EMK Capital

What EMK Capital does

EMK Capital is a London-headquartered private equity firm founded in 2015 by Edmund Lazarus (formerly Managing Partner of Bregal Capital) and Mark Joseph (formerly a founding Partner at Oakley Capital Private Equity). The firm is structured as an FCA-regulated limited liability partnership (EMK Capital LLP, FRN 755398) and invests in predominantly European headquartered mid-market businesses where unrecognised or hard-to-realise value can be unlocked through active partnerships with management teams. EMK manages two main private equity funds: EMK Capital Partners I, which closed at its £575 million hard cap in May 2017, and EMK Capital Partners II, which closed at its €1.5 billion hard cap in June 2020, ten weeks after launch.

EMK's core product is its private equity fund franchise, supplemented by the EMK Accelerate operating platform, which provides portfolio companies with operational support across market access, capacity development, bolt-on acquisitions, talent, and responsible investment. The firm has built a portfolio of more than 25 companies spanning IT services (WeAreProject, Broad Horizon, eGISS), specialty industrials (Argos Surface Technologies, L&S, VDK Groep, Heras), green energy infrastructure (Aureos), healthcare (Onebright, EyeCare Group), consumer technology (Cardo, Roundtable Interactive Group), and data infrastructure (Bright Data). Portfolio-company scale is material — WeAreProject has over €450 million in revenue and 700+ employees, Bright Data operates a 40+ million IP network, Trustonic is embedded in 2 billion+ devices, and Aureos carries a £1.1 billion order book.

EMK generates revenue through management fees on committed capital under management and carried interest from successful portfolio exits, with institutional limited partners providing the capital base — over 40% of which comprises pensions, endowments, foundations, government and other non-profit organisations. The firm operates 17 offices across Europe, North America, the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia, and is differentiated by elite ESG credentials, including a UN PRI five-star rating across all categories and being the first PE firm to gain SBTi approval for a portfolio-coverage science-based target.

Name

EMK Capital

Legal name

EMK Capital LLP

Website

https://emkcapital.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

EMK Capital is a London-based, FCA-regulated private equity firm founded in 2015 that invests in predominantly European mid-market businesses with unrecognised value through two main funds (£575M Fund I and €1.5B Fund II) and supports its 25+ portfolio companies via the EMK Accelerate operating platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Equity Fund Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Services (B2B) Growth Equity (FSANACAD)

Keywords

• Private equity investing
• Mid-market buyouts
• Fund management
• Portfolio value creation
• Responsible investment

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Management Fees: Private equity fund management fees charged to limited partner investors based on committed capital under management
2. Carried Interest: Performance-based carried interest from successful exits of portfolio investments in funds managed by EMK

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

EMK Capital is a private equity firm that raises and manages institutional capital through closed-end funds (Fund I £575m, Fund II €1.5bn) and invests in predominantly European headquartered mid-market businesses with unrecognised or hard-to-realise value. The firm partners with management teams to execute transformative growth strategies and provides operational support through its EMK Accelerate value-creation platform, earning revenue from fund management fees and performance-based carried interest.

Product overview

EMK Capital is a private equity firm that offers investment management services through its managed funds. The firm operates two main private equity funds (EMK Capital Partners Fund I and Fund II) and provides operational support to portfolio companies through its EMK Accelerate platform. The firm focuses on mid-market businesses across Europe and internationally, typically investing in companies where EMK can support transformative growth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EMK Accelerate: EMK's value creation platform providing operational support, expertise, and resources to portfolio companies.

