Top 8 Private Equity Firms In Charlotte

 

1. Ridgemont Equity Partners

Ridgemont Equity Partners, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a leading private equity firm with a legacy dating back to 1993. Over the years, the firm has solidified its position in the middle market buyout and growth equity space, having invested over $3 billion in 115 companies.

This extensive track record underscores Ridgemont’s ability to deliver consistent, attractive returns through a proven, industry-focused investment model.

The firm’s investment strategy centers on partnering with closely-held private companies and launching new business platforms. Ridgemont typically targets companies with EBITDA ranging from $5 million to $30 million and transaction sizes between $25 million and $100 million. Their investments often involve providing full or partial liquidity to private companies, corporate divestitures, and supporting seasoned entrepreneurs with established business models.

Ridgemont is flexible in its investment approach, assuming either majority ownership or acting as a lead minority investor. While their primary focus is on North America, their expertise and reach extend to diverse industries and sectors.

A key driver of Ridgemont’s success is its robust team and operational practices. The firm employs a Partner-led origination model, proactively fostering relationships with industry executives, intermediaries, and trusted advisors. This approach generates a steady flow of high-quality investment opportunities.

Additionally, their Portfolio Operations practice works hand-in-hand with company management teams to implement growth strategies, execute value creation initiatives, and drive thematic cross-portfolio projects. This collaborative approach accelerates growth and enhances value across their portfolio companies.

Ridgemont’s leadership team is composed of seasoned professionals, including Managing Partners Jack Purcell and John Shimp, along with Vice Chairmen Rob Edwards and Walker Poole. Their extensive experience in building and managing growing businesses provides invaluable support to the companies they partner with.

2. Falfurrias Capital Partners

Falfurrias Capital Partners, founded in 2006 by Hugh McColl, Marc Oken, and Ed McMahan, is a distinguished private equity firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The firm specializes in lower middle-market investments, with a primary focus on technology-related companies across the United States. Falfurrias employs a theme-based approach to identify uniquely differentiated businesses in durable growth markets, which sets it apart from other private equity firms.

Falfurrias is operationally focused, leveraging its “Industry First” approach to partner with proven management teams and advisors. This strategy involves immersing themselves in the industry, identifying markets with durable growth trends, and constructing actionable theses to create additional value.

The firm’s team includes financial services professionals, operational leaders, and in-house value creation teams that work closely with portfolio companies to drive growth and profitability.

Falfurrias manages two distinct funds, each supporting dynamic businesses that are innovators in their respective industries. The firm focuses on majority and controlling investments in family and entrepreneur-owned businesses, aiming to build market-leading companies. Their investment approach is long-term, and they typically invest their own capital alongside that of their limited partners.

This alignment of interests ensures a collaborative and transparent relationship with their portfolio companies and stakeholders.

Falfurrias Capital Partners also has a strong commitment to community stewardship and philanthropy. The firm actively works with various philanthropic organizations in the Charlotte area and nationwide, reflecting their mission to be responsible stewards of the communities in which they invest.

This holistic approach to investment and community engagement has earned Falfurrias a reputable position among private equity firms in Charlotte.

3. Pamlico Capital

Pamlico Capital, founded in 1988 and based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a renowned private equity firm specializing in growth capital and leveraged buyout investments in middle-market companies. Originally part of First Union Corporation and later Wachovia Capital Partners, Pamlico Capital has since evolved into an independent firm with a strong track record of creating value through its investments.

The firm focuses on five key sectors: communications, healthcare IT, information services, software, and tech-enabled services. Pamlico Capital is known for being founder-friendly and long-term focused, prioritizing partnerships with management teams. Over its 35-plus years, Pamlico has invested nearly $5 billion in over 130 platform acquisitions, showcasing its dedication to supporting the growth and success of its portfolio companies.

Pamlico Capital’s investment approach is defined by a comprehensive and collaborative strategy. The firm works closely with its portfolio companies on initiatives such as strategic planning, portfolio best practice sharing, go-to-market strategies, human capital development, and M&A advisory. This hands-on approach enables companies to achieve their full potential and drive significant growth.

The firm’s culture is rooted in core beliefs that emphasize clear communication, humility, teamwork, and a commitment to creativity and innovation. Pamlico’s people-first mentality has resulted in a stable and experienced team, with an average partner tenure of 20 years. This stability and continuity are critical to fostering long-term relationships with portfolio companies and stakeholders.

