Cornell Capital
Cornell Capital is a U.S.-based private equity firm founded in 2013 by Henry Cornell, managing ~$5 billion AUM across consumer, financial services, and industrials/business services sectors, with offices in New York and Hong Kong enabling US-Asia cross-border investments through a 24-person team.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cornell Capital does
Cornell Capital is a U.S.-based private equity firm founded in 2013 by Senior Partner Henry Cornell, the former Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs' Merchant Banking Division. The firm manages approximately $5 billion in assets under management across two flagship funds (a $1.3 billion first fund and a $1.7 billion second fund closed in March 2022) and invests in control-oriented transactions across three core verticals: consumer, financial services, and industrials/business services. Cornell differentiates itself through a cross-border US-Asia investment capability, anchored by offices in New York (499 Park Avenue) and Hong Kong (Two Pacific Place, Admiralty), with the Asia team contributing approximately 50 years of combined on-the-ground experience. The firm operates with a lean 24-person team and emphasizes a partnership-oriented, active ownership model without reliance on outsourced operating partners.
The firm's portfolio spans 17+ active investments across diverse industries, including IT staffing (S.i. Systems), semiconductor packaging (Advantek), ophthalmic instruments (Advancing Eyecare), healthcare workforce solutions (Ingenovis Health), pharmacy benefit management (Citizens Rx), personal insurance (Vault), beauty and personal care manufacturing (KDC/One, Blue Mistral), industrial distribution (MRC Global), and clean-energy carbon black manufacturing (Monolith Materials). Cornell generates revenue through traditional private equity fund management: management fees on committed or invested capital (typically 1.5%-2% of AUM) and carried interest on investment realizations. Deal sourcing is conducted through direct relationships, alumni networks from Goldman Sachs and other prior firms, industry events, and strategic co-invest partnerships with firms including TorQuest Partners, KKR, Sixth Street Capital, and Trilantic North America. Investment opportunities are offered exclusively through confidential private placement memorandums to qualified institutional investors.
Cornell Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cornell Capital
- Legal name
- Cornell Capital LLC
- Website
- https://cornellcapllc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cornell Capital is a U.S.-based private equity firm founded in 2013 by Henry Cornell, managing ~$5 billion AUM across consumer, financial services, and industrials/business services sectors, with offices in New York and Hong Kong enabling US-Asia cross-border investments through a 24-person team.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cornell Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Equity
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Technology & Software Growth Equity (FSANACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Equity Capital Advisory (Private Equity Placements, Growth Capital) (BPAHAOAE)
Keywords
Where Cornell Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Cornell Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Private Equity Fund Management: Generates returns through managing private investment funds, typically collecting management fees on assets under management and carried interest (performance fees) on investment gains. The firm takes a disciplined approach to value-driven investing across consumer, financial services, and industrials sectors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Cornell Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cornell Capital is a private equity firm that raises and manages investment funds from qualified institutional investors and deploys capital into control-oriented investments across the consumer, financial services, and industrials/business services sectors. The firm partners with management teams as an active owner, often leveraging its Asia presence and cross-border expertise to support portfolio companies seeking US-Asia growth.
Product overview
Cornell Capital is a U.S.-based private investment firm, not a technology product company. The firm offers private equity investment services and manages a portfolio of 17 portfolio companies across diverse sectors including IT staffing (S.i. Systems), data analytics (Longevity), packaging (Advantek), ophthalmic instruments (Advancing Eyecare), nutrition and wellness (INW), healthcare workforce solutions (Ingenovis Health), personal insurance (Vault), electronics manufacturing (Lisconn), automotive F&I products (Spectrum Automotive Holdings), pharmacy benefit management (Citizens Rx), beauty and personal care manufacturing (kdc/one, Blue Mistral), commercial laundry services (PureStar), life insurance and annuities (Talcott Resolution), carbon black manufacturing (Monolith Materials), consumer housewares (Instant Brands), and industrial distribution (MRC Global). These portfolio companies represent the firm's investment holdings rather than a unified product platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cornell Capital First-Time Fund The firm's inaugural private equity fund vehicle that invests in companies across consumer, financial services, and industrials/business services sectors. Offered to qualified institutional investors through confidential private placement memorandums.
