Kinzie Capital Partners

What Kinzie Capital Partners does

Kinzie Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm founded in 2017 by Suzanne Yoon, focused on control investments in lower middle-market companies across the manufactured products, business services, and consumer industries. The firm targets platform companies generating $3 million to $15 million of EBITDA and up to $250 million in revenue, with equity checks of $5 million to $30 million (expandable to $50 million alongside co-invest partners). Its investment thesis centers on operating in companies navigating generational transitions, high-growth phases, or complex business cycles, and applying technology-enabled operational improvements to accelerate value creation — codified in its proprietary Kinzie Formula (AV = F(K+O)T).

The firm's defining structural feature is a strategic partnership with Clarity Partners, LLC, a 150-person management and technology consulting firm. Clarity co-founders David Namkung and Rodney Zech serve as Kinzie co-founders and partners, and Clarity provides deal sourcing, technology strategy, operational consulting, and back-office support to Kinzie's portfolio. The two firms share headquarters at 20 North Clark Street in Chicago. Portfolio holdings include Chelsea Lighting (lighting distribution, acquired Sept 2020), Colony Display (display, 2019), GT Golf Holdings (golf accessories, Jan 2023), Arctic Industries (temperature control and cold storage, Feb 2024), and Fraser Steel (steel tubular products, Feb 2025).

Kinzie generates revenue through traditional private equity fund management economics: management fees on committed and invested capital across its funds (a $20M co-invest fund closed in 2019 and a $150M institutional Fund II closed in May 2023), supplemented by carried interest on successful realizations. The firm is privately held, women-founded, and led by Suzanne Yoon as Founder and Managing Partner. Its LP base spans high net worth individuals, family offices, foundations, endowments, and pension funds.

Name

Kinzie Capital Partners

Legal name

Kinzie Capital Partners LP

Website

https://kinziecp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kinzie Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm founded in 2017 that invests control capital of $5M-$50M in U.S. lower middle-market companies with $3M-$15M EBITDA across manufactured products, business services, and consumer industries, supported by a strategic technology and operational partnership with Clarity Partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Equity Investment Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)

Keywords

• Private equity investing
• Lower middle market
• Portfolio operations
• Control investments
• Middle market buyouts

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Equity Fund Management: Kinzie generates returns through control investments in lower middle-market companies with $3M to $15M EBITDA. The firm earns management fees and carries interest on invested capital, with returns generated through portfolio company operational improvements and eventual exits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kinzie Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm that makes control investments in lower middle-market companies in the manufactured products, business services, and consumer industries. The firm targets companies with $3M to $15M of EBITDA and up to $250M in revenue that are navigating generational shifts, high-growth periods, or complex business cycles. Through its strategic partnership with Clarity Partners, Kinzie deploys capital alongside operational improvements and technology enhancements to drive value creation in portfolio companies.

Product overview

Kinzie Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm that provides investment management services. Rather than offering a technology product or software platform, the firm specializes in control investments in lower middle-market companies generating $3M to $15M of EBITDA across manufactured products, business services, and consumer industries. The firm leverages technology and operational expertise through its strategic partnership with Clarity Partners, a management and technology consulting firm, to drive value creation in its portfolio companies. The firm's portfolio includes Chelsea Lighting (lighting and lighting controls), GT Golf Holdings (golf accessories), Arctic Industries (temperature control and cold storage), and Fraser Steel (steel tubular products), among others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GT Golf Holdings, Inc. Wholesale golf accessories distributor and portfolio company of Kinzie
• GT Golf Supplies, Inc.
• Arctic Industries
• Store It Cold
• Fraser Steel, LLC

Products and services

• Kinzie Co-Invest Fund L.P. A $20 million private equity co-investment fund for making control investments in U.S. lower middle-market companies, structured for high net worth individuals and family offices as limited partners.
• Kinzie Fund II A $150 million institutional private equity fund for control investments in U.S. lower middle-market companies with $3M-$15M EBITDA and up to $250M in revenue across manufactured products, business services, and consumer industries.
• Portfolio Operations Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Chelsea Lighting doubled EBITDA within 12 months of acquisition
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Clarity Partners, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKinzie has a strategic partnership with Clarity Partners, a 150-person management consulting and technology implementation firm based in Chicago. Clarity co-founders David Namkung and Rodney Zech are also affiliated with Kinzie as co-founders and partners. They share an office and Clarity employees provide back-office services to Kinzie. Clarity assists with technology strategy, operational improvements, and deal sourcing for Kinzie's portfolio companies.
• Standish Management LLCminorOthersStandish Management LLC is the third-party administrator for Kinzie's investor portal. Their privacy policy and terms apply to information collected in the investor portal.
• Allvue Systems LLCminorOthersAllvue Systems LLC powers the investor portal used by Kinzie for limited partner access. The platform is hosted and operated by Standish Management LLC.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Svoboda Capital Partners: Chicago-based lower middle-market private equity firm investing in consumer, business services and industrial companies. Closely comparable to Kinzie on geography, fund size, sector focus, and check size; also a former employer of a Kinzie investment team member.
• Shore Capital Partners: Chicago-based lower middle-market PE firm focused on healthcare, food and beverage, and business services with control investments and an operating partner model. Comparable on geography, fund size tier, and partner-driven operating thesis.
• Parallel49 Equity: Lower middle-market private equity firm making control investments in North American founder-owned businesses. Directly comparable on strategy, check size, and sector breadth; also a former employer of a Kinzie team member.
• Gryphon Investors: San Francisco-based lower middle-market PE firm with a diversified sector focus across consumer, industrial, and business services using control investments and an operationally intensive value-creation model. Comparable in fund size tier, strategy, and sector exposure.
• Wynnchurch Capital: Lower middle-market PE firm focused on operational turnaround and complex situations in industrial, business services, and consumer end markets. Comparable in lower middle-market positioning, complex/transition deal focus, and sector overlap with Kinzie.
• Versa Capital Management: Philadelphia-based private equity firm focused on control investments in lower middle-market companies undergoing transition or restructuring. Directly comparable on strategy; also founder Suzanne Yoon's prior firm, indicating a shared investment DNA.
• Centre Partners: Lower middle-market PE firm making control investments in consumer, industrial, and business services companies with an operationally intensive approach. Comparable on fund size tier, sector focus, and value-creation philosophy.
• Highlander Partners: Dallas-based lower middle-market PE firm investing in industrial, consumer, and business services companies, frequently in transition. Comparable on lower middle-market positioning and complex/transitional deal orientation.
• Sterling Group: Houston-based lower middle-market PE firm focused on industrial, manufacturing, and business services with an operationally intensive model. Directly comparable on manufacturing-heavy portfolio and operating-partner-led value creation.

Others

• Clarity Partners: Chicago-based 150-person management and technology consulting firm that is Kinzie's core strategic partner. Included as a non-competing ecosystem participant whose capabilities underpin Kinzie's technology-driven value-creation model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kinzie-capital-partners
• Xx.com/KinzieCapital

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A5 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Kinzie Capital Partners