Starfish Partners

What Starfish Partners does

Starfish Partners is a privately held investment and ownership platform for recruiting firms, officially formed in March 2022 and headquartered in Plano, Texas. It targets independent search firm owners running niche professional and mid-to-upper-level management search specialists (placing roles at the $75,000-$300,000 salary band), a market segment historically overlooked by private equity, venture capital, and strategic capital due to fragmentation across an estimated 25,000+ independently owned firms. Starfish Partners offers custom transaction structures including loans for expansion, full or partial cash sales with equity rollovers for key personnel, and full or partial equity swaps giving firm owners participation in the broader platform; its stated collective revenues exceed $300 million annually.

The platform operates as a family of companies with each portfolio company retaining its individual brand while sharing centralized back-office, finance, technology, marketing, training, and consulting resources. Core operating subsidiaries include Kaye/Bassman International Corporation (30+ specialty practice areas ranked among Hunt Scanlon Media's Top Ten Largest Search Firms in the Americas), Direct Recruiters Inc. (over 25 practice areas and 100+ team members), NinjaJobs (cybersecurity-focused recruiting with a proprietary job board), INNOVA People (AI-powered healthcare and technology staffing), HireMinds (marketing, communications, life sciences, and finance & accounting search), Raymond Search Group (construction, real estate, engineering, architecture, manufacturing), Integrity Search (nursing management and healthcare leadership), and Global People (warehouse automation and supply chain, with 7 offices in 5 countries). Supporting infrastructure includes the Sanford Rose Associates International network of 170+ offices and Next Level Exchange, the recruiting industry's largest consulting and training firm with 1,000+ clients.

Revenue mechanics span contingency and retained executive search fees, permanent placement commissions, contract staffing margins, centralized back-office royalties (with SRAI offices receiving discounted services in exchange for royalties), equity returns from portfolio ownership, and professional services revenue from NLE training and consulting. Customer-facing segments are diversified across healthcare, healthcare IT, cybersecurity, food and beverage, construction, real estate, engineering, manufacturing, marketing and communications, life sciences, finance and accounting, and industrial automation. Leadership comprises Jeff Kaye as Executive Managing Director and Co-Founder, Ryan Lange as President, Dan Charney as CEO, Darren McDougal as CMO, Courtney Agnew as CFO, and Jon Bartos as Chief Investment Advisor.

Name

Starfish Partners

Legal name

Starfish Partners

Website

https://starfishpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Starfish Partners is a Plano, Texas-based investment and ownership platform for recruiting firms, formed in 2022 to provide capital, equity participation, and centralized back-office infrastructure to independent niche professional and mid-to-upper-level management search specialists, with collective revenues exceeding $300 million annually across eight acquired operating brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search and Staffing Investment Platform

NAICS

Boat Dealers (441222)

akta.pro primary industry

Management Buyouts (MBO/MBI) & Sponsor-Led Transactions Advisory (FSAEAGAI)

Keywords

• Recruiting firm investments
• Executive search platform
• Staffing acquisitions
• Search firm equity
• Talent acquisition services

Headquarters

HQ city

Plano

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Recruiting and Executive Search Fees: Starfish Partners operates as an investment platform whose portfolio companies generate revenue through contingency and retained executive search fees, staffing and contract placement fees, and permanent placement commissions. Revenue flows from portfolio companies including Kaye/Bassman International, Direct Recruiters Inc., NinjaJobs, INNOVA People, Raymond Search Group, Integrity Search, Global People, and HireMinds, all offering professional search and staffing services across multiple industry verticals.
2. Back Office and Royalty Fees: Starfish Partners charges a percentage of revenue for centralized back office services provided to portfolio companies. SRA (Sanford Rose Associates) offices benefit from discounted back office services in exchange for royalties. Back office fees continue in perpetuity upon retirement of any acquisition loan at reduced rates.
3. Investment and Equity Returns: Starfish Partners generates returns through equity ownership in portfolio companies. The platform increases in collective valuation through mitigated risk of any one entity, cross-selling between firms, and strategic exits. Future liquidity may come through public markets, strategic buyers, private equity, or ESOP structures.
4. Training and Consulting Services: Next Level Exchange (NLE), the recruiting industry's largest consulting and training firm, provides training programs and consulting services to the broader industry (1,000+ NLE clients). This generates revenue through professional development programs, coaching, and industry education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Starfish Partners is an investment and ownership platform for niche professional and mid-to-upper-level management search firms, providing capital, custom transaction structures (loans, equity swaps, partial/full sales), and centralized back-office support. The platform owns and operates a family of executive search and staffing brands including Kaye/Bassman International, Direct Recruiters Inc., INNOVA People, NinjaJobs, HireMinds, and Raymond Search Group, collectively generating over $300 million in annual revenues.

