management arm focuses on primary, secondary, and co-investment opportunities in mid-market private funds and companies in Europe and the U.S. The firm has more than 250 professionals supporting more than 400 funds and 3,000 underlying companies. It is also a signatory to the UN PRI, reflecting its ESG commitment. Arcano is structured around a partnership model with offices in major European and U.S. financial hubs. Its approach combines high-level M&A advisory, specialist credit & asset financing, macroeconomic research, and tailor-made private markets solutions. The firm also ranks among the top 10 global managers in private equity secondaries, according to the HEC Paris–Dow Jones ranking.

Arcline Investment Management is a growth-oriented private equity firm that specializes in investing in technology-driven, industrial businesses. With a focus on sectors such as aerospace and defense, life sciences, energy transition, and specialty materials, Arcline aims to build meaningful companies that contribute to a better future. Founded in 2018, Arcline has rapidly expanded its portfolio, completing numerous platform and add-on acquisitions. The firm's investment strategy centers on partnering with management teams to drive growth and operational excellence in middle-market companies. With offices in Nashville, San Francisco, and New York, Arcline manages approximately $14 billion in assets under management, reflecting its commitment to long-term value creation in critical industries.

Ardan Equity is the Healthcare Software Private Equity Firm®—the first sector-specialized buyout firm exclusively focused on healthcare and life sciences software and data. The firm partners with founders and management teams to scale innovative platforms across payer, provider, life sciences, and employer markets. Ardan brings a deep understanding of the healthcare ecosystem and leverages its industry experience to build enduring, high-growth businesses. As a team of founders, operators, and investors, Ardan Equity has been behind some of the most transformative software companies in the healthcare space. Its strategy is rooted in collaboration and specialization, deploying capital and expertise to accelerate growth, drive innovation, and establish market leadership. The firm is uniquely positioned to identify high-potential businesses and support them with a tailored playbook built specifically for the healthcare software landscape. With a differentiated approach that integrates proprietary growth strategies, a trusted executive network, and operational excellence, Ardan Equity aims to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns. Headquartered in London with a pan-European reach, the firm operates with the agility of a boutique partner and the scale of an institutional investor.

Ardian is a leading global private investment house headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1996 by Dominique Senequier as AXA Private Equity, the firm became independent in 2013 and rebranded as Ardian. Today, it is majority-owned by its employees, reflecting a commitment to long-term alignment with clients and stakeholders. With over $176 billion in assets under management or advisement, Ardian operates across private equity, real assets, and credit. Its private equity expertise includes buyouts, expansion capital, and secondaries, while its real assets portfolio encompasses infrastructure and real estate investments. Ardian also offers customized solutions tailored to institutional and private wealth clients. Ardian maintains a global presence with 19 offices across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East, employing over 1,050 professionals. The firm's investment approach emphasizes sustainability, innovation, and value creation, aiming to support companies in achieving long-term growth and positive impact.

Ascend Partners is a private equity firm founded in 2019, dedicated to transforming healthcare delivery to underserved and vulnerable communities. The firm partners with entrepreneurs and companies focused on clinical success and community development, aiming to improve access, affordability, and quality of care for patients. Their approach emphasizes aligning patients, providers, and payors through technology and operational support. Led by co-founders In Seon Hwang, former global head of Healthcare at Warburg Pincus, and Dr. Richard Park, founder and former CEO of CityMD, Ascend has raised significant capital, including $570 million in its inaugural fund. The firm has made multiple proprietary platform investments and continues to grow its team of investment professionals to support its mission-driven investment strategy. Ascend Capital Partners also positions itself as a global builder and cross-border investor, backing early-stage disruptors in medtech and mobility sectors with potential to scale across Europe, Asia, and the U.S. They emphasize long-term partnerships with founders, providing strategic support to build lasting businesses and ecosystems that drive enduring impact.