Products and services

• EMK Capital Partners Fund I EMK Capital's first institutional private equity fund, closed at its hard cap of £575 million in May 2017, investing in mid-market European businesses with unrecognised or hard-to-realise value. Available to institutional limited partner investors such as pension funds, endowments and foundations.
• EMK Capital Partners Fund II EMK Capital's second private equity fund, closed at its hard cap of €1.5 billion in June 2020, continuing the firm's investment strategy of investing in predominantly European headquartered mid-market businesses. Available to institutional limited partner investors.
• EMK Accelerate EMK's value creation platform providing operational support, expertise, and resources to portfolio companies, including market access, capacity development, bolt-on acquisitions support, technology talent solutions and responsible investment services. Used by EMK's portfolio company management teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fund II closed at €1.5 billion hard cap, ten weeks after launch in April 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Level 20supportingOthersEMK is a Sponsor of Level 20, the not-for-profit organisation established to inspire women to join and succeed in the private equity industry. Supports Level 20's mission to encourage greater female representation across the private equity industry with the goal of having 20% of senior positions in the industry held by women.
• Out InvestorssupportingOthersEMK is a proud sponsor of Out Investors, a global organisation that was founded with the mission to make the private investing industry more welcoming for LGBT+ individuals. The OI network operates through local chapters in major financial city centres including New York, London and San Francisco.
• UN PRIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMK has been a signatory of the United Nations-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) since July 2017, at their inception. EMK currently maintains top scores (five stars) across all PRI categories.
• UKSIFsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMK has been a member of UKSIF since early 2020. UKSIF is the membership association for sustainable and responsible financial services in the UK. Membership provides the ability to share best practices in sustainable investment over the wider financial services spectrum.
• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMK's science-based target (SBT) was approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in October 2023, when EMK became the first private equity firm to set a science-based portfolio coverage target based on absolute emissions, rather than invested capital.
• Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMK became a supporter of the TCFD in 2021, committing to improve and increase reporting of climate-related financial information.
• Initiative Climat International (iCI)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMK has become a signatory of Initiative Climat International (iCI), joining a global community of private equity investors who seek to better understand and manage climate-related risks and reduce the climate impact of their investment strategies.
• UK APPG on ESGsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrom March 2022 – March 2023 EMK sponsored the UK Government's All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on ESG, which exists to deepen parliamentarians' engagement with investors and industry on ESG matters.
• Investor AgendasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2021, 2022 and 2024, EMK signed the Investor Agenda's statement to global governments as a call for action on the climate crisis.
• London Academy of ExcellencesupportingOthersStarting in 2019, EMK has been working with the London Academy of Excellence, a state school serving pupils in economically disadvantaged areas of London. The Managing Partners are personally sponsoring a significant cohort of students, and the investment team provides mentoring.
• 65+ NGOs and Academic InstitutionssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBright Data (portfolio company) has partnered with over 65 NGOs, NPOs, and prominent academic and research institutions offering them access to its extensive data collection network, expertise, and pro-bono support through The Bright Initiative.
• 160+ Organizations and UniversitiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bright Initiative (from Bright Data portfolio company) includes over 160 organizations and universities globally, providing public bodies, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions with data and expertise to tackle pressing global issues.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cinven: Cinven is a London-based European mid-market private equity firm investing across business services, technology, healthcare, and industrials. Comparable to EMK for its European mid-market focus, sector-diversified approach, and similar Fund size cadence.
• Bridgepoint: Bridgepoint is a major European mid-market private equity firm investing across multiple sectors. Comparable to EMK for its mid-market European headquarters focus, diversified portfolio approach, and pan-European deal sourcing.
• BC Partners: BC Partners is a London-based European PE firm with diversified mid-to-large cap investments. Comparable to EMK for its European focus, generalist sector approach, and multi-fund platform model.
• PAI Partners: PAI Partners is a Paris-based mid-market European PE firm investing across business services, food, healthcare, and industrials. Comparable to EMK for its pan-European mid-market orientation and similar Fund size profile.
• Charterhouse Capital Partners: Charterhouse is a London-based mid-market PE firm focused on European companies. Comparable to EMK for its London headquarters, European mid-market focus, and broad sector mandate across business services and industrials.
• Equistone Partners Europe: Equistone is a pan-European mid-market PE firm headquartered in London. Comparable to EMK for its European mid-market focus and similar fund size, though Equistone typically targets slightly lower-mid market deals.
• Oakley Capital Private Equity: Oakley Capital is a London-based European mid-market PE firm. Highly comparable to EMK as Mark Joseph, EMK's co-founder, was previously a founding Partner at Oakley Capital, sharing similar investment philosophy and mid-market European focus.
• Bregal Capital: Bregal is a European mid-market PE firm. Highly comparable to EMK as Edmund Lazarus, EMK's co-founder, was previously Managing Partner and founder of Bregal Capital, sharing similar European mid-market investment focus.

Broad incumbents

• Permira: Permira is a global PE firm headquartered in London. Comparable to EMK for its European mid-market orientation and operational value creation approach, though Permira operates at a much larger AUM scale.
• EQT: EQT is a Stockholm-headquartered global PE firm with strong European mid-market exposure. Comparable to EMK for its Northern European deal sourcing and sector-diversified approach, though EQT operates at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emkcapital

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A17 records

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about EMK Capital