Generation Partners
Generation Partners is a Greenwich, Connecticut-based growth equity firm founded in 1995 that invests $20 million to $100 million in technology-enabled service businesses across four verticals, targeting companies with at least 15% annual growth through long-duration, board-engaged partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersGreenwich, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Generation Partners does
Generation Partners is a Greenwich, Connecticut-based growth equity and private equity firm founded in 1995 by Mark Jennings and John Hawkins, both Harvard Business School graduates, and now led by a stable four-person investment team that has worked together for over two decades. The firm invests $20 million to $100 million of equity per transaction in technology-enabled service businesses across four verticals: Business & Information Services, Healthcare Services & Technology, Media & Marketing Services, and Real Estate. Generation targets companies with at least 15% annual growth and takes both majority and minority positions, typically with a 10-year target hold (and in several cases 21+ years), while providing active board-level support in strategy, sales and marketing, M&A, team building, technology assessment, and executive coaching.
The firm earns revenue through two standard private-equity streams: recurring management fees on committed capital under management, and performance-based carried interest from successful portfolio company exits. Investment terms, fund sizes, and fee economics are not publicly disclosed and are negotiated bilaterally with institutional limited partners; Generation is an SEC-registered investment advisor with no parent company and no public listing. The firm has no proprietary technology product, no AI/ML capabilities, and no consumer-facing distribution; its competitive differentiation rests entirely on its sourcing network, sector expertise, and patient capital.
Over its 31-year history, Generation's principals have executed more than 50 investments and generated a diversified portfolio of outcomes including successful IPOs (Scientific Games, HotJobs, vRad), strategic acquisitions (HotJobs to Yahoo, thePlatform to Comcast, iCrossing to Hearst, High End Systems to Barco, ReCept to Omnicell, ZirMed to Waystar, Donuts to Afilias), and long-held compounders (Sterling Talent Solutions at 50x growth, Post University at 15x growth, Agility Recovery from 200 to 15,000 customers). The firm maintains three U.S. offices (Greenwich, Austin, Los Angeles) and deploys capital through direct outreach and referral-based sourcing rather than broad marketing.
Generation Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Generation Partners
- Legal name
- Generation Partners
- Website
- https://generation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Generation Partners is a Greenwich, Connecticut-based growth equity firm founded in 1995 that invests $20 million to $100 million in technology-enabled service businesses across four verticals, targeting companies with at least 15% annual growth through long-duration, board-engaged partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Generation Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Equity / Growth Equity Investing
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity (FSANACAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Technology & Software Growth Equity (FSANACAA), Healthcare & Life Sciences Growth Equity (FSANACAB), Media, Entertainment & Gaming Growth Equity (FSANACAI), Real Estate / PropTech Growth Equity (FSANACAH)
Keywords
Where Generation Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Greenwich
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Generation 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: Management fees charged on committed capital under management
- Carried Interest: Performance-based carried interest from successful portfolio company exits, typically after returning capital to limited partners
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Fund investment terms - not publicly disclosed |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Generation Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Generation Partners is a private equity investment firm that makes growth equity and buyout investments of $20 million to $100 million in technology-enabled service businesses across four sectors: Business & Information Services, Healthcare Services & Technology, Media & Marketing Services, and Real Estate. The firm takes both majority and minority positions with a target 10-year hold period, and provides portfolio companies with strategic guidance on strategy, sales & marketing, M&A, team building, technology assessment, and executive coaching. As an SEC-registered investment advisor, Generation Partners earns revenue through management fees on committed capital under management and carried interest from successful portfolio exits.
Product overview
Generation Partners is a growth equity investment firm, not a technology product company. The company provides private equity investments in technology-enabled service businesses across four sectors: Business & Information Services, Healthcare Services & Technology, Media & Marketing Services, and Real Estate. Their offerings include equity investments ranging from $20 million to $100 million, strategic guidance, M&A expertise, management team building, financial market expertise, technology and systems assessment, and executive coaching for portfolio companies. The portfolio companies listed on their site (such as PayActiv, Captivate, Agility Recovery, Post University, Sterling Talent Solutions, etc.) are independent companies that Generation has invested in, not products or services offered by Generation Partners itself.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Growth Equity Investment Fund A private investment fund that makes growth equity and buyout investments of $20M to $100M in technology-enabled service businesses with at least 15% annual growth. The fund takes majority or minority equity positions across four defined verticals (Business & Information Services, Healthcare Services & Technology, Media & Marketing Services, and Real Estate) with a target 10-year hold period. It is offered to institutional limited partners and is invested alongside the general partners' personal capital.
