Boston Private Equity Firms
Private equity firms in Boston
The Cobble Hill Group has compiled a list of the top 69 private equity firms, growth equity funds, and mezzanine lenders with offices in Boston. We did not include venture capital firms because their investment criteria and strategies are very different than private equity. We also did not include firms focused on investing in funds rather than individual companies. Click on each firm's name to go to their website.
Below the list, we provide descriptions of the 8 largest firms.
Please contact Cobble Hill if you have questions, corrections, or additions to the list of firms.
Below the list, we provide descriptions of the 8 largest firms.
Please contact Cobble Hill if you have questions, corrections, or additions to the list of firms.
Boston Private Equity Firms
Boston Private Equity Firm Search Engine
We created a custom search engine that allows you to search the websites of all Boston private equity firms listed above.
The largest private equity firms in Boston
Private equity in Boston encompasses more than 100 firms that vary widely based on investment strategy, industry focus, geographic focus, and size. Below are the eight largest firms based on the amount of capital each raised during 2015 through 2019; they are shown in alphabetical order.
Advent International
Founded in 1984, Advent International is a global investment firm with 15 offices in 12 countries in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. The firm has more than 450 employees including 250 investment professionals. Advent has completed more than 360 investments in over 40 countries and had $56.8 billion in assets under management (AUM) at year-end 2019. The firm has five core investment sectors: business and financial services; healthcare; industrial; retail, consumer and leisure; and technology. The management team of each portfolio company is supported by an Advent Deal Team, the firm's Portfolio Support Group, and a network of more than 100 third-party Operating Partners. Advent's operationally intensive approach to investing focuses on building long-term value through accelerated revenue and earnings growth.
Audax Private Equity
Audax, founded in 1999, is a middle market investment firm with offices in Boston, New York and San Francisco. The firm has 100 investment professionals and has invested over $6 billion in more than 130 platform companies and over 850 add-on acquisitions. Audax has five core investment sectors: business services; consumer; healthcare; industrial technologies; and software and technology. Through their Buy & Build approach, the firm works with management teams to accelerate growth and improve profitability through a combination of operational improvements and add-on acquisitions. Audax is currently investing out of its $3.5 billion Fund VI, which was raised in 2018. Approximately 20% of the firm's capital is from employees.
Bain Capital
Bain Capital, founded in 1984, is a global investment firm with 20 offices across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia. The firm has more than 1,000 employees and invests in multiple asset classes including private equity, credit, public equity, venture capital, and real estate. Overall, Bain manages more than $105 billion. In private equity, the firm has made primary or add-on investments in 940 companies in five core investment sectors: consumer; financial and business services; healthcare; industrials; and technology. The firm was founded by former partners of Bain & Company to apply management consulting strategy to private equity investing. They partner with management teams to help companies expand into new products and markets on a global scale, increase productivity, and strengthen operations.
Berkshire Partners
Berkshire Partners, founded in Boston in 1984, initially focused solely on private equity. In 2007, the firm started the Stockbridge Fund, which invests in marketable securities. In private equity, the firm has approximately 65 investment professionals and has made more than 130 investments. Berkshire invests in growth companies and works closely with each management teams to realize the full potential of each business. The firm's core investment sectors include consumer products and retail; communications; business services; industrials; and healthcare. Berkshire has raised nine institutional investment funds with over $16 billion of committed capital. In 2016, the firm raised Berkshire Fund IX with total capital commitments of $5.5 billion.
HarbourVest Partners
HarbourVest is a global private markets investment specialist, with offices across Asia, Europe and the Americas. The firm offers clients investment opportunities through primary fund investments, secondary investments, and direct co-investments in commingled funds or separately managed accounts. The firm has more than 600 employees including 125 investment professionals. At year-end 2019, HarbourVest had more than $68 billion in assets under management (AUM). The firm has committed more than $40 billion to newly-formed funds, completed over $24 billion in secondary purchases, and invested over $17 billion directly in operating companies.
Summit Partners
Founded in 1984, Summit Partners is a global firm that invests in venture capital, growth equity, fixed income and public equity opportunities. Summit has offices in North America (Boston and Menlo Park) and Europe (London and Luxembourg). The firm has 100 investment professionals and has invested in more than 500 companies in technology, healthcare and life sciences, and other growth sectors. These companies have completed more than 140 public equity offerings, and more than 200 have been acquired through strategic M&A. Summit offers many resources to its portfolio companies and management teams including a Peak Performance Group, which focuses on accelerating growth and improving operations, a Talent & Recruiting Team, a Capital Markets Team, and an Executive-in-Residence Program.
TA Associates
TA Associates, founded in 1968, is a global growth private equity firm with offices in Boston, Menlo Park, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong. The firm has 90 investment professionals, has invested in more than 500 companies, and currently has more than $19 billion in assets under management. TA has five target sectors: technology; healthcare; financial services; consumer; and business services and focuses on investing in profitable companies with opportunities for sustained growth. Investing as either a majority or minority investor, TA employs a long-term approach, utilizing its Strategic Resources Group and Capital Markets Group to help management teams build value. TA has raised $33.5 billion in capital since its founding and is committing more than $2 billion annually to new investments.
Thomas H. Lee Partners
Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P. (“THL”), founded in Boston in 1974, is a private equity firm that invests in middle-market growth companies in North America. THL has 70 investment professionals and has acquired 150 companies and 400 add-ons. The firm invests in four sectors: consumer; financial services; healthcare; and technology & business solutions. THL has sector teams and a Strategic Resource Group that work with management to accelerate growth, improve operations, and build long-term value in their portfolio companies. Since its founding, the firm has raised more than $25 billion of equity capital, including $6.2 billion since 2015.
Have questions or want to explore alternatives for selling your company or raising capital?
Please contact Barry A. Baker, CFA at (984) 377-3043 or bbaker@cobblehillgroup.com. The Cobble Hill Group is based in Durham, North Carolina, and provides M&A transaction, growth equity & debt, and valuation advisory services.