Astorg is a leading pan-European private equity firm founded in 1998, managing over €24 billion in assets. The firm partners with entrepreneurs and management teams to acquire market-leading global companies, providing strategic guidance, governance, and capital to achieve growth goals. Astorg operates with a distinct entrepreneurial culture, a long-term shareholder perspective, and a lean decision-making body. With offices in Luxembourg, London, Paris, New York, Milan, and Frankfurt, Astorg has valuable industry expertise in healthcare, software, technology, business services, and technology-based industrial companies. The firm's investment approach emphasizes the "art of listening," fostering genuine partnerships and uncovering value through respectful dialogue. Astorg's investment strategy focuses on mid-sized European companies, often family-owned, combining operational success with entrepreneurial drive. The firm specializes in leveraged build-ups, growth capital, family transmissions, mid-cap owner and leveraged buyouts, and corporate spin-offs. Astorg's commitment to sustainability and ESG principles is evident in its participation in industry initiatives like the ESG Data Convergence Project.

Athena Capital is a New York–based venture capital firm founded in 2024 by Isabelle Freidheim. The firm specializes in supporting growth‑stage, tech‑enabled companies that are preparing for an exit through public offerings or M&A. Athena combines capital backing with expert guidance to help companies scale and execute successful exits. The firm's advisory council is uniquely women‑led, featuring accomplished founders, operators, venture capitalists, and investment bankers. This network is actively engaged in guiding portfolio companies on critical aspects such as operational scaling, fundraising, public market readiness, and transaction structuring. Although still in its early stage and with no disclosed AUM, Athena Capital is distinguished by its leadership and strategic focus on exit‑ready tech companies. Based at 442 Fifth Avenue in New York City, the firm strives to accelerate and drive value for its ventures leveraging a hands‑on, women‑centric advisory model.

Aurora Capital Partners is a private equity firm established in 1991 and based in Los Angeles, California. It focuses on control investments in middle‑market companies, collaborating closely with management teams to drive value through growth initiatives, strategic positioning, and add‑on acquisitions. The firm invests primarily in industrial & business services, industrial technologies, and software & technology‑enabled services. The investment philosophy of Aurora emphasizes strong partnerships: it generally backs incumbent management teams, often with management co‑investing, and deploys an Executive Board and Advisory Network to support portfolio companies in areas like strategy, operations, and governance. Aurora seeks companies that have stable industry dynamics, attractive business model characteristics, and room for operational improvement or growth. Over time, Aurora has made dozens of investments and exits, building a track record in its target sectors. The firm tends to work in the North American market, particularly the U.S., deploying capital to create market‑leading companies through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

Avenir Growth Capital is a New York‑based growth equity firm that focuses on scaling technology‑enabled businesses. Founded in 2017 by Andrew Sugrue and Jamie Reynolds, Avenir operates with the belief that durable companies are built over decades, not quarters. The firm typically invests between US$25 million and US$150 million in companies that have established product‑market fit and are seeking capital to accelerate expansion, enter new markets or execute strategic acquisitions. Avenir manages roughly US$2 billion across several funds and works closely with management teams to refine go‑to‑market strategy, align organizational incentives and recruit senior talent. Its portfolio spans sectors such as B2B software, financial services, education, healthcare technology and consumer marketplaces. The firm’s investment philosophy prioritizes sustainable growth and long‑term value over short‑term hype, often maintaining ownership stakes for many years. Avenir’s partners bring experience from private equity, growth investing and operational leadership, enabling them to serve as sounding boards and connectors for founders. They also place a premium on culture, partnering only with businesses that demonstrate integrity, transparency and a mission‑driven ethos.

Banner Capital Management, LLC is a private equity firm headquartered in Lehi, Utah, specializing in providing partnership capital to family-owned and founder-led businesses across the Western United States. Founded in 2018 by Tanner Ainge, Banner focuses on the lower middle market, targeting companies with EBITDA between $4 million and $15 million, and typically invests $15 million to $60 million per transaction. The firm emphasizes long-term partnerships, offering tailored capital solutions to support growth and succession planning. With a strategic focus on the Intermountain West, Banner invests across the services, consumer, industrial, and healthcare sectors. The firm's approach combines financial investment with operational expertise, leveraging a network of advisors and industry professionals to help portfolio companies navigate complex business challenges and achieve sustainable growth. Banner's commitment to aligning with the vision and values of its partners has earned it recognition, including being named to Inc.'s 2024 list of Founder-Friendly Investors. As of June 2025, Banner Capital Management manages approximately $653 million in assets under management (AUM). The firm's portfolio includes investments in companies such as Western Pavement Services, Vision Graphics, and Queen of Wraps. Banner continues to seek opportunities to partner with high-character leaders and strong businesses, aiming to create lasting value for its investors and the communities it serves.