Coral Tree Partners
Coral Tree Partners is a Los Angeles-based private equity firm founded in 2021 that invests $15–100 million of equity in lower middle market companies across media, entertainment, communications, and business services, backed by a $470 million inaugural fund.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Coral Tree Partners does
Coral Tree Partners is a Los Angeles-based private equity firm founded in 2021 by Will Wynperle and Alan Resnikoff, both formerly partners at Shamrock Capital (22 and 14 years respectively). The firm invests in lower middle market companies across the media, entertainment, communications, and related business services sectors, deploying $15–100 million of equity per transaction via buyouts, recapitalizations, and late-stage growth equity. Its inaugural fund closed in April 2022 at approximately $470 million, materially above the $350 million target and above the original hard cap, with capital sourced from endowments, foundations, insurance companies, pension plans, institutional family offices, and funds-of-funds. Management fees on committed capital are the primary recurring revenue stream, with carried interest providing event-driven upside tied to portfolio exits.
The portfolio spans digital entertainment (AMI Entertainment Network, acquired from The Gores Group in December 2022), gaming talent management and marketing (Loaded, including the Open World consultancy), strategic communications (Avōq, formed via the merger of portfolio company Subject Matter with Kivvit), live sports production (DMC Production, a majority-owned European platform across the Nordics and Benelux), talent representation (Innovative Artists Entertainment, the firm's first investment in the agency's 40+ year history), AI-powered video technology (KERV.ai), restaurant and retail marketing technology (Plein Air with its Big Colony platform across 15,000+ locations), and indoor golf entertainment (Five Iron Golf). Coral Tree takes board seats in portfolio companies and provides strategic guidance, operational support, and human resources, supplementing its executive advisor network with deep sector relationships built over approximately five decades of combined team experience.
The firm operates as Coral Tree Management, LP (Delaware-domiciled limited partnership) with a 1–10 person investment and operations team headquartered at 11911 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 245 in Los Angeles. Distribution to LPs is conducted via direct institutional fundraising; deal sourcing relies primarily on direct networking, referrals, and industry relationships rather than external marketing channels. The firm's technology footprint is not product-oriented — it does not develop proprietary software — and its principal intangible assets are the partners' track record, sector network, and brand reputation, which together drove the oversubscribed fund close and the ability to lead strategic rounds and platform acquisitions across multiple sectors and geographies (US, UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Finland).
Coral Tree Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Coral Tree Partners
- Legal name
- Coral Tree Management, LP and its affiliates
- Website
- https://coraltreelp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Coral Tree Partners is a Los Angeles-based private equity firm founded in 2021 that invests $15–100 million of equity in lower middle market companies across media, entertainment, communications, and business services, backed by a $470 million inaugural fund.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Coral Tree Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Equity Investment Management
- NAICS
- Other Financial Investment Activities (5239)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)
Keywords
Where Coral Tree Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Coral Tree Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Management Fees: Private equity management fees collected from fund investors (endowments, foundations, insurance companies, pension plans, institutional family offices, and funds-of-funds) based on committed capital under management.
- Carried Interest: Performance-based carried interest from successful portfolio company exits, typically 20% of profits above an 8% hurdle rate, aligning GP and LP interests.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Coral Tree Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Coral Tree Partners is a Los Angeles-based private equity firm that makes control and growth equity investments of $15-100 million in lower middle market companies in the media, entertainment, communications, and related business services sectors. The firm closed its inaugural fund at approximately $470 million and operates a single investment fund that acquires, recapitalizes, and provides late-stage growth equity to portfolio companies, while partnering with management teams on strategy and value creation.
Product overview
Coral Tree Partners is a Los Angeles-based private equity firm offering a single investment fund (Coral Tree Partners, LP) focused on lower middle market companies in media, entertainment, and communications. The firm does not operate a unified software product; instead, it provides capital and strategic partnership to portfolio companies. The portfolio spans diverse segments including gaming talent management (Loaded with Open World consultancy division), communications agencies (Avōq), digital entertainment (AMI Entertainment), sports production (DMC Production), talent representation (Innovative Artists Entertainment), AI-powered video technology (KERV.ai), marketing technology for restaurants/retail (Plein Air with Big Colony platform), and golf entertainment (Five Iron Golf). Each portfolio company operates independently with its own distinct product and service offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Coral Tree Partners, LP (Inaugural Fund) A private equity fund that makes $15-100 million equity investments in lower middle market companies with strong growth potential in media, entertainment, communications, and related business services sectors. The fund is available for capital commitments from institutional limited partners and invests via buyouts, recapitalizations, and late-stage growth equity.
