Aurelius
AURELIUS is a globally active alternative investment firm operating Private Equity (mid-market carve-outs and buyouts), Private Debt (asset-based lending via Finance Company), and Real Estate platforms, serving institutional LPs and acquired portfolio companies across Europe, North America, and Asia through an operationally-driven model supported by 200+ in-house WaterRise specialists.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Aurelius does
AURELIUS is a globally active alternative investment firm founded in 2005 by Dirk Markus and Gert Purkert, headquartered in Munich with 400+ professionals across 10 offices in Europe, North America, and Asia. The firm operates three core investment platforms: Private Equity (mid-market and lower mid-market buyouts focused on corporate carve-outs, platform build-ups, and complex buyout situations in companies with at least €100m revenue), Private Debt (via AURELIUS Finance Company, providing asset-based and cashflow lending up to £30m to UK and European SMEs), and Real Estate (direct and indirect investments in residential, light industrial, and office properties across European cities).
The firm's core differentiator is an operational, rather than purely financial, investment approach. AURELIUS WaterRise — an in-house team of 200+ operations specialists — actively supports portfolio companies through the proprietary AUROM (AURELIUS Operating Model) framework, delivering transformation across IT, organization, financing, sales, HR, procurement, and strategy. The firm has completed over 300 transactions and currently manages multiple fund vehicles, including AURELIUS Opportunities V (€830m raised in June 2025, oversubscribed) and AUR Portfolio III.
Revenue is generated through management fees on committed and invested capital, carried interest from successful exits, interest income on direct lending (Finance Company has lent over £300m since 2017), and real estate returns. Portfolio holdings span diverse sectors including automotive composites (CSP), airline catering (LSG Group), beauty retail (The Body Shop), food manufacturing (DeliBarn), and power transmission (MUVIQ), with the firm operating as a relationship-driven, sales-led organization sourcing deals through direct outreach, advisor networks, and intermediated referrals.
Aurelius firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aurelius
- Legal name
- AEO-UK Limited
- Website
- https://aurelius-group.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- AURELIUS is a globally active alternative investment firm operating Private Equity (mid-market carve-outs and buyouts), Private Debt (asset-based lending via Finance Company), and Real Estate platforms, serving institutional LPs and acquired portfolio companies across Europe, North America, and Asia through an operationally-driven model supported by 200+ in-house WaterRise specialists.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aurelius industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Equity and Alternative Investments
- NAICS
- Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239), Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231)
- SIC
- Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Equity Capital Advisory (Private Equity Placements, Growth Capital) (BPAHAOAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Private Credit — Distressed & Opportunistic Credit (FSAHAJAG), Real Assets — Real Estate Debt (Whole Loans, Mezzanine, CMBS/CLO) (FSAHAIAB)
Keywords
Where Aurelius is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices10 records
Markets served
Aurelius business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Private Equity Management: AURELIUS generates returns through management fees and carried interest from their private equity funds. Key platforms include AURELIUS Opportunities V, AURELIUS European Opportunities IV, AUR Portfolio III, and AURELIUS Growth. Fund V has €830m capital available.
- Private Debt Lending: AURELIUS Finance Company provides bespoke debt financing solutions, generating interest income from loans. They have lent over £300m to various businesses since founding in 2017, with typical facilities up to £30m.
- Real Estate Investment: AURELIUS Real Estate focuses on direct and indirect real estate investments in residential, light industrial, and office properties, generating returns through property appreciation and rental income.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Aurelius product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AURELIUS is a globally active alternative investor operating across three core platforms: Private Equity (mid-market and lower mid-market buyouts, growth investments), Private Debt through AURELIUS Finance Company, and Real Estate. The firm specializes in corporate carve-outs, platform build-ups, and complex buyout situations targeting established companies with at least €100 million in annual revenues, and provides bespoke debt facilities of up to £30 million to UK and European SMEs.
Product overview
AURELIUS is a globally active alternative investment firm offering three core investment platforms: Private Equity (mid-market and lower mid-market buyouts, growth investments), Private Debt (through AURELIUS Finance Company providing asset-based lending), and Real Estate. The firm differentiates itself through its operational approach, supported by the AURELIUS WaterRise team of over 200 in-house operations specialists who drive transformation at portfolio companies. AURELIUS focuses on corporate carve-outs, platform build-ups, and succession solutions, with key investment platforms including AURELIUS Opportunities V (€830m capital), AUR Portfolio III, and AURELIUS Growth. The firm has completed over 300 transactions since its founding in 2005.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AURELIUS WaterRise: Operations advisory team with over 200 specialists who advise and support investments to enhance operating performance through operational transformation
- AURELIUS Finance Company
- AURELIUS Growth
- AURELIUS Real Estate
- AURELIUS Opportunities
- AURELIUS European Opportunities
- AUR Portfolio III
- AURELIUS Investment Advisory
- AURELIUS Real Estate Advisory
Products and services
- AURELIUS Mid-Market Buyout Private equity buyout fund focused on corporate carve-outs, platform build-ups, and complex buyout situations for established companies with annual revenues of at least €100 million across Technology & Business Services, Industrials & Chemicals, and Lifestyle & Consumer Goods sectors.
