Gridiron Capital
Gridiron Capital is a relationship-driven private equity firm founded in 2005 that makes control-oriented middle-market buyout investments across business services, consumer products & services, and industrial growth in the United States and Canada, partnering with founders and management teams.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersNew Canaan, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Gridiron Capital does
Gridiron Capital is a relationship-driven private equity firm founded in 2005 and headquartered in New Canaan, Connecticut, that invests in middle-market companies across the United States and Canada. The firm applies a thematic, sector-focused strategy across three verticals — Business Services, Consumer Products & Services, and Industrial Growth — targeting control-oriented investments in companies typically with revenues under $250 million, often partnering with founders, family-owned businesses, and management teams seeking capital, operational support, and succession or exit planning. Since inception, Gridiron reports involvement in more than 227 growth-oriented companies, including 40 platform companies, and currently actively manages 35+ portfolio companies such as Leaf Home, Erie Home, Greenix, ABC Legal Services, Health Monitor Network, GarageCo, Colibri Group, AML RightSource, Class Valuation, Vistage Worldwide, and M&D Distributors.
The firm monetizes through the standard PE revenue architecture: recurring management fees on committed capital (industry-typical 1.5–2% annually), performance-based carried interest on fund returns above the preferred hurdle (typically ~20%), and transaction-related value creation through operational improvements, add-on acquisitions, and strategic transformations executed prior to exit. Distribution is conducted via direct enterprise field sales — sourcing investments through proprietary founder and intermediary relationships built over 20+ years — and supported by a Centers of Excellence program and Board of Business Executives that provide post-close operational resources in technology, marketing, HR, operations, and sales. Fund V closed above target at $2.1 billion in October 2023, and Gridiron is reportedly targeting $2.5 billion for Fund VI.
Gridiron's organization is led by Co-Founder and Managing Partner Tom Burger, Managing Partner Kevin Jackson, and Managing Partner & COO Scott Harrison, with a broader senior bench of Managing Directors, Operating Partners, Operating Advisors, and a dedicated CFO (Jessica Kurys) and GC/CCO (Shari Miller). The firm has been recognized as the #1 firm in the 2025 HEC Paris-Dow Jones Lower Mid-Market Buyout Performance Ranking (its fourth such #1) and as an Inc. Founder-Friendly Investor for the fifth consecutive year, and it received a passive minority investment from RidgeLake Partners in November 2023 to support continued growth.
Gridiron Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gridiron Capital
- Legal name
- Gridiron Capital, LLC
- Website
- https://gridironcapital.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Gridiron Capital is a relationship-driven private equity firm founded in 2005 that makes control-oriented middle-market buyout investments across business services, consumer products & services, and industrial growth in the United States and Canada, partnering with founders and management teams.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gridiron Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Equity
- NAICS
- Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family Office Investment Platforms & Direct Investing (PE/VC/Co-Invest) (FSAAADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)
Keywords
Where Gridiron Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Canaan
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gridiron Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Management Fees: Private equity firms typically charge management fees on committed capital under management, typically 1.5-2% annually.
- Carried Interest: Performance-based fees earned when investment returns exceed specified hurdle rates, typically 20% of profits above the preferred return.
- Portfolio Company Value Creation: Realizing returns through operational improvements, add-on acquisitions, and strategic transformations of portfolio companies prior to exit.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Gridiron Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gridiron Capital is a relationship-driven private equity investment firm that makes control-oriented buyout investments in middle-market companies across the United States and Canada. The firm focuses on three core sectors: business services, consumer products & services, and industrial growth. Gridiron partners with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams by providing growth capital, operational expertise through its Centers of Excellence, and strategic guidance to build industry-leading companies.
Product overview
Gridiron Capital is a relationship-driven private equity investment firm that does not offer a unified product or platform. Instead, its 'products and services' consists of its portfolio of middle-market companies across three core sectors: Business Services, Consumer Products & Services, and Industrial Growth. The firm actively manages 35+ current portfolio companies including Leaf Home (residential home services), ABC Legal Services (legal technology), Greenix (pest control), Health Monitor Network (healthcare marketing), GarageCo (garage door services), Colibri Group (professional education), Class Valuation (appraisal management), and others. Additionally, Gridiron has successfully exited multiple portfolio companies including GSM Outdoors, Foundation Wellness, Dent Wizard, Legility, and Motion Recruitment Partners. The portfolio companies operate independently with their own product offerings, platforms, and integrations rather than as modules of a unified Gridiron product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Gridiron Capital Fund V Private equity fund vehicle that makes control-oriented buyout investments in middle-market companies across business services, consumer products & services, and industrial growth sectors in the United States and Canada. Limited Partners commit capital to the fund and Gridiron invests on their behalf.