Quantifiable outcome
- Fund oversubscribed above $350 million target, raising $470 million
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Coral Tree Partners
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Coral Tree Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Coral Tree Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Open WorldminorOpen World, the marketing consultancy division of Loaded Holdings, acquired Drope.me to expand creator marketing infrastructure. Open World was incubated within Loaded, which is a Coral Tree portfolio company.
- GG Talent GroupminorLoaded acquired GG Talent Group to expand gaming talent roster. GG Talent represents 90+ creators across 11 countries including Elajjaz, MissMikkaa, and Distortion2. Both GG Talent and Loaded were top two most-watched Twitch teams in 2023.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Coral Tree Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Zelnick Media Capital: Media-focused private investment firm making control and non-control investments in media, entertainment, and communications companies. Comparable given its specialized media/entertainment lower middle market focus and sector-exclusive strategy.
- Providence Equity Partners: Specialist private equity firm exclusively focused on media, communications, education, and technology investments. Comparable given its sector-specialist approach to media and communications investing with a similar lower middle market focus.
- Shamrock Capital: Los Angeles-based private equity firm focused on media, entertainment, and communications investments. Most directly comparable peer given that Coral Tree's founders spent 22 and 14 years respectively at Shamrock before launching their own firm with a similar sector mandate.
- Madison Dearborn Partners: Chicago-based private equity firm focused on middle market buyouts across media, communications, and business services. Comparable given its sector focus on media and communications and similar lower middle market investment range.
- Trilantic North America: Private equity firm focused on control investments in middle market companies across business services, consumer, and energy—including media and entertainment exposure. Comparable given its lower middle market focus and sector-diversified approach to media/communications.
- Veronis Suhler Stevenson (now Cresset): Historically a specialist media-focused private equity firm that merged with Cresset. Comparable given its long-standing exclusive focus on media, entertainment, and communications investments at the lower middle market level.
Broad incumbents
- Blackstone: World's largest alternative asset manager with dedicated media, entertainment, and communications investing capabilities across its private equity, growth, and tactical opportunities funds. Comparable as a large-scale investor in the same sectors at varying check sizes.
- KKR: Global investment firm with media, entertainment, and communications investments across its private equity, growth, and special situations funds. Comparable as a major alternative asset manager with overlapping sector exposure and similar institutional LP base.
- TPG Capital: Global alternative asset manager with significant media, entertainment, and communications investments through its growth, capital, and partners funds. Comparable as a major PE investor in adjacent sectors, though operating at significantly larger scale and broader mandate.
- Silver Lake: Global technology-focused private equity firm with significant investments in media, entertainment, and communications. Comparable as a large-scale alternative asset manager with overlapping sector exposure, though operating at much larger check sizes and a tech-tilted mandate.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Coral Tree Partners social profiles
Digital presenceCoral Tree Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Coral Tree Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Coral Tree Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Coral Tree Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments6 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Coral Tree Partners
What does Coral Tree Partners do?
Coral Tree Partners is a Los Angeles-based private equity firm that makes control and growth equity investments of $15-100 million in lower middle market companies in the media, entertainment, communications, and related business services sectors. The firm closed its inaugural fund at approximately $470 million and operates a single investment fund that acquires, recapitalizes, and provides late-stage growth equity to portfolio companies, while partnering with management teams on strategy and value creation.
Is Coral Tree Partners a public or private company?
Coral Tree Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Coral Tree Partners founded?
Coral Tree Partners was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Coral Tree Partners based?
Coral Tree Partners is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Coral Tree Partners make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are carried Interest.
Who are Coral Tree Partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Zelnick Media Capital, Providence Equity Partners, Shamrock Capital, Madison Dearborn Partners, Trilantic North America and Veronis Suhler Stevenson (now Cresset). Broad incumbents are Blackstone, KKR, TPG Capital and Silver Lake.
Does Coral Tree Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Coral Tree Partners.
What industry is Coral Tree Partners in?
Coral Tree Partners's product category is Private Equity Investment Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAALAG, Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure). Its NAICS code is 5239.