Berenson Capital
Boutique merchant bank established in 1990 in New York, providing strategic advisory, M&A, restructuring, and capital advisory services to private equity sponsors and corporate clients across nine end markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Berenson Capital does
Berenson Capital operates in the market as Berenson & Company, LLC, a New York–headquartered merchant bank established in 1990 at 667 Madison Avenue. The firm delivers three core advisory service lines: Strategic Advisory and M&A, Capital Advisory, and Restructuring and Special Situations. It advises private equity sponsors and public and private corporations on transactions across nine end markets — Business Services, Consumer, Data & Analytics, Government Services, Healthcare, Industrials, Real Estate, Software, and Transportation & Logistics. The practice is partner-led and flat-structured, with roughly 10–15 professionals including CEO Jeffrey L. Berenson, Senior Managing Partner Islam Zughayer, CFO/CCO Michael Lewis, Managing Director Dominic Chan, and a bench of Vice Presidents. Berenson is registered through FINRA/SIPC via its BrokerCheck listing. There is no proprietary technology stack; the core 'product' is the firm's senior-partner execution capability on complex mandates.
Revenue mechanics are characteristic of a boutique merchant bank: engagement-based advisory fees negotiated per mandate, comprising retainers, transaction completion fees, and success fees. Customer concentration skews toward marquee PE sponsors — Bain Capital, Blackstone, GTCR, Genstar, Apollo, Insight Partners, Carlyle, Apax, Five Arrows — alongside corporate clients such as Getty Images, PDI Technologies, HBC, and Bonterra. Recent publicly visible mandates include the ~$3.7B Getty Images / Shutterstock merger of equals and the $2.65B HBC acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group, alongside growth-stage mandates such as Govini's $150M round from Bain Capital and Aalyria's $100M Series B at a $1.3B valuation. Distribution is direct: senior partners originate and lead engagements, with public track record and press coverage serving as the principal demand-generation asset. The affiliated entity 'Berenson Capital' has additionally made two disclosed principal-investing moves into healthcare technology — the June 2021 acquisition of Interactive Digital Solutions (IDS, including the MedSitter platform) and a growth investment in Collette Health — extending the franchise beyond pure advisory into software and technology-enabled services operating companies.
Berenson Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Berenson Capital
- Legal name
- Berenson & Company, LLC
- Website
- https://berensonco.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Boutique merchant bank established in 1990 in New York, providing strategic advisory, M&A, restructuring, and capital advisory services to private equity sponsors and corporate clients across nine end markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Berenson Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Investment Banking
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Buy-Side M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAB), Equity Capital Advisory (Private Equity Placements, Growth Capital) (BPAHAOAE), Capital Markets Advisory (IPO Readiness, SPAC, ECM/DCM Advisory) (BPAHAOAL)
Keywords
Where Berenson Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Berenson Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Strategic Advisory Services: Advisory fees generated from providing M&A advisory, restructuring advice, and strategic consulting to clients. Revenue likely comes from transaction fees, retainers, and success fees tied to completed transactions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Bespoke advisory engagements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Berenson Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Berenson Capital (operating through Berenson & Company, LLC) is a merchant bank that provides strategic advisory and M&A, capital advisory, and restructuring and special situations services to corporations, private equity firms, and other entities. Engagements are negotiated on a per-deal basis and revenue is generated through retainers, transaction completion fees, and success fees tied to completed transactions. The firm also makes direct growth investments through Berenson Capital, including past investments in telehealth and patient observation companies.
Product overview
Berenson Capital (operates as Berenson & Company, LLC) is a merchant bank established in 1990 that provides professional services including Strategic Advisory and M&A, Capital Advisory, and Restructuring and Special Situations. The firm does not offer technology products; rather, it delivers advisory services to clients across various industries including Business Services, Consumer, Data & Analytics, Government Services, Healthcare, Industrials, Real Estate, Software, and Transportation & Logistics. Services are characterized by execution excellence and sector expertise, with a team of seasoned professionals who have deep sector expertise and a proven track record advising on complex transactions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Strategic Advisory + M&A Advisory service for clients undertaking mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic transactions. Leverages decades of deal-making experience, rigorous analytical capabilities, and unbiased advice to deliver effective and actionable guidance. Targeted at corporations, private equity firms, and other entities undertaking complex transactions.
