What Acquisition Partners does

Acquisition Partners, LLC is a California-based boutique M&A advisory firm founded in April 2016 that provides buy-side search services exclusively, serving private equity groups, family offices, and strategic acquirers pursuing lower middle market targets with $1M to $15M+ in EBITDA. The firm leverages a 20+ year legacy through its sister company, The Independence Group, and a combined track record of 200+ completed M&A transactions to source, screen, and pre-qualify acquisition candidates for institutional buyers while also maintaining confidential outreach to business owners exploring exit opportunities. Core offerings include Private Equity Group Services (outsourced deal flow with weekly analytics), Strategic Buyer Acquisition Services, and Business Owner Exit Services, supported by sector specialists in areas such as niche manufacturing, B2B recurring revenue, industrial services, food industry, and engineering services.

The firm operates a relationship-driven, sales-led go-to-market with no publicly disclosed pricing. Engagements are structured as success-based, non-exclusive arrangements where the buyer pays a finder's fee upon transaction completion, aligning the firm with client outcomes. The team of approximately 12 members includes founders, VPs, buy-side specialists, a director of business development, and administrative staff, with offices in El Dorado Hills (headquarters) and San Francisco. The business is founder-owned and privately held by the Willis family and co-founder Tony Roe, with no institutional capital or public shareholders identified. The technology profile is that of a traditional professional services firm; there is no proprietary platform, AI tooling, or software product, and competitive advantage derives from human relationships, sector knowledge, and accumulated deal flow rather than technology infrastructure.

Name

Acquisition Partners

Legal name

Acquisition Partners, LLC

Website

https://acq.partners

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Acquisition Partners, LLC is a California-based boutique M&A advisory firm founded in 2016 that provides buy-side search services for private equity groups, family offices, and strategic acquirers targeting lower middle market businesses with $1M to $15M+ in EBITDA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

M&A Advisory Services

NAICS

Miscellaneous Intermediation (52391)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Buy-Side Search & Acquisition Advisory (FSAEAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

M&A / Corporate Finance Finders (Deal Origination) (FSAEAMAD), Buy-Side M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAB)

Keywords

• Buy-side M&A advisory
• Lower middle market
• Private equity deal sourcing
• Acquisition search services
• Mergers and acquisitions advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

El Dorado Hills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Success-based Finder's Fees: Fee-based model where the buyer pays a finder's fee upon successful transaction completion. Engagements are success-based and non-exclusive. The firm coordinates targeted buy-side searches, presents acquisition candidates, and facilitates introductions between buyers and sellers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Acquisition Partners is a lower middle market M&A advisory firm that exclusively provides buy-side search services to private equity groups, family offices, and strategic buyers. The firm identifies acquisition candidates, conducts preliminary analysis, and facilitates introductions between qualified buyers and sellers for businesses generating $1M to $15M+ in EBITDA. Engagements are success-based and non-exclusive, with the buyer paying a finder's fee upon successful transaction completion.

Product overview

Acquisition Partners is a lower middle market M&A firm offering a unified suite of buy-side advisory services. The core offering is their Buy-Side Search Services, which encompasses Private Equity Group Services (outsourced deal flow for PEGs), Strategic Buyer Acquisition Services, and Business Owner Exit Services. These services work together to connect qualified buyers with business sellers through targeted acquisition searches, preliminary analysis, and facilitated introductions. The company also provides Investment Opportunities Matching across multiple industry sectors (Niche Manufacturing, B2B Recurring Revenue, Industrial Services, Food Industry, Engineering Services) for businesses generating $1M to $15M+ in EBITDA. Engagements are typically success-based, non-exclusive arrangements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Buy-Side Search Services Core M&A advisory service that generates consistent deal flow for highly qualified buyers, providing first-look investment opportunities and acquisition assistance through targeted searches based on client directives, industry trends, and investment criteria. For private equity groups, family offices, and strategic buyers in the lower middle market.
• Private Equity Group Services Outsourced deal flow service for private equity groups in the lower middle market, focusing on platform and add-on investments in the $1M to $15M+ EBITDA range with weekly analytics and deal structuring support.
• Strategic Buyer Acquisition Services Acquisition assistance for strategic buyers seeking to expand business reach and capabilities, including acquisition candidate identification, preliminary analysis, and introduction facilitation. For business owners pursuing market expansion, capability enhancement, and strategic growth through acquisitions.
• Business Owner Exit Services Services connecting business owners with qualified buyers while maintaining confidentiality, presenting anonymous company overviews to experienced investors and private equity groups. For business owners seeking to explore exit opportunities or sell their companies.
• Investment Opportunities Matching Platform matching investment criteria with acquisition targets across sectors including Niche Manufacturing, B2B Recurring Revenue, Industrial Services, Food Industry, and Engineering Services for businesses generating $1M to $15M+ in EBITDA. Requires signed Confidentiality Agreement, Finder's Fee Agreement and seller's permission.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Independence GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The Independence Group is a sister company and affiliate of Acquisition Partners. Founded in 1997, it was the original M&A firm that preceded Acquisition Partners. The two companies work closely together, sharing experience, knowledge, and expertise. While The Independence Group handles broader M&A transactions, Acquisition Partners focuses exclusively on buy-side projects. Over the past 20+ years, the combined entity has completed over 200 M&A transactions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Quiet Light: Boutique M&A advisory focused on selling and intermediating deals in the lower middle market. Comparable because both firms are specialized M&A intermediaries serving similar sponsor and business-owner clients with success-based engagement structures.
• Generational Equity: Large lower-middle-market M&A advisory that matches private business sellers with buyers, including PE groups. Comparable for the same buy-side/sell-side intermediation role, success-based fee model, and focus on businesses with $1M-$15M+ EBITDA.
• Benchmark International: Global mid-market M&A advisor representing sellers and buyers across multiple verticals. Comparable because it offers buy-side search and seller representation services to PE and strategic acquirers in the same lower-middle-market band.
• Calder Capital: Boutique M&A advisory firm providing sell-side and buy-side representation for lower-middle-market companies. Comparable for the same boutique advisory model, success-based engagements, and PE/sponsor intermediary activity.
• Morgan & Westfield: Lower-middle-market M&A advisory firm engaged in business sales, mergers, and acquisitions intermediation. Comparable for the same boutique buy-side/sell-side intermediary role in the $1M-$15M EBITDA band.
• Transworld Business Advisors: Business brokerage and M&A advisory franchise network handling lower-middle-market transactions. Comparable for intermediating buy-side and sell-side engagements between business owners and acquirers in similar deal sizes.
• First Choice Business Brokers: Business brokerage and M&A intermediary focused on main-street and lower-middle-market transactions. Comparable for representing business owners and buyers in similarly sized deals with success-based fee structures.
• Sun Mergers & Acquisitions: Lower-middle-market M&A advisory representing buyers and sellers of private businesses. Comparable for boutique intermediation services targeting the same $1M-$15M+ EBITDA segment.
• Peak Business Brokers: Business brokerage and M&A intermediary focused on lower-middle-market transactions. Comparable for providing deal-flow intermediation between private equity/strategic buyers and business owners in similar deal ranges.

Broad incumbents

• Source Capital Group: Established investment bank and broker-dealer offering M&A advisory, capital raising, and related services to middle-market companies. Comparable for buy-side advisory and sponsor intermediation, though broader in scope and product offering than the boutique Acquisition Partners model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tmedeck
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acquisition-partners-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Acquisition Partners