Notable investments by Pamlico Capital include Daxko, Dexter & Chaney, Lightower Fiber Networks, MetaMetrics, Secure-24, Service Express, symplr, TMW Systems, and Wilcon. These investments highlight the firm’s ability to identify and support high-growth companies across various industries.

4. Summit Park

Summit Park, established in 2006 in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a private equity firm focused on making control investments in founder-led, lower middle market businesses. The firm has built a strong reputation by completing 24 platform transactions, totaling over $2 billion in enterprise value.

This impressive track record highlights their expertise in identifying and nurturing high-potential companies.

Summit Park’s investment strategy is well-defined, targeting businesses with revenues between $20 and $150 million, or EBITDA ranging from $4 to $15 million. They operate across a diverse range of industries, including services, consumer goods, and industrial growth.

The firm focuses on investing in well-positioned, profitable companies and providing them with the necessary capital, strategic guidance, and additional resources to support their growth plans.

Summit Park places a strong emphasis on building strong partnerships with experienced and capable leadership teams. The firm’s principals, such as Managing and Founding Partner Bob Calton, have an extensive history of collaborating with management teams to build companies of extraordinary value.

This collaborative approach ensures that their investments align with the long-term goals of the businesses they partner with.

Summit Park’s portfolio includes notable companies such as Exacta Land Surveyors, a leading provider of land surveys and field management services, and Parkline, Inc., a manufacturer of highly-engineered metal buildings. These investments demonstrate the firm’s ability to support growth and expansion across various sectors.

Additionally, Summit Park’s commitment to industry consolidation plans and facilitating changes in ownership further underscores its versatility and value as a partner.

5. Carousel Capital

Carousel Capital, founded in 1996 and based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a leading private equity firm with a strategic focus on the Southeastern United States. Over its more than 25-year history, the firm has successfully managed over $2 billion in private equity commitments across six funds and various co-investments.

The firm specializes in buyout and recapitalization investments in middle-market companies, particularly those located in the Southeast. This regional emphasis is fueled by the Southeast’s dynamic economic environment, which boasts the largest GDP, the second-highest net private sector job growth, and the highest population among all U.S. geographic regions. Remarkably, if the Southeast were considered a separate country, it would rank as the third-largest economy globally.

Carousel Capital employs a relationship-driven investment strategy, emphasizing strong partnerships with entrepreneurs and management teams in the Southeast. Their direct deal sourcing capabilities, robust CEO investor network, and highly experienced investment team make them a preferred partner for buyout opportunities in the region.

The team that has built Carousel Capital’s business over the past two decades remains actively involved in every investment, fostering close relationships with management teams and shareholders. This hands-on approach allows them to better understand and relate to the challenges and opportunities faced by the companies they work with.

Carousel Capital’s portfolio spans a diverse range of industries, including insurance, logistics, transportation, technology, and risk management. The firm is committed to driving operational improvements while maintaining the existing leadership structure, except in cases of planned retirements.

This consistent approach, implemented since 2006, reflects their trust in the management teams they partner with. Carousel Capital’s success is further highlighted by the positive testimonials from its portfolio companies. CEOs like Traweek Dickson of Joe Hudson’s Collision Center and Steve Yurko of APEX Analytix have praised Carousel for their strategic insight, capital support, and collaborative partnership, which have been key in achieving substantial growth and transformation within their businesses.

6. Frontier Growth

Frontier Growth, formerly known as Frontier Capital, is a growth equity firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was founded in 1999 by Andrew Lindner. The firm specializes in supporting the growth of software companies, particularly those in the lower middle market, by providing a combination of investment capital and operational expertise.

Frontier Growth has a highly focused investment strategy, targeting vertical SaaS companies that exhibit exceptional customer loyalty and a strong product-market fit. They typically invest in companies with annual recurring revenue (ARR) between $3 million and $20 million and annual growth rates exceeding 25%. Key criteria for their investments include domain-specific features, high customer satisfaction metrics such as Net Promoter Score, and robust unit economics like gross margins above 65% and high retention rates.

The firm operates under a “People Before Numbers” philosophy, emphasizing the importance of the team and culture behind the businesses they invest in. Frontier Growth firmly believes that the success of a company is largely driven by the people who lead and work within it.

This people-first approach is evident in their support for portfolio companies. Frontier Growth assists these businesses in growing their customer bases, strengthening teams, and facilitating strategic acquisitions to drive sustainable growth.

As of March 2022, Frontier Growth manages over $12.8 billion in assets, giving them the financial capacity to make significant investments. Their typical initial equity investments range from $5 million to $30 million, which can be used for growth capital or shareholder liquidity.