- Capital Advisory Advisory service for clients developing bespoke capital solutions that balance capital requirements, cost of capital, and risk mitigation at various points in the business's evolution. Targeted at corporations and private equity firms navigating capital structure decisions.
- Restructuring and Special Situations Advisory service in which senior partners work side-by-side with companies, boards, shareholders, and creditors to navigate stressful and complex restructuring situations involving a broad set of stakeholders. Targeted at distressed or special-situation clients and their advisors.
- Berenson Capital Growth Investments Direct growth equity investments made by Berenson Capital into operating companies, such as the June 2021 growth investment in Collette Health (virtual patient observation) and the June 2021 acquisition of Interactive Digital Solutions (IDS), a telehealth and video collaboration solutions provider. Targeted at growth-stage companies in healthcare, software, and technology-enabled services.
Quantifiable outcome
- Advised on Getty Images/Shutterstock merger valued at approximately $3.7 billion
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Berenson Capital
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Berenson Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Berenson Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Interactive Digital Solutions (IDS)flagshipBerenson Capital announced acquisition of IDS in June 2021, including the MedSitter patient monitoring platform. Represents Berenson's direct investment in telehealth/video collaboration sector.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Berenson Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Greenhill & Co. Boutique M&A advisory firm (now a subsidiary of Mizuho) historically focused on providing independent conflict-free advice, directly comparable to Berenson's pure-play advisory positioning and senior-led deal teams.
- Evercore: Premier independent M&A advisory firm serving large corporates and PE sponsors, directly comparable in business model (pure-play advisory, conflict-free positioning) and target client base.
- Allen & Company: Private boutique investment bank focused on M&A and media/technology advisory, highly comparable in scale, exclusivity of mandates, and senior-partner-led engagement model.
- Moelis & Company: Boutique global M&A advisory firm offering strategic advisory, capital advisory, and restructuring services to corporates and PE sponsors, directly comparable to Berenson's mid-market transaction focus and senior-led engagement model.
- Centerview Partners: Highly selective independent advisory firm known for senior-partner-led engagement on marquee M&A mandates; mirrors Berenson's boutique positioning, sector expertise model, and PE sponsor relationships.
- PJT Partners: Publicly traded advisory firm spun out of Blackstone, providing M&A, restructuring, and fund placement services; competes head-to-head with Berenson for sponsor-led and corporate mandates across the same end markets.
- Lazard: Global financial advisory and asset management firm with a deep M&A and restructuring practice, overlapping with Berenson across advisory mandates for PE sponsors and corporates.
- Houlihan Lokey: Publicly traded global investment bank with a particularly strong M&A advisory and restructuring franchise, overlapping directly with Berenson's Strategic Advisory, M&A, and Restructuring practices and serving the same PE and corporate client base.
Broad incumbents
- Robert W. Baird: Employee-owned investment bank with a sizable M&A advisory practice focused on middle-market transactions, competing with Berenson for similar sponsor-backed and corporate mid-market mandates.
- Jefferies: Diversified investment bank with a strong middle-market M&A franchise, often competing with boutique advisors like Berenson on mid-cap transactions while also offering financing and capital markets capabilities Berenson lacks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Berenson Capital social profiles
Digital presenceBerenson Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Berenson Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Berenson Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Berenson Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Berenson Capital
What does Berenson Capital do?
Berenson Capital (operating through Berenson & Company, LLC) is a merchant bank that provides strategic advisory and M&A, capital advisory, and restructuring and special situations services to corporations, private equity firms, and other entities. Engagements are negotiated on a per-deal basis and revenue is generated through retainers, transaction completion fees, and success fees tied to completed transactions. The firm also makes direct growth investments through Berenson Capital, including past investments in telehealth and patient observation companies.
Is Berenson Capital a public or private company?
Berenson Capital is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Berenson Capital founded?
Berenson Capital was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Berenson Capital based?
Berenson Capital is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Berenson Capital make money?
One revenue line is on record: strategic Advisory Services.
Who are Berenson Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Greenhill & Co., Evercore, Allen & Company, Moelis & Company, Centerview Partners, PJT Partners, Lazard and Houlihan Lokey. Broad incumbents are Robert W. Baird and Jefferies.
Does Berenson Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Berenson Capital.
What industry is Berenson Capital in?
Berenson Capital's product category is Investment Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHADAB, Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory, with a secondary code of FSAEAGAB, Buy-Side M&A Advisory. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.