ATEL Capital Group
ATEL Capital Group is a privately-held, multi-platform financial services firm founded in 1977 that provides venture debt to high-growth startups through ATEL Ventures, equipment leasing to Fortune 1000 corporations through ATEL Leasing Corporation (a Top 20 North American railcar lessor), and commercial real estate investment through ATEL Properties, serving enterprises and institutional and retail investors globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ATEL Capital Group does
ATEL Capital Group is a privately-held, multi-platform financial services firm founded in 1977 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company operates three core business lines: ATEL Ventures, which provides non-dilutive venture debt financing to high-growth, venture-backed startups across sectors including space tech, biotech, semiconductors, and electric vehicles; ATEL Leasing Corporation, which leases essential low-tech manufacturing, construction, transportation, and rail equipment to Fortune 1000 corporations (ATEL ranks among the Top 20 railcar lessors in North America); and ATEL Properties, which acquires single-tenant net-lease commercial, industrial, retail, and multi-family residential real estate in U.S. growth markets with typical investment sizes of $3-8 million targeting cap rates of 6% or better. Supporting subsidiaries include ATEL Equipment Services (asset management, inspections, remarketing), ATEL Financial Services (fund accounting), and ATEL Securities Corporation (distribution of public funds to retail investors). The firm also operates a Capital Markets sub-brand that buys and sells lease portfolios on behalf of financial institutions and independent lessors.
ATEL generates revenue through a recurring, multi-stream model: interest payments and origination fees on venture debt facilities; lease payments over the term of equipment leases; rental income and property appreciation from real estate holdings; and fund management fees from institutional and retail investor funds. The company manages a multi-billion dollar asset portfolio and is described as one of the nation's largest independent financial leasing firms. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, with direct enterprise field sales calling on Fortune 1000 corporations, equipment dealers, captives, and banks for leasing deals, and ATEL Ventures sourcing venture debt opportunities through VC ecosystem relationships and direct founder engagement. Customer concentration spans marquee enterprises (Berkshire Hathaway, Walmart, IBM, Dow Chemical, BASF, Cargill, ExxonMobil, Union Pacific, BNSF, FedEx, UPS, PepsiCo, Tyson, Ford, GM, Google) and venture-backed startups (Vial, Menlo Micro, Isar Aerospace, Astranis, Harbinger Motors). In October 2024, ATEL expanded internationally via the Ijarah joint venture in Saudi Arabia with Aljazira Capital and Guidance Group, introducing Shariah-compliant operating leases to the Middle East. Chairman and CEO Dean Cash has led the firm since the late 1990s; the senior team includes COO Paritosh Choksi, CSO Phil Koblis, and specialized leaders across credit, capital markets, fund administration, and legal.
ATEL Capital Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ATEL Capital Group
- Legal name
- ATEL Capital Group
- Website
- https://atel.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- ATEL Capital Group is a privately-held, multi-platform financial services firm founded in 1977 that provides venture debt to high-growth startups through ATEL Ventures, equipment leasing to Fortune 1000 corporations through ATEL Leasing Corporation (a Top 20 North American railcar lessor), and commercial real estate investment through ATEL Properties, serving enterprises and institutional and retail investors globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ATEL Capital Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Lending & Leasing
- NAICS
- Finance and Insurance (52), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Finance Lessors (6172)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Venture Debt Providers (FSANAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Equipment Financing / Leasing (Venture-backed) (FSANAIAE)
Keywords
Where ATEL Capital Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ATEL Capital Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Venture Debt Lending: Provides non-dilutive growth capital to high-growth startups and emerging companies through secured venture debt financing. Revenue generated from interest payments and origination fees on loans.
- Equipment Leasing: Leases essential low-tech manufacturing, construction, and transportation equipment to large corporations. Revenue comes from lease payments over the term of equipment leases.
- Real Estate Investment: Acquires and manages commercial real estate properties including single-tenant industrial, retail, and multi-family residential properties. Revenue generated from rental income and property appreciation.
- Institutional Fund Management: Manages investment funds for institutional investors, providing access to equipment leasing and venture debt portfolios with stability and growth focus.
- Retail Fund Investment: Offers retail investors professionally managed investment opportunities focused on steady income and growth through public funds sponsored by ATEL Capital Group and offered through ATEL Securities Corporation.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
ATEL Capital Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ATEL Capital Group provides venture debt financing to high-growth startups through its ATEL Ventures division, equipment lease financing for essential low-tech manufacturing, construction, and transportation equipment to Fortune 1000 corporations through ATEL Leasing Corporation, and acquires and manages commercial real estate properties through ATEL Properties. The company also operates Capital Markets for buying/selling leasing transactions, Equipment Services for asset management, and manages institutional and retail investor funds.
Product overview
ATEL Capital Group is a multi-billion dollar financial services company offering three core business lines: (1) ATEL Ventures provides venture debt financing to high-growth startups without equity dilution; (2) ATEL Leasing Corporation offers equipment lease financing for low-tech manufacturing, construction, and transportation equipment; and (3) ATEL Properties invests in commercial real estate. The company also operates Capital Markets for buying/selling leasing transactions, Equipment Services for asset management, and manages institutional and retail investor funds. Founded in 1977, ATEL has become one of the nation's largest independent financial leasing firms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ijarah: Shariah-compliant operating lease joint venture providing equipment leasing solutions in Saudi Arabia, launched in partnership with Aljazira Capital and Guidance Group.
