Top Private Equity Firms in California — 126

Los Angeles, CA, US

Deal sizes: $2M – $20M

Gelman Brothers Family Investment Office (GBFIO), the direct investment platform of brothers Alex and Kirill Gelman, was established following their 2020 exits—Alex’s sale of a technology company to a private equity fund and Kirill’s sale of a hedge fund to GTS, a global electronic market maker. GBFIO acquires small, family-owned businesses with a multi-decade horizon, seeking high-quality companies to hold and build over the next 30 years. Operating as an active owner-operator, GBFIO partners ...

Foster City, CA, US

Deal sizes: $20M – $150M

Bertram Capital is a private equity firm that partners with management teams to scale lower middle market companies. In addition to flexible investment capital, the firm brings operational and strategic resources to accelerate growth and profitability, particularly for businesses that have been constrained by limited resources. With capital not dependent on third-party financing, Bertram provides speed and certainty of execution, having completed platform transactions and most add-on acquisition...

Walnut Creek, CA, US

Deal sizes: $10M – $100M

Spanos Barber Jesse & Co. (SBJ) is a private investment firm managing approximately $300 million of committed capital, including a fund licensed as a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC). The firm targets lower middle-market companies across the consumer, business services, and healthcare services sectors. SBJ partners with entrepreneurs, owners, and management teams to deliver strategic guidance, sector expertise, and flexible capital solutions that support value creation and accelerate gr...

Costa Mesa, CA, US

StoneCreek Capital is an independent private equity sponsor focused on growth-oriented middle market companies across a broad range of industries. Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, the firm pursues control and partnership transactions—including buyouts, recapitalizations, and growth capital—in businesses generating $2 million to $15 million of EBITDA. The firm partners with committed management teams, business owners, and executives in transition to execute strategic ...

San Diego, CA, US

ValueStreet Equity Partners is a private investment firm focused on acquiring and scaling landscape, tree, swimming pool, and related property maintenance businesses across the Southwestern United States. The firm targets established companies with $500,000 to $4,000,000 in EBITDA/SDE that demonstrate strong local reputations and loyal customer bases. With an indefinite hold horizon, ValueStreet emphasizes long-term value creation through fundamental operational improvements and targeted growth...

Newport Beach, CA, US

Windjammer Capital Investors is a national private investment firm founded in 1990 that partners with management teams to invest in leading middle-market businesses across the U.S. and Canada. The firm focuses on control equity investments and also provides subordinated debt, with core emphasis on advanced manufacturing, specialty distribution, and business services. Windjammer typically invests $30–$140 million of equity and/or subordinated debt in companies generating more than $7 million of ...

San Francisco, CA, US

Deal sizes: $50M+

Glen Highlands Partners is an operator-led investment group with committed capital from Housatonic Partners, seeking to acquire and actively operate a U.S. or Canada-based mid-market company with approximately $50 million to $300+ million in revenue. The team is composed of seasoned entrepreneurial executives with a history of transforming and scaling businesses, pursuing long-term ownership and hands-on value creation. The firm targets situations where it can materially influence performance, ...

San Francisco, CA, US

Deal sizes: $5M+

Vista Equity Partners is a private equity firm focused on investing in software, data, and information services businesses. Founded in 2000, the firm has raised more than $14 billion in cumulative capital commitments. Vista’s portfolio companies are among the world’s largest software providers, collectively generating over $6.0 billion in revenue, serving more than 365,000 customers in over 150 countries, and employing more than 28,000 people across 50+ countries. Vista targets companies with a...

Palo Alto, California, United States

Deal sizes: $2M – $20M

Light Street Capital is a Palo Alto, California–based investment firm and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $800 million across growth equity and public equity strategies. The firm invests globally in both private and public markets with a primary focus on technology and media sectors. Light Street Capital is actively seeking acquisitions of technology, tech-adjacent, and B2B services companies generating $1–5 million in annual earnings, partnering with experienced manage...

Larkspur, California, United States

American Pacific Group is a San Francisco Bay Area-based private equity firm with approximately $1.2 billion in capital under management. The firm partners with management teams to accelerate and sustain growth, leveraging in-house operating partners and a disciplined, hands-on approach. APG applies its proprietary, tested Q Process across its portfolio to drive operational enhancements and strategic initiatives, creating durable value in close collaboration with leadership teams.

