CIP Capital

What CIP Capital does

CIP Capital is a New York-based private equity firm founded in 2010 that invests exclusively in growth-oriented, middle-market companies across North America. The firm concentrates its strategy on two tightly defined verticals — Business Information and Tech-Enabled Services — with sub-sector focus areas including tech-enabled business services, data-driven marketing services, human capital management, and knowledge services. Its investment criteria target proven, profitable businesses with $20-100M+ in revenue and $5-25M+ in EBITDA, deploying $25-125M+ of equity per platform. CIP pursues a platform-oriented buy-and-build approach, combining organic initiatives with tuck-in acquisitions to extend service offerings, vertical end-markets, and geographic reach within portfolio companies.

The firm's core operating model is relationship-driven: it sources and supports deals through a proprietary "CIP Network" of executives that provides strategic input on organization, sales, marketing, and technology for portfolio companies. Identifiable platform investments to date span CoAdvantage (PEO, 2013), OnCourse Learning (knowledge services, 2014), and People 2.0 (employer-of-record, 2019). Capital is managed through vehicles including CIP Capital Fund III, L.P. and related parallel and feeder funds, with CIP Fund Management LLC serving as the management company. Revenue is generated from fund management fees and, when realized, carried interest on exits — standard mechanics for a middle-market buyout sponsor.

Go-to-market is direct and network-based rather than product-marketing-based. The firm identifies targets through executive relationships, intermediaries, and proprietary outreach, then partners actively with management teams post-close. CIP does not disclose proprietary technology, product offerings, or AI tooling; its "platform" refers to portfolio construction, not software. The firm is privately held, employs 11-50 people at its 400 Madison Avenue headquarters, and operates as an independent investment entity without a parent or public listing.

Name

CIP Capital

Legal name

CIP Fund Management LLC

Website

https://cip-capital.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CIP Capital is a New York-based private equity firm founded in 2010 that invests exclusively in growth-oriented, middle-market companies across the Business Information and Tech-Enabled Services sectors in North America, deploying $25-125M+ of equity per platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Equity / Middle-Market Buyout Investing

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Middle-Market Lending (FSANADAI)

Keywords

• Private equity investing
• Middle-market buyouts
• Business information services
• Tech-enabled services
• Growth capital investments

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Equity Investment Returns: CIP Capital generates returns through equity investments in middle-market companies across the Business Information and Tech-Enabled Services sectors. Returns are realized through portfolio company exits, typically via strategic acquisitions or secondary sales. The firm focuses on control private equity investments with typical equity commitments of $25 to $125+ million per platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

CIP Capital is a private equity firm that makes control equity investments of $25 to $125+ million in growth-oriented, middle-market North American companies with $20-100M+ revenue and $5-25M+ EBITDA, exclusively in the Business Information and Tech-Enabled Services sectors. The firm applies a platform-oriented buy-and-build strategy, deploying growth capital and providing strategic partnership through its CIP Network of executives to support organic expansion and add-on acquisitions in tech-enabled business services, data-driven marketing services, human capital management, and knowledge services. Returns are realized through portfolio company exits via strategic acquisitions or secondary sales.

Product overview

CIP Capital is a private equity firm focused on platform investments in growth-oriented, middle-market companies. The firm does not offer products or services in the traditional sense; rather, it provides private equity investment and partnership services to companies in the Business Information and Tech-Enabled Services sectors. The firm targets investments in proven, profitable businesses that provide data-driven insights and value-added outsourced services, with a particular focus on tech-enabled business services, data-driven marketing services, human capital management, and knowledge services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Equity Platform Investments
• CIP Network Executive Partnership Service

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CIP NetworkcoreOthersCIP Capital leverages its network of highly relevant executives to support strategic investment in organization, sales, marketing and technology for portfolio companies. The network is a key component of the firm's active partnership approach to accelerating growth.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Thoma Bravo: Thoma Bravo is one of the largest software and tech-enabled services PE firms. While much larger and more focused on enterprise software, it competes for many of the same tech-enabled services targets that CIP Capital pursues.
• KKR: KKR is a global alternative asset manager with significant PE activity across tech-enabled business services. Comparable as a competing source of capital for middle-market business services targets, though vastly larger and more diversified.
• Vista Equity Partners: Vista is a leading PE firm focused on enterprise software and tech-enabled businesses. As a broader incumbent with much larger funds, Vista competes for tech-enabled services opportunities but operates at a different scale than CIP Capital.
• The Carlyle Group: Carlyle is a global investment firm with substantial PE operations in business services and technology. As a broad incumbent, Carlyle competes with CIP Capital for middle-market tech-enabled services deals while operating at significantly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Aquiline Capital Partners: Aquiline invests in middle-market business services and financial services companies with growth-oriented strategies. Comparable to CIP Capital's focus on tech-enabled business services and value-added outsourced services with similar equity cheque sizes.
• Bowmark Capital: Bowmark is a UK-based PE firm focused exclusively on business services companies. Comparable to CIP Capital in its sector specialization, middle-market focus, and emphasis on growth-oriented, profitable platforms.
• Lightyear Capital: Lightyear is a PE firm focused on financial services and business services middle-market companies. Comparable given its similar sector overlap with CIP Capital's business information and tech-enabled services focus.
• Bridgepoint: Bridgepoint is a European PE firm with a major focus on business services and tech-enabled services. Comparable to CIP Capital in middle-market platform investing and the buy-and-build approach to scaling services businesses.
• Sterling Investment Partners: Sterling is a middle-market PE firm focused on business services and tech-enabled services companies. Similar to CIP Capital in target company profile ($20-100M+ EBITDA businesses) and exclusive sector focus on services-oriented models.
• Hg (Hg Capital): Hg is a sector-focused PE firm investing in tech-enabled business services and software in the UK and Europe. Highly comparable given its exclusive sector focus on technology-enabled services and platform-oriented approach to building category leaders, mirroring CIP Capital's strategy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cip_capital

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A3 records

Investments13 records

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

Frequently asked questions about CIP Capital