Notable newcomers: More PE investors, acquirers enter the market

As deal competition increases, finding exactly the right investor or acquirer for your client has never been more important. Yet building buyers lists has become more challenging as the private equity landscape grows wider, denser and noisier. Over the last decade, the number of private equity investors has risen 45 percent, driving fund volume to record levels. Currently, more than 2,000 active PE investors in the US have more than 3,800 open funds—telling indicators of the explosion of activity we’ve seen as more players enter the market and more investors strike out on their own.

Adding to this already crowded landscape is an influx in acquisition-focused platform companies, a trend driven by PE firms’ proclivity for buy-and-build. The result? A flurry of M&A activity, an uptick in add-on acquisitions and heightened competition for deals.

So who are these newcomers who are raising the stakes? And what kinds of deals are they participating in? To give you some idea, we put together a list of five diverse players—from new PE firms to newly created acquisition-focused platform companies—to watch.

5 new PE investors and acquirers to watch

Westfall Technik

Founded: October 2017
Entity type: Acquirer, platform company
Industry: Industrial supplies and parts
Location: Chandler, Arizona

An operator plastic parts production companies, Westfall Technik—created as a platform by Brian Jones, Lee Equity Partners and BlackBern Partners—is focused on expanding its core operations through M&A. In less than a year, the company has participated in six buyout deals, snapping up everything from a medical device prototype developer to an injection molding manufacturer.

For more information, check out Westfall Technik’s profile preview.

Acuity Eyecare Holdings

Founded: March 2017
Entity type: Acquirer, platform company
Industry: Clinics and outpatient services
Location: Dallas, Texas

Acuity Eyecare Holdings owns and operates eye care and optometry practices across more than 60 locations in six states. Since its creation as a platform by Riata Capital Group in March 2017, the company has completed six add-on deals, acquiring regional eyecare groups and independent eyecare practices in order to expand its footprint.

For more information, check out Acuity Eyecare Holding’s profile preview.

RiverGlade Capital

Founded: May 2017
Entity type: Private equity firm
Investor type: Growth, expansion
Location: Chicago, Illinois

A healthcare spinout formed by two former executives from Chicago-based firm Sterling Partners, RiverGlade Capital opened its debut fund in May 2017. Since then, it has acquired two oral surgery companies via leveraged buyouts and one via growth/expansion. The firm is actively seeking new investments.

For more information, check out RiverGlade Capital’s profile preview.

ASGARD Partners & Co.

Founded: 2017
Entity type: Investment bank, private equity firm
Status: Actively seeking new investments
Location: New York, New York

Financial services firm ASGARD Partners & Co combines growth advisory, capital markets advisory and PE investments. The firm’s PE arm invests in lower middle-market companies in aerospace and defense, government, manufacturing and distribution. Since its founding in 2017, it has participated in five deals ranging from the acquisition of a military outerwear manufacturer to early-stage VC investment in a digital currency platform.

Valence Media

Founded: February 2018
Entity type: Acquirer, platform company
Industry: Movies, music and entertainment
Location: Los Angeles, California

Created as a platform by Eldridge Industries, Valence Media has made strategic investments in premium television, wide-release film, specialty film, live events and more. In a single month, they participated in three buyout deals as well as one secondary transaction, scooping up two live events hosting services, a film studio and a production company.

For more information, check out Valence Media’s profile preview.

Mapping a crowded landscape

These five players represent just a fraction of the 482 PE firms and acquirers we’ve seen enter the market since the start of 2017. In this fast-changing landscape full of new players and new activity, it’s never been more essential to map the flow of capital, track industry trends, detect market shifts and target the right investors. In other words, the more crowded it gets, the more you need to cut through the noise with accurate private market data.