25 Top-Notch California Private Equity Firms
25 Top-Notch California Private Equity Firms
The private equity industry, particularly in California, is a diverse and dynamic sector comprised of investment management companies focused on buying and managing assets or businesses. Firms in this industry utilize a mix of debt and equity financing to acquire stakes in both emerging and established companies across various sectors. These firms leverage their financial expertise and industry networks to help these businesses realize their potential in terms of growth and profitability. With the evolving economic landscape, private equity firms in California are poised to explore emerging industries and digital spaces, offering growth opportunities for their community of stakeholders.
Top 25 private equity firms in California
1. Atar Capital
- Website: atarcapital.com
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Founded: 2016
- Headcount: 10001+
Atar Capital is a private investment firm that specializes in acquiring complex corporate carve-outs and under-performing businesses. They collaborate with their management teams to identify value and enable growth, helping companies reach their full potential. Their core values include respect, integrity, sustainability, responsiveness, and performance.
2. Platinum Equity
- Website: platinumequity.com
- Headquarters: Beverly Hills, California, United States
- Founded: 1995
- Headcount: 51-200
Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with a portfolio of companies across various industries. They specialize in private equity and alternative strategies, investing on behalf of institutional investors. Their unique approach, known as M&A&O®, combines mergers and acquisitions with deep operational expertise to create long-term value. Platinum Equity works to unlock the potential of the companies they invest in and turn them into market leaders.
3. GI Partners
- Website: gipartners.com
- Headquarters: Menlo Park, California, United States
- Founded: 2001
- Headcount: 51-200
- Latest funding type: Private Equity
GI Partners is a private alternatives investment firm that focuses on generating outstanding risk-adjusted returns for investors in the areas of private equity, real estate, and data infrastructure. With offices in San Francisco, New York, Dallas, Chicago, Greenwich, Scottsdale, and London, the firm has raised over $40 billion in capital. They aim to identify untapped growth opportunities while effectively managing risks for their stakeholders.
4. Marlin Equity Partners
- Website: marlinequity.com
- Headquarters: Hermosa Beach, California, United States
- Founded: 2005
- Headcount: 51-200
- Latest funding type: Corporate Round
Marlin Equity Partners is a global investment firm focused on providing tailored solutions to meet the business and liquidity needs of corporate parents, shareholders, and stakeholders. With over $8.1 billion of capital under management, Marlin has a strong track record of enhancing value and creating long-term value by partnering with management and executing strategies. They specialize in investing in businesses that exhibit defensible market positions, growth potential, and underutilized or non-core assets.
5. OpenGate Capital
- Website: opengatecapital.com
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Founded: 2005
- Headcount: 11-50
OpenGate Capital is a private equity firm that acquires and optimizes lower middle market businesses in North America and Europe, with a focus on corporate carve-outs and complex situations. They help businesses transition to independence while minimizing risks.
6. Equiam
- Website: equiam.com
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Founded: 2018
- Headcount: 11-50
- Latest funding type: Series A
EQUIAM is an investment firm that offers qualified purchasers the opportunity to invest in a diversified portfolio of top-ranked private VC-backed companies. With a data-driven investment model, EQUIAM filters and analyzes a universe of 120,000+ companies using multiple metrics and signals. By actively looking for acquisition opportunities, EQUIAM deploys capital 3x faster than traditional VCs, providing faster liquidity to investors.
7. CrossWork.us
- Website: crosswork.us
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Headcount: 11-50
Crosswork.us is an investment company that focuses on businesses with a visible path to M&A, IPO, or other exits. They offer investment opportunities in pre-IPO companies valued at around $1 billion or greater. With a team of experienced professionals, Crosswork.us provides insights, strategies, and investments to help maximize shareholder value. They have a strong network and expertise in sourcing deals, completing investments, and providing guidance to portfolio companies.
8. Grantchester Group
- Website: grantchestergroup.com
- Headquarters: San Diego, California, United States
- Headcount: 11-50
Grantchester Group is an investment firm specializing in healthcare services. They offer a fund called Equity25, which focuses on launching market-leading women, minority, and emerging managers in private equity. With deep relationships in the healthcare industry, Grantchester sources EBITDA positive companies before they come to market and uses their significant healthcare experience to scale these companies and drive sustainable returns.
9. Vance Street Capital
- Website: vancestreetcapital.com
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Founded: 2007
- Headcount: 11-50
Vance Street Capital is a private equity firm specializing in middle market investments. They acquire and invest in B2B manufacturing and applications companies. With a focus on mission-critical industries, they provide capital and strategic guidance to help companies grow and succeed.
10. Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
- Website: oaktreecapital.com
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Founded: 1995
- Headcount: 1001-5000
- Latest funding type: Acquired
Oaktree Capital is an investment management firm that offers a variety of investment strategies and products to its clients. With a focus on credit, private equity, and real assets, the company aims to deliver consistent and superior risk-adjusted returns.
11. Ares Management Corporation
- Website: aresmgmt.com
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Founded: 1997
- Headcount: 1001-5000
- Latest funding type: Ipo
Ares Management is a trusted and experienced investment management firm offering a range of alternative investment strategies to its clients.