Quantifiable outcome
- Top 20 railcar lessor ranking in North America
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ATEL Capital Group
Customer profileNamed customers24 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ATEL Capital Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ATEL Capital Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Aljazira CapitalcoreJoint venture partner in Ijarah, a Sharia-compliant operating lease company in Saudi Arabia. Aljazira Capital, a leading Saudi investment firm and subsidiary of Bank Aljazira, provides access to Saudi investor client base and supports Vision 2030 economic diversification goals through the partnership.
- Guidance GroupcoreJoint venture partner contributing over 50 years of operational history in the Middle East and specialized investment and financing expertise. Guidance Group's Chairman Mohamad Hammour emphasizes commitment to Sharia-compliant financing expansion in the region.
- Progressive RailroadingminorIndustry publication that ranks ATEL Leasing Corporation among Top 20 railcar lessors in North America based on fleet data from the Official Railway Equipment Register.
- National Venture Capital Association (NVCA)minorATEL is a member of NVCA, the premier trade association for venture capital and startup ecosystem advocacy.
- Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA)minorATEL team members participate in ELFA including Bill Bullock's former chairmanship of the Independent Steering Council and membership on the Equipment Management Committee.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ATEL Capital Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hercules Capital: Largest publicly traded venture debt provider, originating growth capital and equipment financings to venture-backed companies across all stages and sectors; the closest public peer to ATEL Ventures in product, structure, and target customer.
- GATX Corporation: North American railcar leasing leader that sits above ATEL Leasing in the Top 20 railcar lessor ranking; both lease industrial railcars and complementary equipment to Fortune 1000 customers in chemicals, agriculture, energy, and Class-1 railroad end markets.
- Trinity Capital: Public specialty finance firm providing venture debt, equipment financings, and sponsor financings to growth companies and venture-backed businesses; closely comparable to ATEL Ventures across stages, sectors, and product structure.
- Horizon Technology Finance: Specialty venture debt provider focused on technology and life science companies; matches ATEL Ventures' deal profiles in life sciences, aerospace, and other capital-intensive growth sectors.
- Runway Growth Finance: Public venture debt firm targeting growth-stage companies with non-dilutive capital; directly competitive with ATEL Ventures for venture-backed customers seeking growth capital and equipment financing.
- Trinity Industries (TrinityRail): Major railcar lessor and manufacturer that trades directly with ATEL in the railcar leasing market where ATEL ranks among the Top 20 in North America.
Broad incumbents
- CIT Group (now First Citizens Bank): Large diversified equipment lessor and lender with a broad corporate customer base; competes head-to-head with ATEL Leasing Corporation for Fortune 1000 enterprise equipment lease originations.
- Wells Fargo Equipment Finance: Equipment finance arm of a major US bank with deep balance sheet and broad industrial coverage; competes for the same large Fortune 1000 customers as ATEL Leasing across transportation, manufacturing, and logistics.
- BMO Equipment Finance: Bank-affiliated equipment lessor and one of ATEL's key talent feeders (Tom Sbordone originated from BMO's US equipment finance business); overlaps with ATEL Leasing Corporation on Fortune 1000 mid- and large-ticket equipment deals.
Emerging players
- WhiteHorse Capital: Private credit and venture debt manager originating loans and equipment-backed financings for growth companies; comparable product mix and target customer overlap with ATEL Ventures.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ATEL Capital Group social profiles
Digital presenceATEL Capital Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ATEL Capital Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
ATEL Capital Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
ATEL Capital Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ATEL Capital Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ATEL Capital Group
What does ATEL Capital Group do?
ATEL Capital Group provides venture debt financing to high-growth startups through its ATEL Ventures division, equipment lease financing for essential low-tech manufacturing, construction, and transportation equipment to Fortune 1000 corporations through ATEL Leasing Corporation, and acquires and manages commercial real estate properties through ATEL Properties. The company also operates Capital Markets for buying/selling leasing transactions, Equipment Services for asset management, and manages institutional and retail investor funds.
Is ATEL Capital Group a public or private company?
ATEL Capital Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ATEL Capital Group founded?
ATEL Capital Group was founded in 1977. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is ATEL Capital Group based?
ATEL Capital Group is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does ATEL Capital Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Venture Debt Lending is the primary driver. The others are equipment Leasing, real Estate Investment, institutional Fund Management and retail Fund Investment.
Who are ATEL Capital Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hercules Capital, GATX Corporation, Trinity Capital, Horizon Technology Finance, Runway Growth Finance and Trinity Industries (TrinityRail). Broad incumbents are CIT Group (now First Citizens Bank), Wells Fargo Equipment Finance and BMO Equipment Finance. WhiteHorse Capital is listed as an emerging player.
Does ATEL Capital Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for ATEL Capital Group.
What industry is ATEL Capital Group in?
ATEL Capital Group's product category is Commercial Lending & Leasing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAL, Venture Debt Providers, with a secondary code of FSANAIAE, Equipment Financing / Leasing (Venture-backed). Its NAICS code is 52 and its SIC code is 6172.