Los Angeles, California, United States

Deal sizes: $30M – $800M

Balmoral Funds is a special situations private equity firm focused on businesses facing complex operational or financial challenges. The firm partners with management teams, corporate sellers of non-core assets, and stakeholders involved in restructurings to provide capital and hands-on resources to drive turnarounds and transformational change. Balmoral emphasizes certainty of close and alignment with all relevant constituencies to unlock value in underperforming or distressed companies. The f...

Palo Alto, CA, US

Caldicot Capital is a private equity firm that partners with lower middle market businesses through a concentrated, hands-on investment model. The firm works closely with owners and management teams, aligning incentives and collaborating with experienced operators to implement strategic and operational initiatives that drive sustainable growth and long-term value creation. Caldicot invests with flexible, patient capital and no predetermined holding period, tailoring transaction structures to th...

El Segundo, California, United States

Deal sizes: $20M – $100M

Century Park Capital Partners is a middle-market private equity firm that provides equity capital to support growth initiatives, shareholder liquidity, and recapitalizations. The firm focuses on partnering with profitable, growing companies. Century Park typically invests between $10 million and $40 million, with the flexibility to pursue larger transactions. Target portfolio companies generally generate $20 million to $100 million in revenue.

Los Angeles, California, United States

Deal sizes: $50M – $500M

Highview Capital is a Los Angeles–based, family office–backed private equity firm with an evergreen capital base, enabling patient hold periods and flexible, opportunistic investing. The firm has deployed nearly $700 million of equity capital through 2024. Highview partners with companies at an inflection point to drive operational improvement and long-term value creation. Its evergreen structure supports longer ownership horizons than traditional private equity funds when aligned with the valu...

Pasadena, CA, US

mtn. GOAT CAPITAL mgmt. LLC is a Pasadena, California–based private equity firm investing in U.S. micro–middle market companies with EBITDA between $250,000 and $5 million. The firm partners with owner‑operators and family‑owned businesses seeking liquidity or a strategic ally to accelerate growth and scale. In addition to providing capital, mtn. GOAT CAPITAL mgmt. employs a hands-on, operationally engaged model, leveraging its limited partner and operating partner network to drive value creati...

Palo Alto, CA, US

Tregaron Capital is a lower middle market private equity firm that partners with experienced executives to build long-term value in a focused portfolio of companies. The firm targets businesses in the western United States with EBITDA between $1 million and $5 million and brings deep expertise in finance, M&A, strategy, and operations to accelerate growth and operational performance. Investing selectively, Tregaron makes a limited number of new investments each year to provide hands-on support ...

San Jose, California, United States

True Blue Partners (TBP) is a Silicon Valley–based private equity firm investing in lower middle market companies with $1–3 million of EBITDA. The firm targets Enterprise Software, IT services, and tech-enabled services, backed by a team with 20+ years of consistent execution and value creation. TBP partners with founders and management teams to accelerate growth and operational performance through sector-focused expertise and a disciplined investment approach.

Los Angeles, CA, US

Beverly Capital is a Los Angeles-based private investment firm focused on the lower middle market. The firm partners with proven management teams and seasoned operating executives, bringing hands-on operating and growth expertise to unlock value, accelerate performance, and scale businesses through collaborative value creation and disciplined execution. Beverly Capital targets companies with defensible market positions where it can drive operational and strategic transformation, including corpo...

Santa Monica, CA, US

Bison Capital is a growth-focused investment firm that partners with lower middle-market companies to unlock long-term value. The firm provides flexible, solution-oriented capital across the capital structure—primarily equity, with components often structured as preferred equity or subordinated debt—tailored to the specific needs and objectives of each business. Bison Capital typically invests on a non-control basis, enabling management teams to retain meaningful ownership and remain focused on...

Los Angeles, CA, United States

BoCG Ventures is an enterprise value creation and venture operating firm established in 2014. The firm builds execution-ready companies by aligning strategy, operations, technology, and capital under a single accountable plan. Its gated Venture Operating Model applies private equity discipline to underdeveloped, early-stage, and complex opportunities, advancing capital only as predefined milestones are validated. The platform emphasizes evidence-led governance, milestone sequencing, and capital...