Trident
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Trident does
Trident is a New York-based private equity firm founded in 2017 that uses proprietary data and technology to acquire and operate U.S.-based small businesses. The firm targets companies with $10-100 million in revenue and $2-20 million in EBITDA, deploying $5-30 million of equity per opportunity across three sectors: Consumer, Healthcare, and Industrials. Its nine active portfolio holdings span K-12 food service (The LunchMaster), logistics (Priority Courier Experts), restaurants (Mountain West Brands, Cornbread), manufacturing (Excel Interior Door, CinchSeal), healthcare optometry (Lumina Vision Partners), and mechanical services (Dependable Mechanical). Transaction structures include management buyouts, recapitalizations, acquisition capital, and majority positions, with a focus on family-owned businesses seeking succession solutions.
The firm differentiates through a proprietary technology platform built by Co-Founder/CTO Nicholas Wood (ex-Addepar, Amazon, IDEO) that supports systematic sourcing and underwriting of small business targets at scale, framed as removing unconscious bias from deal evaluation. The portfolio is supported post-close through a "people-first" playbook covering recruiting, sales and marketing, strategy, and technology implementation, executed by an in-house team augmented by a network of Operating Partners with niche industry expertise.
Trident earns revenue through the traditional PE model — management fees on assets under management plus performance-based carried interest — and supplements this with the American Dreams Fellowship, a philanthropic initiative launched in 2023 with JPMorgan Chase and McGuireWoods that trains minority professionals as independent sponsors and operating partners. The firm pledges that at least 13% of value created in investments will accrue to the Black American community, positioning it within the impact-investing segment. Its investment team is woman-led, with 60% of staff identifying as people of color and 40% as women.
Trident firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Trident
- Legal name
- Trident Management LLC
- Website
- https://trident.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Trident is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Trident business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Private Equity Management Fees and Carry: Traditional private equity model generating returns through management fees on assets under management and performance-based carried interest from portfolio company exits and gains.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Trident product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Trident is a buyout private equity firm that invests $5-30 million of equity in U.S.-based small businesses generating $10-100 million in revenue and $2-20 million in EBITDA across Healthcare, Consumer, and Industrials sectors. The firm applies a proprietary, data-driven investing process to systematically source, evaluate, and acquire controlling positions, then supports portfolio companies with operational expertise and a people-first post-investment playbook.
Product overview
Trident operates as a private equity investment firm rather than a traditional product company. Its core offering is a systematic approach to small business private equity investing, utilizing proprietary technology and data-driven processes to identify, acquire, and grow small businesses across three sectors: Healthcare, Consumer, and Industrials. The firm targets companies with revenues of $10-100 million and EBITDA of $2-20 million, primarily focusing on family-owned businesses with strong track records. Post-acquisition, Trident provides operational support including recruiting, sales and marketing, strategy, and technology implementation through its team and network of Operating Partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Trident Private Equity Buyout Platform
- Trident American Dreams Fund I
- Trident American Dreams Fellowship
Quantifiable outcome
- 97% of Mountain West Brands employees are in low-to-moderate income (LMI) census tracts
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Trident
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Trident technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Trident partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.
- McGuireWoods LPmajorEducation partner for the Trident American Dreams Fellowship, contributing to the curriculum and training for the inaugural cohort of fellows.
- ViableEdumajorAdministered the educational curriculum for the Trident American Dreams Fellowship program, providing rigorous 4-month training on private equity and small business acquisitions.
- ImpactAssetsmajorServed as fiscal agent for the Trident American Dreams Fellowship program, supporting the philanthropic initiative's financial operations.
- National Association of Investment CompaniesminorStrategic partner supporting Trident's 'Doing Well While Doing Good' mission and diversity initiatives in asset management.
- Milken Institute's DEI in Asset Management programminorStrategic ally in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in asset management.
- Moody'sminorPartner supporting Trident's impact measurement and ESG metrics initiatives.