Their investment strategy encompasses both majority and minority investments through buyouts and growth equity. Frontier Growth focuses on sectors such as enterprise healthcare, SaaS, commercial services, and marketing technology.

Frontier Growth’s portfolio features innovative software companies, including commonsku, which provides software solutions for the promotional products industry. Their involvement in such businesses demonstrates their ability to identify and support high-growth companies with strong market positions and customer-centric approaches.

7. NovaQuest Capital Management

NovaQuest Capital Management, founded in 2010 and based in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, is a specialized life science investment firm with a strong focus on biopharmaceuticals. The firm originated as the strategic investment arm within Quintiles Transnational (now IQVIA) and has since evolved into an independent entity, continuing its mission to fund innovation in biopharmaceutical development.

NovaQuest’s investment strategy is unique in that it provides tailored capital solutions through its product finance and private equity funds. The firm offers at-risk, nondilutive funding, enabling partner companies to advance pivotal clinical trials, launch new brands, license products, and acquire accretive products or companies. This approach has allowed NovaQuest to invest in numerous biopharmaceutical assets across various therapeutic areas, achieving a clinical success rate significantly higher than the industry average.

The firm has raised substantial capital across multiple asset classes, managing over $2.5 billion in funds. Notably, NovaQuest has raised approximately $1.2 billion for its Product Finance Fund V and $275 million for its Private Equity Fund I. These funds are used to evaluate global opportunities with financing needs ranging from $30 to $100 million, supporting companies during critical stages of their development.

Beyond its biopharmaceutical focus, NovaQuest has expanded its strategy to include the animal health industry. By closing its first animal health transactions, the firm has demonstrated its commitment to providing necessary capital to this sector, further enhancing its impact on the broader life sciences landscape.

NovaQuest’s leadership team includes experienced professionals such as Brian Axe, Bryan Mills, and other key partners who have played a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s investment strategies and successes. Their deep industry knowledge and collaborative approach have been instrumental in fostering strong relationships with the companies they invest in.

8. Plexus Capital

Plexus Capital, established in 2005, is a private equity firm with offices in Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina. The firm specializes in supporting lower middle market companies through various transaction structures, including acquisitions, buyouts, recapitalizations, and growth capital. Since its inception, Plexus has raised over $2.2 billion across seven committed funds and has funded over 165 companies, solidifying its position in the private equity landscape.

Plexus Capital’s investment strategy focuses on companies with revenues between $10 million and $100 million and EBITDA ranging from $2 million to $12 million. The firm targets businesses with dedicated management teams, strong end market fundamentals, sustainable positive cash flow, and established business strategies. This selective approach ensures investments in companies with significant growth potential and solid foundational elements.

The firm provides a wide array of investment types, including unitranche, subordinated debt, one-stop financings, equity (both majority and minority), preferred equity, and common equity. These flexible financing options allow Plexus to customize its investments to meet the unique needs of each portfolio company, whether for acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, growth initiatives, or recapitalizations.

Plexus Capital operates across diverse industries, such as tech-enabled services, healthcare, niche manufacturing, business services, value-added distribution, and retail & consumer goods. Its industry-agnostic approach, paired with a deep understanding of the lower middle market, empowers Plexus to identify and support a wide range of businesses. Notably, their portfolio includes companies in software & IT services, showcasing their ability to invest in innovative and growth-oriented sectors.

The firm’s team comprises approximately 45 professionals, many with extensive experience in private equity, finance, and operational management. Led by co-founders like Bob Anders, the team is dedicated to fostering long-term relationships with portfolio companies and providing essential resources and support for growth. Plexus Capital further strengthens its leadership and operational support through initiatives like the Plexus Leadership Institute, which offers professional development opportunities to leaders within their portfolio companies.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the private equity landscape in Charlotte, North Carolina, is both vibrant and diverse. Leading firms such as Ridgemont Equity Partners, Falfurrias Capital Partners, Pamlico Capital, Summit Park, Carousel Capital, Frontier Growth, NovaQuest Capital Management, and Plexus Capital are paving the way with their distinct approaches to investing. These firms specialize in areas like middle market buyouts, growth equity, and niche sectors such as life sciences and tech-enabled services.

When exploring partnerships with these firms, it is essential to understand their investment strategies, industry focus, and the value they bring to portfolio companies. Aligning your business goals with the right private equity firm allows you to leverage their expertise and capital to drive significant growth and achieve long-term success. Whether you are a founder, entrepreneur, or investor, these top private equity firms in Charlotte provide the resources and support needed to navigate market complexities and accomplish your business objectives.