How to Find Private Equity Firms by Investment Focus
How to find private equity firms by investment focus, sector, and deal size. Covers databases, deal tracking, and AI-powered prospecting for PE outreach.
Founding AI Engineer @ Origami
There are roughly 5,000 private equity firms in the US managing over $5 trillion in assets. If you sell to PE firms — due diligence tools, portfolio management software, operating consultants, or value creation services — or you're seeking PE investment, finding the right firms by investment focus is critical.
Quick Answer: To find PE firms by investment focus, use PitchBook (the gold standard for PE data), Crunchbase for basic firm profiles and recent deals, SEC Form D filings for new fund formations, and Origami to build enriched lists of PE firms with partner contacts, sector focus, and recent portfolio companies.
Where to Find PE Firms
1. PitchBook
The most comprehensive PE database. Filter by sector focus, deal size, geography, fund size, and investment stage (growth equity, buyout, middle market).
2. Origami
Tell Origami: "Find middle-market PE firms focused on healthcare or business services with $100M-$1B fund size. Include firm name, managing partner, email, and recent acquisitions."
3. Crunchbase
Basic PE firm profiles with recent investment activity. Good for funded deal tracking.
4. SEC Form D Filings
New fund formations are filed with the SEC. Tracks who's raising new capital (and will be actively deploying).
5. PE Hub, Buyouts Magazine, PEI
Industry publications with deal announcements, firm profiles, and rankings.
PE Firm Types
| Type | Typical Deal Size | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Middle Market | $10-75M enterprise value | Small business buyouts |
| Middle Market | $75-500M | Growth equity, platform acquisitions |
| Upper Middle Market | $500M-2B | Larger buyouts, carve-outs |
| Large Cap | $2B+ | Mega-deals, public-to-private |
| Growth Equity | $10-100M minority stake | High-growth companies |
| Sector-Specialist | Varies | Healthcare, tech, industrials, etc. |
What PE Firms Buy
- Due diligence tools and consultants
- Portfolio company management software
- Operating consultants and interim executives
- Data and analytics platforms
- Deal sourcing and origination tools