- Strategic Advisory & Board Services Active board involvement and strategic advisory services provided to portfolio company management teams, covering strategy, sales & marketing, mergers & acquisitions, team building, financial markets, technology & systems assessment, executive coaching, and access to a network of industry contacts and strategic partners. Provided as a contracted service alongside equity capital to entrepreneurs and management teams of high-growth service businesses.
Companies that use Generation Partners
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Generation Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Generation Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered notable and minor.
- MicrosoftnotablePortfolio companies have established strategic alliances with Microsoft as part of Generation's history of helping companies with strategic partnerships. Microsoft represents one of many major technology partnerships facilitated across the portfolio.
- General ElectricnotablePortfolio companies have worked with General Electric through strategic alliances facilitated by Generation's network and expertise in building strategic partnerships.
- ComcastnotableComcast is one of the strategic partners that portfolio companies have teamed with, demonstrating Generation's ability to facilitate meaningful business partnerships.
- AmerisourceBergennotableHealthcare portfolio companies have established partnerships with AmerisourceBergen, leveraging Generation's network in healthcare services.
- AT&TnotableAT&T represents a strategic partnership relationship for portfolio companies, with Generation facilitating access to major corporate partners.
- IBMnotablePortfolio companies have established technology partnerships with IBM as part of strategic alliances.
- Wal-MartnotableWal-Mart represents one of the major strategic partnerships established by portfolio companies with Generation's facilitation.
- SiemensminorStrategic partnership relationships with Siemens established through portfolio companies.
- Tegna/GannettnotableAcquisition of Captivate from Gannett Companies demonstrates existing relationship; portfolio companies have worked with Tegna/Gannett.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Generation Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Volition Capital: Boston-based growth equity firm investing in tech-enabled, lower-middle-market businesses with similar check sizes and active operating partnership. Highly comparable in mandate, fund structure, and vertical focus.
- Trinity Hunt Partners: Growth-oriented private equity firm focused on founder-led business services, healthcare, and consumer companies. Closely comparable in check size, hold philosophy, and sector emphasis.
- Mainsail Partners: Growth equity firm backing tech-enabled business services companies, typically with $20M-$100M equity checks. Highly similar investment profile to Generation Partners' tech-enabled services focus.
- Gauge Capital: Middle-market growth equity investor in business services, healthcare, and specialized industrials with comparable partnership approach and equity check sizes.
- Main Post Partners: Lower-middle-market growth equity firm focused on business services and consumer companies. Similar patient-capital orientation and active board partnership model.
- Periscope Equity: Tech-enabled growth equity firm investing in business services and healthcare technology companies at the lower end of the middle market. Comparable check size and operating partnership approach.
- Shore Capital Partners: Lower-middle-market private equity firm focused on healthcare, business services, and consumer. Similar investment philosophy targeting founder-led, growth-stage companies with $20M-$100M equity investments.
- Council Capital: Healthcare-focused growth equity firm investing in tech-enabled healthcare services companies. Directly comparable to Generation's healthcare services & technology vertical and similar check size range.
Broad incumbents
- TA Associates: Larger, established growth equity firm with broader sector coverage and larger fund vintages. Comparable growth-stage investment approach but at materially greater AUM scale and broader portfolio scope.
- Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe: Healthcare and technology-focused growth equity firm with substantially larger AUM. Overlaps with Generation's healthcare services and technology-enabled business theses but operates at a larger scale and broader portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Generation Partners social profiles
Digital presenceGeneration Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Generation Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Generation Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Generation Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments20 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Generation Partners
What does Generation Partners do?
Generation Partners is a private equity investment firm that makes growth equity and buyout investments of $20 million to $100 million in technology-enabled service businesses across four sectors: Business & Information Services, Healthcare Services & Technology, Media & Marketing Services, and Real Estate. The firm takes both majority and minority positions with a target 10-year hold period, and provides portfolio companies with strategic guidance on strategy, sales & marketing, M&A, team building, technology assessment, and executive coaching. As an SEC-registered investment advisor, Generation Partners earns revenue through management fees on committed capital under management and carried interest from successful portfolio exits.
Is Generation Partners a public or private company?
Generation Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Generation Partners founded?
Generation Partners was founded in 1995. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Generation Partners based?
Generation Partners is headquartered in Greenwich, United States, in the North America region.
How does Generation Partners make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are carried Interest.
Who are Generation Partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Volition Capital, Trinity Hunt Partners, Mainsail Partners, Gauge Capital, Main Post Partners, Periscope Equity, Shore Capital Partners and Council Capital. Broad incumbents are TA Associates and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe.
Does Generation Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Generation Partners.
What industry is Generation Partners in?
Generation Partners's product category is Private Equity / Growth Equity Investing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANACAO, Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity, with a secondary code of FSANACAA, Technology & Software Growth Equity. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.