Blackbear Capital
Blackbear Capital is an independent, fee-only Registered Investment Advisor in Ripley, West Virginia, founded in 2020 by Max Knapp and Preston Whitney. It serves physicians, retirees, entrepreneurs, and non-profits across West Virginia through holistic financial planning, investment management, retirement, 401(k), estate, and business valuation services on a fiduciary basis.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersRipley, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Blackbear Capital does
Blackbear Capital, LLC is an independent, fee-only Registered Investment Advisor founded in 2020 and headquartered in Ripley, West Virginia. The firm is co-founded by Max Knapp (West Virginia Wesleyan and Vanderbilt) and Preston Whitney (Marshall University) and operates with 1-10 employees under a fiduciary, conflict-free business model with no commissions or third-party revenue sharing. It serves four persona segments — Physicians, Near-Retirement/Retirees, Entrepreneurs, and Non-Profits — through a unified six-service suite: Financial Planning, Investment Management, Retirement Planning, 401(k) Advisory, Estate Planning, and Business Valuation.
The firm does not disclose proprietary technology platforms. Its operating stack consists of standard industry financial planning and investment management tools, with Altruist serving as the client portal for account access. There is no in-house development, no API or SDK offering, no AI/ML capability, and no disclosed mobile application. Service delivery is exclusively direct and high-touch: face-to-face consultations at the firm's Ripley office or client locations, supplemented by community engagement and professional referral networks as the primary client acquisition channels.
The revenue model is fee-only advisory, compensated solely through client fees on a recurring basis. Specific pricing tiers are not publicly disclosed. Distribution is regional (West Virginia only) and channeled entirely through direct sales and personal referrals — no marketplaces, resellers, or digital marketing campaigns are utilized. The firm is registered with the SEC (CRD 310990) and authorized to conduct investment advisory services in the State of West Virginia.
Blackbear Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blackbear Capital
- Legal name
- Blackbear Capital, LLC
- Website
- https://blackbearcapital.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Blackbear Capital is an independent, fee-only Registered Investment Advisor in Ripley, West Virginia, founded in 2020 by Max Knapp and Preston Whitney. It serves physicians, retirees, entrepreneurs, and non-profits across West Virginia through holistic financial planning, investment management, retirement, 401(k), estate, and business valuation services on a fiduciary basis.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Blackbear Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wealth Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Banking & UHNW Wealth Advisory (FSAEABAC)
Keywords
Where Blackbear Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ripley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Blackbear Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Investment Advisory Fees: Blackbear Capital operates as a fee-only investment advisor, meaning they are compensated solely by client fees for advice and do not receive commissions, referral fees, or revenue sharing arrangements from third-party product providers. This creates a conflict-free advisory relationship where the firm's incentives are aligned with client outcomes.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Blackbear Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blackbear Capital is a fee-only independent Registered Investment Advisor that delivers personalized wealth management services to individuals and organizations in West Virginia. Its core offerings include Financial Planning, Investment Management, Retirement Planning, 401(k) Advisory for employer plan sponsors, Estate Planning, and Business Valuation services for business owners. The firm is compensated solely through client-paid advisory fees and operates in a fiduciary capacity.
Product overview
Blackbear Capital operates as a fee-only independent Registered Investment Advisor offering a unified suite of wealth management services. The core offerings include Financial Planning, Investment Management, Retirement Planning, 401(k) Advisory, Estate Planning, and Business Valuation services. The firm emphasizes holistic, client-centric financial advisory with fiduciary commitment, serving distinct client segments including physicians, near-retirement individuals, entrepreneurs, and non-profits.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Financial Planning Comprehensive evaluation of a client's current financial situation, identification of goals and risk tolerances, and creation of customized plans to pursue financial objectives; the foundational service of the firm's holistic wealth management practice.
- Investment Management Active, hands-on portfolio management using a diversified investment strategy aligned with individual financial objectives, drawing on client insights and investment history across vehicles such as stocks, bonds, CDs, mutual funds, ETFs, private funds, and annuities.
