Pine Lake Capital
Pine Lake Capital is a privately-held private equity firm founded in 1982 that invests its own closely-held capital into mid-market companies through growth buyouts, recapitalizations, and carve-outs across financial technology, healthcare, consumer products, and related sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersBloomfield, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pine Lake Capital does
Pine Lake Capital is a privately-held private equity firm established in 1982 and headquartered in Bloomfield, Michigan. The firm deploys its own closely-held capital — explicitly with no outside investors — into mid-market companies through three transaction structures: growth buyouts, recapitalizations, and carve-outs/divestitures. Its target profile includes companies with enterprise values between $2 million and $200 million, EBITDA in excess of $1 million, and annualized revenue above $7 million, across six stated sectors: financial technology, marketing technology, consumer and industrial products, financial services, healthcare, and insurance.
Beyond capital, Pine Lake positions itself as an operating partner, supplementing equity with marketing, sales, and distribution support intended to accelerate portfolio company revenue. Since 1982 the team has invested in or supported over 40 businesses; the currently disclosed portfolio of nine names spans AI (Predictive Strategies, Shoptelligence, We Predict, Conversely AI), healthcare technology (SpinTech MRI), banking and real estate finance (Mi BANK, Bloomfield Capital), consumer goods (F2 Sports), and luxury automotive experiences (The Motor Enclave). The firm is led by managing partner Peter Schmitt and operates with a small team of 1–10 professionals.
Pine Lake's revenue model is structurally distinct from fund-based private equity. Because it invests its own balance-sheet capital rather than managing external limited-partner money, the firm does not earn recurring management fees; instead, its economics come from equity appreciation and exit proceeds on its portfolio. This self-funded structure underpins the firm's pitch of long investment horizons, flexible transaction terms, and avoidance of the traditional time pressures and structural complications of conventional private equity.
Pine Lake Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pine Lake Capital
- Legal name
- Pine Lake Capital
- Website
- https://pinelakecapital.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Pine Lake Capital is a privately-held private equity firm founded in 1982 that invests its own closely-held capital into mid-market companies through growth buyouts, recapitalizations, and carve-outs across financial technology, healthcare, consumer products, and related sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pine Lake Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Equity & Investment Management
- NAICS
- Other Financial Investment Activities (5239), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Technology & Software Growth Equity (FSANACAA)
Keywords
Where Pine Lake Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bloomfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Pine Lake Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Investment Returns & Carried Interest: Returns generated through equity investments in portfolio companies, including growth buyouts, recapitalizations, and carve-outs. Revenue derived from value creation and eventual exit of portfolio companies.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Pine Lake Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pine Lake Capital is a private equity firm that invests its own closely held capital in mid-market companies through three flexible structures: growth buyouts, recapitalizations, and carve-outs/divestitures. The firm targets companies with enterprise values between $2 million and $200 million and EBITDA above $1 million across sectors such as Financial Technology, Marketing Technology, Consumer & Industrial Products, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Insurance. Beyond capital, Pine Lake supports portfolio companies with marketing, sales, and distribution expertise to accelerate revenue growth.
Product overview
Pine Lake Capital is a private equity firm providing venture capital and mezzanine financing for mid-market companies through three main investment structures: Growth Buyouts, Recapitalizations, and Carve-outs/Divestitures. The firm invests in companies with enterprise values between $2 Million to $200 Million and targets sectors including Financial Technology, Marketing Technology, Consumer & Industrial Products, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Insurance. Beyond capital, Pine Lake Capital supports portfolio companies with marketing, sales, and distribution expertise to scale revenue. The portfolio includes several AI-enabled companies including Predictive Strategies (behavioral marketing), Shoptelligence (style discovery), We Predict (predictive analytics), and Conversely AI (conversation analytics), as well as companies in healthcare technology, financial services, consumer goods, real estate, and automotive sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Growth Buyouts Acquisition financing for established mid-market companies seeking growth capital and strategic partnership with Pine Lake Capital.
- Recapitalizations Capital structure optimization for portfolio companies, providing liquidity to existing shareholders while supporting continued operational growth.
