Top Private Equity Firms in Illinois — 69

Highland Park, IL, US

Chicago Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm that makes control investments in profitable, well-managed lower middle-market companies. Backed by a flexible investor base and led by founders and operators, the firm emphasizes patient capital, collaborative governance, and long-term partnerships with owners and management teams to build durable value. CCP typically targets U.S.-based businesses generating approximately 2–10 million of EBITDA across business services, consumer p...

Chicago, IL, US

Deal sizes: $20M – $100M

Prairie Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on facilitating ownership transitions in the U.S. lower middle market. Since 1997, the firm has partnered with entrepreneurial management teams to structure flexible investments that build equity value, drawing on deep sector familiarity and a collaborative approach. Across multiple funds, Prairie has earned a reputation for honoring commitments and supporting management with practical insights and resources to accelerate growth. Pr...

Chicago, IL, US

Deal sizes: $10M – $100M

Rock Gate Partners LLC is a private investment firm focused on lower middle market companies with defensible competitive positions and strong customer mindshare. The firm pursues organic growth and buy-and-build strategies, partnering with management teams and family owners to execute buyouts, corporate divestitures, recapitalizations, industry consolidations, and later-stage growth investments. RGP targets businesses generating $10 million to $100 million in revenue that design, engineer, mark...

Chicago, IL, US

Deal sizes: $10M – $40M

TJM Capital Partners is a boutique, operationally focused private investment firm headquartered in Chicago. Founded in 2008 by Tom J. McDonough, the firm was established to operate outside traditional fund structures, enabling flexibility across industries, deal structures, and investment horizons. TJM is backed by family offices, high‑net‑worth individuals, and other committed partners, and its team brings extensive private equity, investment banking, and C‑suite operating experience. The firm...

Chicago, IL, US

Deal sizes: $5M – $50M

Wolf Point Growth Partners LLC is a private investment firm that acquires and scales privately held businesses as platforms for long-term growth. The firm takes an active, hands-on approach to value creation and provides flexible solutions for owner transitions, liquidity for non-management shareholders, corporate divestitures, and growth equity, combining institutional capital with an entrepreneurial operating mindset. The partnership brings deep middle-market operating and investment experien...

Highland Park, IL, US

Bounds Equity Partners is a private equity firm focused on well-managed, entrepreneurial lower middle market companies with EBITDA of at least $1 million. The firm’s principals have partnered with owner-operators since 1988, completing 60 transactions and previously leading Heller Equity Capital Corporation, Allstate Private Equity, and Goense Bounds & Partners before founding BEP. The firm currently manages over $100 million across six portfolio companies. BEP invests across a broad range of i...

Chicago, IL, US

Deal sizes: $10M+

The Good Jobs Fund is a $20 million impact debt vehicle sponsored by Kaiser Foundation Hospitals that provides flexible financing to small and medium-sized businesses creating and sustaining quality jobs for underserved workers. The fund’s thesis is that investing in quality employment can enhance business performance while improving economic mobility and strengthening communities. The fund primarily offers senior secured loans and can structure unitranche or subordinated/mezzanine debt in sele...

Chicago, IL, US

Right Lane Capital LLC is a Chicago-based private investment firm focused on control buyouts and recapitalizations of profitable businesses in the lower middle and middle markets. Unconstrained by a traditional fund structure, the firm tailors investment structures, sector focus, and holding periods to the needs of each opportunity. Through its affiliate, Right Lane Industries LLC—an industrial holding company and the firm’s exclusive investment platform since 2018—Right Lane provides a permane...

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Deal sizes: Up to $100M

D’Orazio Capital Partners is a private investment firm focused on enhancing the performance of established, lower middle-market companies, with a particular emphasis on industrial sectors. The firm employs a rigorous, disciplined investment selection process to identify businesses with strong operating models, compelling growth prospects, and positions in markets it knows well. Following target identification, D’Orazio conducts comprehensive due diligence and partners closely with management to...