Product overview

Starfish Partners is an investment and ownership platform for recruiting firms that provides capital, exit strategies, and equity opportunities for niche professional and mid-to-upper-level management search specialists. The platform operates through a family of companies model, where each subsidiary maintains its individual brand while benefiting from centralized resources and collective infrastructure. The portfolio includes Kaye/Bassman International (global search with 30+ specialty practice areas), Direct Recruiters Inc. (relationship-focused executive search), NinjaJobs (cybersecurity recruiting with proprietary job platform), INNOVA People (AI-powered healthcare and technology staffing), HireMinds (executive search for marketing, life sciences, finance), Raymond Search Group (construction and engineering recruiting), and Global People (supply chain and warehouse automation search). Supporting infrastructure includes the Sanford Rose Associates International network (170+ offices) and Next Level Exchange (industry training and consulting). The collective organization generates over $300 million in annual revenues and ranks among the top 100 fastest-growing staffing firms according to Staffing Industry Analysts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Investment and Ownership Platform Custom-structured investment and equity partnership program for independent search firm owners seeking capital, liquidity, or equity participation across a family of companies. Structures include loans for business expansion, full or partial cash sale with equity plans for key personnel, and full or partial equity swaps.
• Kaye/Bassman International (KBIC) Executive Search Global executive search and recruitment services across over thirty specialty practice areas including healthcare, nursing management, construction, finance, and other professional disciplines. Ranked in Hunt Scanlon Media's Top Ten Largest Search Firms in the Americas.
• Direct Recruiters, Inc. (DRI) Executive Search Relationship-focused executive search firm assisting top-tier organizations with recruiting, acquiring, and retaining high-impact talent for mission-critical positions across over 25 practice areas including Healthcare IT, Industrial Automation, Government & Security, Construction, and Food & Beverage.
• NinjaJobs Cybersecurity Recruitment Cybersecurity-focused recruiting and staffing firm leveraging a proprietary technology and job board platform designed by information security experts, offering personalized recruitment for cybersecurity positions across North America.
• INNOVA People AI-Powered Staffing