- Carve-outs / Divestitures Investment support for corporate divisions or business units being separated into independent entities, including divestiture transactions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 40 businesses invested in and supported since 1982
Companies that use Pine Lake Capital
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Pine Lake Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability7 records
Pine Lake Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Pine Lake Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Huron Capital Partners: Lower-middle-market private equity firm also based in the Detroit/Bloomfield Hills, Michigan area, executing control investments in companies with $5M-$50M of EBITDA. Highly comparable in deal-size focus, collaborative partnership style, and operating-value-add thesis.
- Clearview Capital: Lower-middle-market PE firm focused on control buyouts and recapitalizations of companies typically in the $15M-$150M enterprise-value range. Closely aligned with Pine Lake's mid-market control-investment model and growth orientation.
- Trinity Hunt Partners: Lower-middle-market growth-oriented PE firm pursuing control investments in companies with $5M-$20M of EBITDA. Directly comparable in target company size, growth-equity orientation, and operating-partnership thesis.
- Mainsail Partners: Growth-equity firm focused on lower-middle-market companies, investing $5M-$40M of equity. Comparable in targeting scaled-but-not-large companies with operating-support value-add.
- Hamilton Robinson Capital Partners: Lower-middle-market PE firm executing control investments in founder/family-owned businesses with $5M-$15M of EBITDA. Comparable in deal-size band, founder-friendly approach, and focus on operating growth levers.
- Graham Partners: Industrial- and consumer-tech-focused lower-middle-market PE firm targeting founder/family-owned businesses with operating-improvement thesis. Comparable in thesis of using operational expertise beyond capital and similar deal-size focus.
- Wynnchurch Capital: Middle-market private equity firm investing in operations-intensive businesses with $50M-$500M of revenue. Comparable middle-market PE focus on collaborative management partnerships and complex transaction structures like carve-outs.
- Platte River Equity: Lower-middle-market PE firm focused on control investments in differentiated, growing companies often with $5M-$25M of EBITDA. Comparable target company profile and orientation toward founder/family partnership deals.
Broad incumbents
- KKR & Co. Global incumbent private equity firm operating a broad portfolio across mid- and large-cap buyouts and growth investments. Industry bellwether that defines the 'traditional PE' model that Pine Lake's owner-capital structure distinguishes itself against.
- Bain Capital: Diversified global alternative asset manager operating corporate PE, growth equity, and credit strategies across multiple sectors. Provides the broad-incumbent benchmark for Pine Lake's mid-market PE/VC offering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pine Lake Capital social profiles
Digital presencePine Lake Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pine Lake Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Pine Lake Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pine Lake Capital 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 Pine Lake Capital
What does Pine Lake Capital do?
Pine Lake Capital is a private equity firm that invests its own closely held capital in mid-market companies through three flexible structures: growth buyouts, recapitalizations, and carve-outs/divestitures. The firm targets companies with enterprise values between $2 million and $200 million and EBITDA above $1 million across sectors such as Financial Technology, Marketing Technology, Consumer & Industrial Products, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Insurance. Beyond capital, Pine Lake supports portfolio companies with marketing, sales, and distribution expertise to accelerate revenue growth.
Is Pine Lake Capital a public or private company?
Pine Lake Capital is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Pine Lake Capital founded?
Pine Lake Capital was founded in 1982. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pine Lake Capital based?
Pine Lake Capital is headquartered in Bloomfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pine Lake Capital make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Returns & Carried Interest.
Who are Pine Lake Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Huron Capital Partners, Clearview Capital, Trinity Hunt Partners, Mainsail Partners, Hamilton Robinson Capital Partners, Graham Partners, Wynnchurch Capital and Platte River Equity. Broad incumbents are KKR & Co. and Bain Capital.
Does Pine Lake Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pine Lake Capital.
What industry is Pine Lake Capital in?
Pine Lake Capital's product category is Private Equity & Investment Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHADAB, Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory, with a secondary code of FSANACAA, Technology & Software Growth Equity. Its NAICS code is 5239 and its SIC code is 6282.