Northbrook, IL, US

Deal sizes: $10M – $50M

Fulton Capital LLC is a private equity firm that acquires control positions in small to mid-sized U.S. companies, typically with $10–$50 million in revenue and $2–$10 million in EBITDA. The firm focuses on ownership succession, corporate carve-outs, and other change-of-control situations involving businesses with stable, predictable cash flows and meaningful growth potential, primarily within niche manufacturing, logistics, distribution, and business services. Fulton Capital partners with incum...

Chicago, IL, US

Geneva Glen Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm founded in 2010 that invests in established, market-leading companies across the United States and Canada. The firm focuses on control investments in businesses with strong growth prospects and stable cash flows, partnering closely with management teams to execute value creation and growth initiatives. Target companies typically generate EBITDA between $2 million and $20 million. Backed by family offices and institutional investors, Gen...

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Granite Creek Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private investment firm and SBIC fund manager that provides flexible debt and equity capital to lower middle market companies. The firm typically invests $15 million to $25 million per transaction, with the ability to scale commitments to $50 million or more alongside partners. Granite Creek targets businesses generating $4 million to $12 million of EBITDA and works closely with management teams to accelerate growth and drive long-term value cre...

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Greystone Industrial Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on lower middle market industrial businesses. With more than 40 years of combined private equity experience and over 110 completed transactions, the firm partners with founders and management teams to accelerate growth through operational support, strategic M&A, and disciplined capital investment. Greystone targets opportunities across packaging, building products, manufacturing, distribution, and industrial services, ...

Wilmette, Illinois, United States

Deal sizes: $5M – $80M

Hadley Capital partners with founders, family-owned businesses, and management teams to execute ownership transitions, management succession, and growth initiatives. The firm focuses on lower middle market companies generating $5 million to $80 million in revenue and $1 million to $10 million in annual cash flow, with flexibility to invest across a broad range of industries.

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Deal sizes: $50M – $250M

Heico Companies is a privately held, family-owned holding company that acquires and builds industrial businesses across manufacturing, construction, and industrial services. Over several decades, the firm has expanded through disciplined reinvestment of cash flows, organic growth initiatives, and strategic add-on acquisitions. Heico employs a long-term, decentralized ownership model and partners with management teams to enhance operational performance, scale platforms, and expand market reach. ...

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Deal sizes: $1M – $30M

Performant Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on majority-control investments in technology-driven businesses, including B2B software, technology-enabled services, and data intelligence solutions. The firm brings deep investing and operating experience to help founders and management teams scale efficiently and build market-leading companies. Performant partners closely with portfolio companies to drive growth and operational excellence through proven value-creation playbook...

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Tyree & D'Angelo Partners (TDP) is a private equity firm focused on control investments in the lower middle market. The firm targets companies generating $1–$5 million of EBITDA and partners closely with founders and management teams to drive value creation. TDP emphasizes collaborative ownership transitions and operational support to accelerate growth and enhance long-term performance.

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Deal sizes: $10M – $75M

Vertex Growth Partners is a private equity firm focused on acquiring and operating U.S.-based industrial businesses. The firm targets established companies in the United States and brings a hands-on ownership approach to drive operational excellence and long-term value creation. Typical focus includes industrial service providers, value-added industrial supply distributors, and specialty manufacturers with approximately $10M–$75M in annual sales. Founded by former McMaster-Carr leaders John Ros...

Rosemont, IL, US

Deal sizes: $100M – $3000M

Founded in 1999, Wynnchurch Capital is a value-oriented, operationally focused private equity firm that invests in middle-market companies across the United States and Canada. The firm specializes in complex situations and partners with management teams to accelerate growth and drive operational improvement. Wynnchurch leverages a company’s strengths, identifies new market opportunities, and provides strategic and operational support to help management execute their vision. Guided by discipline...

Chicago, IL, US

Akoya Capital Partners LLC is a sector-focused private equity firm investing in middle market companies with strong growth potential. The firm partners with accomplished industry leaders and proven executives, aligning them with private capital to pursue acquisition-led strategies that drive value for sellers, management teams, and investors. Akoya employs an executive-led, sector thesis approach and leverages deep operating experience across its focus areas. Target sectors include Business & I...