- Retirement Planning Long-term retirement strategy development including withdrawal planning, Social Security timing, pension/401(k) decisions, and asset allocation to ensure lifetime income security.
- 401(k) Advisory Fiduciary support for employers sponsoring 401(k) plans, including service provider selection, plan design, investment monitoring, and participant education.
- Estate Planning Strategic wealth transfer planning including asset protection, tax minimization, charitable giving, and multi-generational wealth preservation, coordinated with clients' legal counsel.
- Business Valuation Financial statement analysis and advisory services for business owners to understand company valuation when planning for sale, transition, or other liquidity events.
Companies that use Blackbear Capital
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Blackbear Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Blackbear Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Blackbear Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Halbert Hargrove: Independent, fee-only RIA serving individuals, families, and business owners with holistic wealth planning. Comparable in size, fee-only model, and integrated financial planning/retirement/estate service mix.
- Buckingham Strategic Wealth: National fee-only RIA offering comprehensive financial planning and investment management to households and institutions. Highly comparable to Blackbear in fiduciary model, service breadth, and target client base.
- Savant Wealth Management: Fee-only RIA providing financial planning, investment management, and tax services to individuals and businesses. Directly comparable service suite and fiduciary structure to Blackbear Capital.
Others
- Focus Financial Partners: RIA aggregator partnering with independent wealth management firms to provide capital, M&A, and operational support. Comparable as the type of partner Blackbear could pursue for growth or exit liquidity.
Broad incumbents
- Carson Wealth: RIA platform offering financial planning, investment management, and 401(k) advisory to households and businesses. Comparable fiduciary posture and integrated service suite, but operates nationally with partnership model.
- Edelman Financial Engines: Large independent RIA combining traditional advisor-led planning with digital tools across retirement, investment, and estate planning. Comparable service breadth but very different scale and delivery model.
- Cerity Partners: Large fee-only wealth management firm providing financial planning, investment management, and 401(k) advisory to households, institutions, and nonprofits. Directly comparable nonprofit/entrepreneur segments and fiduciary model.
- Mariner Wealth Advisors: Large independent RIA offering financial planning, investment management, retirement, and estate services. Broadly comparable service portfolio to Blackbear but operating at substantially greater scale.
- Creative Planning: Large national fee-only RIA with comprehensive wealth management services across accumulation, retirement, estate, and business planning. Overlaps with Blackbear's service offerings at much larger scale.
Emerging players
- Facet Wealth: Tech-enabled financial planning firm delivering advice via remote CFPs at flat subscription fees. Comparable in targeting mass-affluent and HNW households but competes on price and digital delivery versus Blackbear's face-to-face model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Blackbear Capital social profiles
Digital presenceBlackbear Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blackbear Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Blackbear Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blackbear 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 Blackbear Capital
What does Blackbear Capital do?
Blackbear Capital is a fee-only independent Registered Investment Advisor that delivers personalized wealth management services to individuals and organizations in West Virginia. Its core offerings include Financial Planning, Investment Management, Retirement Planning, 401(k) Advisory for employer plan sponsors, Estate Planning, and Business Valuation services for business owners. The firm is compensated solely through client-paid advisory fees and operates in a fiduciary capacity.
Is Blackbear Capital a public or private company?
Blackbear Capital is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Blackbear Capital founded?
Blackbear Capital was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Blackbear Capital based?
Blackbear Capital is headquartered in Ripley, United States, in the North America region.
How does Blackbear Capital make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Advisory Fees.
Who are Blackbear Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Halbert Hargrove, Buckingham Strategic Wealth and Savant Wealth Management. Focus Financial Partners is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Carson Wealth, Edelman Financial Engines, Cerity Partners, Mariner Wealth Advisors and Creative Planning. Facet Wealth is listed as an emerging player.
Does Blackbear Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blackbear Capital.
What industry is Blackbear Capital in?
Blackbear Capital's product category is Wealth Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEABAC, Private Banking & UHNW Wealth Advisory. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.