- Cornell Capital Second Flagship Fund The firm's second flagship private equity fund vehicle that surpassed its $1.7 billion target for investments in consumer, financial services, and industrials/business services sectors, with expanded senior leadership in both U.S. and Asia.
Companies that use Cornell Capital
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cornell Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cornell Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered portfolio and strategic.
- Barony UniversalportfolioKDC/One (backed by Cornell and KKR) acquired Barony Universal to expand global manufacturing capabilities and U.K. presence in October 2025.
- Winpack Tech Co., Ltd.strategicStrategic partnership between portfolio company Advantek and Winpack's Eurasia group to enhance global packaging solutions. Advantek benefits from Winpack's established market presence in China, unlocking new high-volume opportunities and strengthening its global footprint in Asia.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cornell Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TorQuest Partners: Canadian mid-market private equity firm with a similar check size; TorQuest co-invested with Cornell Capital on the acquisition of S.i. Systems in November 2022, evidencing direct collaboration on cross-border mid-market transactions.
- Trilantic North America: Mid-market private equity firm focused on North America with a comparable AUM range; Trilantic co-invested with Cornell Capital on the formation of Ingenovis Health, demonstrating direct deal overlap and a parallel operating model.
- SK Capital Partners: Specialist mid-market private equity firm with a comparable AUM profile; Cornell Capital's COO/CCO Jenn Cattier previously served as SK Capital's General Counsel and CCO, evidencing direct talent overlap and a similar sector-tilted mandate.
- Pine Brook Partners: Mid-market private equity firm with comparable AUM scale and a sector-diversified mandate; Cornell Capital's Finance Director Stephen Boscola was previously Controller at Pine Brook Partners, evidencing similar operating model and talent pool overlap.
- HIG Capital: Large mid-market private equity firm with diversified sector exposure and a similarly sized fund franchise; HIG competes for many of the same control and structured equity transactions in Cornell's consumer, financial services, and industrials verticals.
- Lindsay Goldberg: Mid-market private equity firm focused on North America with comparable fund sizes; Cornell Capital Managing Director Robert Wang previously invested in private equity at Lindsay Goldberg, evidencing direct talent overlap and a similar mid-market control-buyout model.
- American Industrial Partners: Industrials-focused private equity firm with comparable mid-market AUM; overlaps with Cornell's industrials/business services portfolio (Advantek, Lisconn, MRC Global, Monolith Materials) in industrials and specialty manufacturing deal flow.
Broad incumbents
- KKR: Global mega-fund private equity firm with substantially larger AUM; KKR made a strategic investment alongside Cornell Capital in KDC/One in March 2022, evidencing direct co-investment partnership and overlapping deal activity in the consumer and industrials verticals.
- Apollo Global Management: Global mega-fund with broad sector coverage including consumer, financial services, and industrials; competes for the larger end of mid-market transactions and serves as an indirect benchmark for Cornell's fund performance and LP targeting.
- Sixth Street Capital: Diversified investment firm with significant capital allocation in private equity, private credit, and financial services; Sixth Street acquired Talcott Resolution from a Cornell-led consortium in June 2021, evidencing direct counterparty relationship in financial services buyouts.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cornell Capital social profiles
Digital presenceCornell Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cornell Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Cornell Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cornell Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A14 records
Investments18 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cornell Capital
What does Cornell Capital do?
Cornell Capital is a private equity firm that raises and manages investment funds from qualified institutional investors and deploys capital into control-oriented investments across the consumer, financial services, and industrials/business services sectors. The firm partners with management teams as an active owner, often leveraging its Asia presence and cross-border expertise to support portfolio companies seeking US-Asia growth.
Is Cornell Capital a public or private company?
Cornell Capital is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned.
When was Cornell Capital founded?
Cornell Capital was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cornell Capital based?
Cornell Capital is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cornell Capital make money?
One revenue line is on record: private Equity Fund Management.
Who are Cornell Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TorQuest Partners, Trilantic North America, SK Capital Partners, Pine Brook Partners, HIG Capital, Lindsay Goldberg and American Industrial Partners. Broad incumbents are KKR, Apollo Global Management and Sixth Street Capital.
Does Cornell Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cornell Capital.
What industry is Cornell Capital in?
Cornell Capital's product category is Private Equity. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANACAA, Technology & Software Growth Equity, with a secondary code of BPAHAOAE, Equity Capital Advisory (Private Equity Placements, Growth Capital). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.