12. Gca
- Website: gcaglobal.com
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Founded: 2004
- Headcount: 501-1000
GCA Global is a premier global investment bank that offers financial advisory services to private fund sponsors and limited partners worldwide. They serve as an advisor, agent, and advocate for their clients, helping them achieve their strategic objectives through thoughtfully executed transactions.
13. SourceScrub
- Website: sourcescrub.com
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Founded: 2015
- Headcount: 51-200
- Latest funding type: Private Equity
SourceScrub is a leading Deal Sourcing Platform for investment bankers and dealmakers. It offers the most complete and accurate data, purpose-built tools, and on-demand data operations to methodically find more investment opportunities and increase success rates. The platform aggregates market maps, award lists, and conference data, allowing users to focus on speaking to the companies that matter. SourceScrub's data enrichment brings CRM to life with private company signals and executive contact details, ensuring fresh and accurate data for effective business development.
14. Francisco Partners
- Website: franciscopartners.com
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Founded: 1999
- Headcount: 51-200
- Latest funding type: Corporate Round
Francisco Partners is a leading technology investment firm that provides flexible capital and partnership to growth-aspiring technology companies.
15. Hellman & Friedman
- Website: hf.com
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
- Founded: 1984
- Headcount: 51-200
The company specializes in investing in sectors with deep domain expertise, offering tailored value creation plans to support long-term growth.
16. Clearlake Capital Group
- Website: clearlake.com
- Headquarters: Santa Monica, California, United States
- Founded: 2006
- Headcount: 51-200
- Latest funding type: Private Equity
Clearlake is a leading private investment firm founded in 2006. They specialize in differentiated approach to investing through deep industry knowledge, operational expertise, flexible solutions, and long-term partnerships.
17. Griffin Capital Company, LLC
- Website: griffincapital.com
- Headquarters: El Segundo, California, United States
- Founded: 1995
- Headcount: 11-50
- Latest funding type: Series Unknown
Griffin Capital is a vertically-integrated real estate investment company focused on bespoke investment strategies underpinned by durable secular growth themes as a catalyst for creating strong, risk-adjusted performance.
18. Buyouts Insider
- Website: pehub.com
- Headquarters: New York, California, United States
- Founded: 2008
- Headcount: 51-200
- Latest funding type: Acquired
PE Hub is an online platform that provides news, analysis, and data about private equity deals, investments, and industry trends. It offers information on venture capital, private equity funds, M&A activity, and fundraising. The platform serves professionals in the investment banking and private equity sectors.
19. Shamrock Capital
- Website: shamrockcap.com
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Founded: 1978
- Headcount: 11-50
- Latest funding type: Private Equity
Shamrock Capital is an investment firm specializing in the media, entertainment, content, communication, sports, marketing, and education sectors. With over 45 years of industry experience, they offer valuable insights, strategic relationships, and a partnership approach to help businesses navigate shifting markets and seize growth opportunities.
20. Centre Partners Management Llc
- Website: centrepartners.com
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Founded: 1986
- Headcount: 11-50
Centre Partners Management LLC is an investment firm that focuses on investing in North American based middle-market businesses primarily in the health and wellness, outdoor and enthusiast products, food and beverage, and consumer products and services industries. With a track record of over 35 years, Centre Partners has earned a reputation as a partner of choice for business owners and management teams.
21. Investors Management Group
- Website: imgre.com
- Headquarters: Woodland Hills, California, United States
- Founded: 2010
- Headcount: 11-50
IMG is a real estate investment company that has attracted over $600 million in investor funds since 2010. With an average return of 26% on sold properties, IMG offers attractive investment opportunities in the real estate market. Their team and testimonials reflect their success in delivering returns to investors.
22. Cottonwood Group
- Website: cottonwoodmgmt.com
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Founded: 2012
- Headcount: 11-50
Cottonwood Management is a vertically integrated real estate investment management firm with expertise in various core disciplines. They offer a broad spectrum of investment opportunities in the real estate sector, including development, operation, and value-add capabilities. With a meticulous focus on underwriting and investment approach, they aim to achieve risk-adjusted absolute returns in large-scale, complex projects. Their in-house expertise enables them to provide full capital stack investment flexibility and access to domestic and global capital.
23. Inventure
- Website: inventurerecruitment.com
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Founded: 2017
- Headcount: 11-50
Inventure Recruitment is a technology and renewable energy recruitment agency based in the USA. They specialize in elevating talent sustainably by providing expert recruitment services. With a focus on advanced industries, they offer specialized recruitment solutions for companies in the technology and renewable energy sectors.
24. Tsvc
- Website: tsvcap.com
- Headquarters: Los Altos, California, United States
- Founded: 2010
- Headcount: 11-50
TSVCAP is a company that offers investment banking services to its clients. They specialize in providing financial advice and assistance to businesses and individuals looking to raise capital or make strategic investments.
25. Pelican Point Investment Group, LLC
- Website: pelicanpointinvestments.com
- Headquarters: Newport Beach, California, United States
- Founded: 2016
- Headcount: 11-50
Pelican Point Investment Group is a boutique private equity and merchant bank located in Newport Beach, California, offering capital formation and fund raising services, structured acquisitions, and roll-ups in technology industries.
Want to find more private equity firms?
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