Quantifiable outcome

• Collective revenues will exceed $300 million annually (as of 2023)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kaye/Bassman International (KBIC) - Internal Practice IntegrationcoreOthers · 11 February 2026Kaye/Bassman International announced the integration of its Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) & Surgical Hospital recruiting practice with its Hospital and Nursing Leadership practice. Drew Wyatt (Hospital and Nursing Leadership) and Greg Zoch (ASC & Surgical Hospital) lead a unified team delivering executive and clinical leadership recruitment solutions for ambulatory surgery centers, surgical hospitals, and hospital-based organizations nationwide.
• Huey Enterprises, Inc. (HEI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 September 2025Starfish Partners acquired Huey Enterprises, Inc. (HEI), led by Scott Huey. HEI has been a respected name in executive search since 1983, specializing in placing executive and professional level talent for REITs, Private Equity firms, Private Owner/Developers, Brokerage Firms, Family Offices, and General Contractors. Scott Huey joins Kaye/Bassman International as Managing Partner, working alongside Lee Martin to expand the firm's construction and commercial real estate practice in the Midwest.
• HireMindsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2025Starfish Partners acquired HireMinds, a Boston-based executive search firm specializing in Marketing & Communications, Life Sciences, and Finance & Accounting recruitment. Founded in 1998 with a core team that has worked together for over 15 years, HireMinds brings a relationship-driven, consultative approach aligned with Starfish Partners' values.
• Owen Carryl (Starfish Partners Food Practice)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2024Owen Carryl, Head of Starfish Partners Food, joined forces with Direct Recruiters to expand the Food & Beverage practice area. Owen brings over 8 years leading the Food industry practice at Kaye/Bassman and 30+ years in the Consumer Health Care and Food & Beverage industries. The partnership combines DRI's experience in Food Processing Equipment, Packaging, and Supply Chain with KBIC's proficiency in R&D, Food Safety, and Plant Operations to offer comprehensive executive search services to food industry clients.
• Health Innovations, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2024Direct Recruiters, Inc. (a Starfish Partners company) merged with Health Innovations, LLC, a trailblazer in physician executive, population health, and healthcare analytics talent acquisition. The merger combines DRI's expertise in digital health, employer health, pharmacy, hospital IT, and contract staffing with Health Innovations' deep understanding of population health and data-driven healthcare solutions, creating a comprehensive staffing powerhouse for the entire healthcare ecosystem.
• INNOVA People and Direct Recruiters Staffing IntegrationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2024INNOVA People and Direct Recruiters merged their staffing divisions to create INNOVA Healthcare and INNOVA Tech staffing groups. This integration combines INNOVA's AI-driven workforce solution with DRI's established staffing expertise, broadening talent acquisition and consulting services to offer contract, contract-to-hire, and temporary placements across healthcare and technology sectors.
• INNOVA PeoplecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2023Starfish Partners acquired INNOVA People, an Oregon-based firm placing supplemental talent in Healthcare and Technology industries across North America. CEO Joel Slenning (with over two decades of experience) and the INNOVA People team continue to utilize their AI platform that has made them an essential staffing partner for healthcare and technology clients.
• Global PeopleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 June 2023Starfish Partners acquired Global People, founded and led by Jon Bartos who also serves as Chief Investment Officer for Starfish Partners. Global People specializes in mutually committed search and contract staffing with 7 offices in 5 different countries, focusing on Warehouse Automation and Supply Chain technologies. Jon Bartos also leads Dimensional Search, a new franchise network for those wanting to start a new recruiting firm.
• NinjaJobsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 June 2023Starfish Partners acquired NinjaJobs, a Virginia-based firm placing talent in the Cybersecurity industry across North America. Founded in 2013, NinjaJobs leverages a unique technology and job board platform designed by information security experts. The acquisition fulfills Starfish Partners' key initiative of expanding into Cybersecurity search, combining technology with recruiter expertise.
• Integrity Search, LLCminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 December 2022Starfish Partners acquired Integrity Search, LLC, an Idaho-based firm placing talent in Nursing Management and Healthcare Leadership throughout North America. The firm operates under the Kaye/Bassman International (KBIC) umbrella, expanding KBIC's reach into additional nursing leadership and healthcare industry segments. Founder Drew Wyatt serves as Managing Partner within KBIC's Hospital and Nursing Leadership practice.
• Raymond Search GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2022Starfish Partners acquired Raymond Search Group, a Florida-based firm placing talent in Construction, Real Estate, Engineering, Architecture, and Manufacturing throughout North America. The firm works under the Direct Recruiters, Inc. (DRI) umbrella, expanding DRI's reach into additional industry segments. Raymond Search Group also offers recruiting process outsourcing (RPO) solutions.
• Direct Recruiters, Inc. (DRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 August 2022Starfish Partners acquired Direct Recruiters, Inc. in one of the largest all-stock transactions in the mid-to-upper management recruiting space. DRI operates as a portfolio company under the Starfish Partners umbrella, maintaining its brand while gaining access to centralized infrastructure. DRI has grown tenfold in less than a decade and serves clients across North America with over 25 practice areas.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Allegis Group: Largest privately held staffing company in the U.S., operating multiple specialized brands (Aerotek, TEKsystems, etc.). Highly comparable to Starfish's multi-brand family-of-companies model and similar M&A-driven growth strategy in fragmented search/staffing.
• Korn Ferry: Public global executive search and organizational consulting firm offering executive search, talent acquisition, and RPO services. Comparable to Starfish's portfolio companies (especially Kaye/Bassman) as a major incumbent in the same executive search market.
• Robert Half International: Public global staffing and talent solutions firm offering contract staffing, permanent placement, and consulting. Comparable to Starfish's portfolio companies in the broader staffing industry but with a much larger, more diversified footprint.
• Recruit Holdings: Japanese parent of Indeed, Glassdoor, and staffing brands (RGF Staffing). Comparable as a multi-brand global staffing/search platform, though much larger and more diversified than Starfish's U.S.-centric portfolio.

Direct peers

• True Search: Privately held executive search firm operating a multi-brand, multi-vertical platform analogous to Starfish's portfolio model. Both firms pursue niche executive search with cross-firm collaboration, though True is more focused on tech and PE portfolio companies.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Privately held global executive search firm focused on senior leadership across industries. Comparable to Starfish's KBIC and DRI in serving healthcare, technology, and other enterprise verticals with retained executive search.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Public global executive search firm specializing in senior-level talent acquisition across multiple industries. Directly comparable to KBIC and DRI in targeting mid-to-upper-level management search engagements with similar customer profiles.
• Spencer Stuart: Privately held global executive search firm focused on board-level and senior executive placements. Comparable to Starfish's flagship KBIC and DRI practices serving enterprise clients with retained search services.
• Egon Zehnder: Privately held global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Comparable to Starfish's portfolio companies as a major incumbent in the mid-to-upper-level management search segment, with similar client base and project-based fee structure.

Emerging players

• Hire Velocity: PE-backed talent acquisition and RPO platform serving enterprise clients across multiple verticals. Comparable to Starfish in targeting fragmented search/staffing with a sponsor-backed roll-up strategy and similar mid-market customer focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starfishpartners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries12 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 Starfish Partners