What Phoenix Equity Partners does

Phoenix Equity Partners is a London-based private equity firm founded in 2001 by David Burns and Kevin Keck that invests £10m to £80m of equity into established, founder-led businesses headquartered in the UK and Ireland. The firm concentrates on three thematic sectors backed by long-term structural tailwinds: Data & Analytics, Technology & Specialist Services, and Health & Wellbeing. Phoenix operates at the lower-mid-market end of UK private equity, deploying capital through successor funds (notably the 2016 Fund and the 2022 Fund) and partnering with management teams on growth, international expansion and operational scaling rather than pursuing leveraged buyouts.

The firm generates revenue through three standard private equity streams: recurring management fees on committed or invested fund capital, transaction and advisory fees on investments and divestments, and carried interest crystallised on exits that exceed a preferred return. Phoenix reported that its 2016 Fund completed 13 exits with seven investments delivering above a 3x gross multiple of cost, with documented value creation across the portfolio (e.g., Riviera Travel EBITDA up 80%, Travel Chapter trebling profitability and completing 20 bolt-on acquisitions in 2.5 years, Sygnature Discovery turnover more than doubling, Mobius assets under administration exceeding £30bn). The current 2022 Fund is in active deployment, with majority investments in Dufrain, 4most, Logiq, Nostra, Cybanetix, SMH Group, London Gynaecology, FutureMeds and Minerva Virtual Academy.

Phoenix is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (firm reference 147966) and employs a sector-specialised team organised around investment, origination and research, portfolio value creation, investor relations and finance functions. Recent strategic emphasis has been on deepening operational support (Portfolio Impact team, Operating Director for People & Organisational Strategy), scaling investor relations ahead of a likely future fund, and supporting portfolio companies on cross-border expansion, exemplified by 4most's acquisition of Dutch VB Risk Advisory and opening of an Amsterdam office.

Name

Phoenix Equity Partners

Legal name

Phoenix Equity Partners Limited

Website

https://phoenix-equity.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Phoenix Equity Partners is a London-based private equity firm founded in 2001 that invests £10m-£80m of equity into founder-led businesses in the UK and Ireland, focused on Data & Analytics, Technology & Specialist Services, and Health & Wellbeing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Equity / Growth Capital Investment

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity (FSANACAO)

Keywords

• Private equity investment
• Growth capital
• Mid-market buyouts
• Founder-led businesses
• Portfolio management

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Management Fees: Phoenix charges management fees on the assets under management in their private equity funds, typically calculated as a percentage of committed capital or net asset value.
2. Carried Interest: Performance fees earned as a percentage of investment profits when portfolio companies are exited, typically after returning capital to investors plus a preferred return.
3. Deal/Transaction Fees: Fees generated from investment and divestment activities, including arrangement fees on new investments and advisory fees on exits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Phoenix Equity Partners is a UK-based private equity firm that provides growth capital investments of £10m to £80m equity per partnership in established, founder-led businesses headquartered in the UK and Ireland. The firm invests across three thematic focus areas: Data & Analytics, Technology & Specialist Services, and Health & Wellbeing, partnering with founders to support business growth, international expansion, operational development, and exits.

Product overview

Phoenix Equity Partners is a private equity firm that provides growth capital investment to established, founder-led businesses. The firm invests between £10m to £80m equity in each partnership, focusing on three thematic areas: data & analytics (data analysis, information businesses, and AI-enabling technologies), technology & specialist services (software, cloud, cybersecurity, and specialist consultancies), and health & wellbeing (healthcare providers, medtech, and pharmaceutical services). Rather than a product company with modules or add-ons, Phoenix offers investment partnership services with a people-first approach, supporting founders and management teams to accelerate growth and realize their business objectives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Phoenix Equity Investment Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 13 successful exits from 2016 Fund with 7 investments generating over 3x gross multiple of cost
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• VB Risk AdvisorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025VB Risk Advisory, a Netherlands-based risk consultancy, was acquired by 4most (Phoenix portfolio company) and subsequently entered into a strategic partnership to expand risk advisory services in Northern Europe. The collaboration enhances 4most's presence in the Dutch financial market following the opening of 4most's new Amsterdam office.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Graphite Capital: UK mid-market private equity firm investing £10m-£100m+ in founder-led, profitable businesses, often in B2B services, healthcare, and consumer. Highly comparable cheque size, sector overlap, and founder-partnership ethos to Phoenix.
• Inflexion Private Equity: UK-based mid-market growth and buyout investor with significant B2B services and healthcare exposure. Operates larger funds but with overlapping investment size, sector themes, and lower-mid-market founder focus similar to Phoenix.
• ECI Partners: UK mid-market PE firm focused on £10m-£100m investments in B2B services, healthcare, and technology businesses. Highly comparable cheque size, sector mix, and growth-equity style to Phoenix.
• Bowmark Capital: UK mid-market PE investor focused on profitable, growing UK businesses in business services, technology, and healthcare. Direct peer to Phoenix in sector focus, cheque size (£10m-£100m+), and founder-friendly approach.
• Livingbridge: UK mid-market growth investor (formerly ISIS Equity Partners) with focus on £10m-£100m deals in technology, services, and healthcare. Comparable to Phoenix in thematic focus, ticket size, and founder-partnership approach.
• Palatine Private Equity: UK mid-market PE firm making £10m-£75m+ investments in B2B services and healthcare. Overlaps with Phoenix on cheque size, sector focus, and lower-mid-market positioning.
• August Equity: UK lower-mid-market PE firm investing £5m-£50m in UK founder-led B2B businesses. Directly comparable to Phoenix on geography, target deal size band, and founder-led investment thesis.
• Lyceum Capital: UK mid-market PE firm investing in growth-oriented UK businesses in business services, healthcare, and technology. Comparable on sector focus, ticket size, and growth-equity style.
• YFM Equity Partners: UK lower-mid-market PE firm (formerly YFM Group) investing £5m-£50m in UK SMEs across business services, technology, and healthcare. Directly comparable to Phoenix on geography and ticket size range, with similar sector breadth at the lower mid-market end.

Broad incumbents

• LDC (Lloyds Development Capital): UK's largest mid-market PE investor (£2bn+ deployed annually) backed by Lloyds Banking Group. Operates across multiple sectors with significant B2B services and healthcare exposure - a broader incumbent peer to Phoenix with overlapping but much larger-scale activity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phoenix-equity-partners

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A34 records

Investments23 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Phoenix Equity Partners