- R3 ScoreminorPartner supporting diversity and inclusion metrics and measurement.
- National Association of Black AccountantsminorStrategic ally supporting Trident's diversity initiatives in financial services.
- National Association of Securities ProfessionalsminorPartner in advancing diversity in securities and investment industry.
- CapEQminorStrategic partner supporting diversity and inclusion in capital markets.
- National Banker's AssociationminorPartner supporting diversity in banking and financial services.
- RiskVersityminorPartner supporting risk management and diversity initiatives.
- Technology Concepts Group InternationalminorPartner providing technology expertise to support Trident's platform and portfolio companies.
- McPherson Berry & AssociatesminorPartner supporting Trident's strategic initiatives and diversity mission.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Trident competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Alpine Investors: Lower-middle market PE firm that builds and acquires small operating businesses with a focus on PeopleFirst philosophy and operating playbooks. Highly comparable to Trident in targeting smaller, often founder-led businesses with operational support post-close.
- SagePath Capital: Boutique private equity firm based in Boston and San Francisco partnering with founders and families. Direct comparable to Trident — confirmed as co-investor with Trident in The LunchMaster, validating both as direct peers in the lower-middle market.
- Bluejay Capital Partners: Operating partner actively investing in transportation and logistics businesses with more than 120 years of combined operating experience. Co-invested with Trident in Priority Courier Experts, confirming direct peer overlap in lower-middle market PE.
- Stonehenge Capital Company: Nationally recognized impact investor with over $1.4 billion in investments across U.S. distressed communities, managing New Markets Tax Credit programs. Direct peer of Trident through impact-oriented lower-middle market PE and confirmed partnership relationship.
- Kainos Capital: Lower-middle market PE firm focused on consumer and food-related businesses. Comparable to Trident in target deal size (typically $5-30M equity checks) and small operating company orientation across similar Consumer/Industrials sectors.
- RFE Investment Partners: Lower-middle market PE firm acquiring niche-leading, family-owned businesses with $5-50M EBITDA. Direct peer in the lower-middle market, with similar check size range and family-owned business orientation.
- Pharos Capital Group: Lower-middle market PE firm investing in healthcare services and business services companies. Comparable to Trident's Healthcare vertical and small-business buyout orientation with similar deal size parameters.
Broad incumbents
- L Catterton: Large consumer-focused PE firm with deep sector expertise across restaurant, retail, and consumer brands. Comparable to Trident's Consumer vertical but at significantly larger fund size and broader geographic reach.
Emerging players
- Acquired Capital: Search fund accelerator backing first-time searchers acquiring small businesses. Adjacent to Trident — both facilitate SMB acquisitions but Acquired Capital operates one level upstream at the searcher level.
- Tuckerman Capital: Lower-middle market PE firm focused on small businesses and succession transactions in the Northeast. Comparable to Trident's family-owned business orientation and small deal-size profile with regional focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Trident social profiles
Digital presenceTrident financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Trident leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Trident subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
Trident funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Trident M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Trident
What does Trident do?
Trident is a buyout private equity firm that invests $5-30 million of equity in U.S.-based small businesses generating $10-100 million in revenue and $2-20 million in EBITDA across Healthcare, Consumer, and Industrials sectors. The firm applies a proprietary, data-driven investing process to systematically source, evaluate, and acquire controlling positions, then supports portfolio companies with operational expertise and a people-first post-investment playbook.
Is Trident a public or private company?
Trident is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Trident founded?
Trident was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Trident based?
Trident is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Trident make money?
One revenue line is on record: private Equity Management Fees and Carry.
Who are Trident's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Alpine Investors, SagePath Capital, Bluejay Capital Partners, Stonehenge Capital Company, Kainos Capital, RFE Investment Partners and Pharos Capital Group. L Catterton is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Acquired Capital and Tuckerman Capital.
Does Trident have an API?
No public API is recorded for Trident.