- Centers of Excellence Program Operational support service provided to Gridiron portfolio companies offering specialized resources and best practices across technology, marketing, HR, operations, selling organization and sales best practices, high-performance teams, and high-performance boards. Led by Gridiron's Operating Partners and Managing Partners.
Quantifiable outcome
- Tripled revenue in less than four years at Erie Home
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Gridiron Capital
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Gridiron Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Gridiron Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.
- Stella Point CapitalmajorGridiron Capital and Stella Point Capital announced the strategic merger of their portfolio companies Travel Nurse Across America (TNAA) and TotalMed, both healthcare staffing providers. The merger aimed to expand service offerings and improve workforce management solutions for healthcare organizations nationwide.
- Bob Woodruff FoundationminorGridiron Capital partnered with the Bob Woodruff Foundation, investing in the Stand Up for Heroes event and Veterans on Wall Street initiative. The partnership supports service members, veterans, and their families through career opportunities and fundraising.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Gridiron Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CCMP Capital: Middle-market PE firm with similar sector-focused approach and comparable AUM scale. Gridiron's Managing Partner Kevin Jackson and Co-Head John Warner both came from CCMP, demonstrating direct strategic, operational, and cultural lineage between the firms.
- TZP Group: Lower middle-market PE firm with operating partner-driven, sector-focused approach. Gridiron's Managing Director Rodney Eshelman came from TZP Group as Partner, indicating close strategic alignment in lower mid-market buyouts and operating value creation.
- Court Square Capital Partners: Middle-market PE firm with comparable AUM scale and sector focus. Gridiron's Managing Director Steve Lamb was a Principal at Court Square, reflecting similar middle-market DNA and shared investment process maturity.
- Avance Investment Management: Lower mid-market PE firm with comparable fund size and sector focus. Steve Lamb joined Gridiron from Avance as Managing Director, and the two firms compete directly for similar lower mid-market opportunities.
- Levine Leichtman Capital Partners: Lower middle-market PE firm with sector-focused approach across consumer, business services, and industrials - directly mirroring Gridiron's three-sector thesis. Comparable fund size and operating value-creation orientation make it one of Gridiron's closest direct competitors.
- AEA Investors: Middle-market PE firm with operating partner-driven value creation approach and sector specialization. Directly comparable strategy in business services, consumer, and industrial segments with similar fund vintage structure.
- JZ Capital Partners: Lower mid-market PE firm with sector specialization and operating value creation focus. Comparable fund size and lower middle-market deal profile, particularly in business services and consumer-adjacent investments.
Broad incumbents
- Madison Dearborn Partners: Larger established middle-market PE firm operating across business services, consumer, and industrial sectors. Competes with Gridiron for the upper end of the lower mid-market and lower end of the middle market, with significantly larger AUM.
- Centerbridge Partners: Mid-market PE firm with credit and equity strategies that competes for similar lower mid-market opportunities. Broader capital base and multi-strategy approach differentiate it from Gridiron's pure-equity lower mid-market focus.
- H.I.G. Capital: Global mid-market PE firm with significant lower middle-market presence across business services, consumer, and industrial sectors. Competes for similar deals but operates with broader geographic footprint and larger combined AUM.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gridiron Capital social profiles
Digital presenceGridiron Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gridiron Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Gridiron Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gridiron Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A12 records
Investments14 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gridiron Capital
What does Gridiron Capital do?
Gridiron Capital is a relationship-driven private equity investment firm that makes control-oriented buyout investments in middle-market companies across the United States and Canada. The firm focuses on three core sectors: business services, consumer products & services, and industrial growth. Gridiron partners with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams by providing growth capital, operational expertise through its Centers of Excellence, and strategic guidance to build industry-leading companies.
Is Gridiron Capital a public or private company?
Gridiron Capital is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Gridiron Capital founded?
Gridiron Capital was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Gridiron Capital based?
Gridiron Capital is headquartered in New Canaan, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gridiron Capital make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are carried Interest and portfolio Company Value Creation.
Who are Gridiron Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CCMP Capital, TZP Group, Court Square Capital Partners, Avance Investment Management, Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, AEA Investors and JZ Capital Partners. Broad incumbents are Madison Dearborn Partners, Centerbridge Partners and H.I.G. Capital.
Does Gridiron Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gridiron Capital.
What industry is Gridiron Capital in?
Gridiron Capital's product category is Private Equity. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAADAH, Family Office Investment Platforms & Direct Investing (PE/VC/Co-Invest), with a secondary code of FSANAAAD, Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists). Its NAICS code is 525 and its SIC code is 6282.