- AURELIUS Lower Mid-Market Lower mid-market private equity investment platform with operational support from AURELIUS WaterRise specialists, targeting medium-sized enterprises with operational improvement potential in the UK, continental Europe, North America and Asia.
- AURELIUS Growth Investment company providing financial support to SMEs based in DACH, Benelux or Italy, with a focus on succession/owner buy-outs, growth financing, and management buyouts/buy-ins, amplified by entrepreneurial experience.
- AURELIUS Finance Company (Private Debt) Independent and flexible secured lender providing asset-based and senior cashflow financing solutions to UK and European mid-market companies. Offers bespoke debt facilities typically up to £30 million with 1 to 5-year terms; has lent over £300 million since founding.
- AURELIUS Real Estate Direct and indirect real estate investments focused on residential, light industrial, and office properties, as well as company-owned properties in complex situations across European locations, pursuing a manage-to-core approach for sustainable quality enhancement and capital appreciation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Grew profits ten-fold at Distrelec through smooth carve-out and operational transformation
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Aurelius
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Aurelius technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Aurelius partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators17 records
Recent moves15 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Aurelius competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Carlyle Group: Carlyle is a global private equity firm with European mid-market buyout capabilities—comparable in European carve-out activity but operating across a much broader geographic and sector mandate at substantially larger scale.
- BC Partners: BC Partners is an established European private equity firm operating across mid- and large-cap buyouts—comparable to Aurelius in European PE focus and carve-out activity but operating at a larger average deal size.
- Apollo Global Management: Apollo is a global alternatives firm with large private equity, credit, and real estate platforms—comparable to Aurelius's multi-platform structure but operating at significantly greater scale across all strategies.
- EQT Partners: EQT is a major European-headquartered global private equity firm operating across multiple strategies including PE, infrastructure, and growth—overlapping with Aurelius in mid-market European PE but at materially greater scale and AUM.
Direct peers
- Bridgepoint Group: Bridgepoint is a European mid-market private equity investor with a multi-strategy approach across majority buyouts and growth—comparable to Aurelius in European mid-market focus and sector breadth.
- PAI Partners: PAI Partners is a European mid-market private equity firm focused on complex carve-outs, buyouts, and operational improvement—directly comparable to Aurelius's Opportunities platform in target profile and execution model.
- Sun European Partners: Sun European Partners specializes in European mid-market carve-outs, turnaround investments, and operational value creation—directly comparable to Aurelius's core Opportunities platform strategy and target company profile.
- HIG Capital: HIG Capital is a global alternative investment firm focused on mid-market private equity, debt, and real estate—directly comparable to Aurelius in fund strategy, deal-size focus, and multi-platform structure across Europe and the Americas.
- Lone Star Funds: Lone Star is a global private equity firm specializing in opportunistic, distressed, and value investments across Europe and the US—comparable in mid-market European focus, distressed-asset expertise, and operational turnaround orientation.
- Centerbridge Partners: Centerbridge Partners is a multi-strategy private investment firm focused on special situations, distressed debt, and control equity across North America and Europe—comparable in opportunistic mid-market focus and operational involvement.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Aurelius social profiles
Digital presenceAurelius financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aurelius leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles22 records
Aurelius subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
Aurelius funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aurelius M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A6 records
Investments6 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aurelius
What does Aurelius do?
AURELIUS is a globally active alternative investor operating across three core platforms: Private Equity (mid-market and lower mid-market buyouts, growth investments), Private Debt through AURELIUS Finance Company, and Real Estate. The firm specializes in corporate carve-outs, platform build-ups, and complex buyout situations targeting established companies with at least €100 million in annual revenues, and provides bespoke debt facilities of up to £30 million to UK and European SMEs.
Is Aurelius a public or private company?
Aurelius is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Aurelius founded?
Aurelius was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Aurelius based?
Aurelius is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Aurelius make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Private Equity Management is the primary driver. The others are private Debt Lending and real Estate Investment.
Who are Aurelius's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Carlyle Group, BC Partners, Apollo Global Management and EQT Partners. Direct peers are Bridgepoint Group, PAI Partners, Sun European Partners, HIG Capital, Lone Star Funds and Centerbridge Partners.
Does Aurelius have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aurelius.
What industry is Aurelius in?
Aurelius's product category is Private Equity and Alternative Investments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAOAE, Equity Capital Advisory (Private Equity Placements, Growth Capital), with a secondary code of FSAHAJAG, Private Credit — Distressed & Opportunistic Credit. Its NAICS code is 523 and its SIC code is 6211.