Hillandale Advisors

What Hillandale Advisors does

Hillandale Advisors is a privately held boutique merchant banking and investment firm founded in 2017 and headquartered at 429 East Boulevard in Charlotte, North Carolina. The firm advises founder-led private businesses with $1-10 million of EBITDA across the Southeast on capital raises ($5-50 million), M&A (sell-side and buy-side), business valuations delivered within two weeks, and exit planning. Distribution is sales-led and direct: outreach through [email protected], LinkedIn, a monthly newsletter, and the proprietary Private Business Roundtable (PBR) community of 200+ owners, operators, and investors across the Carolinas, underpinned by a database of 10,000+ private businesses covering 19 industries and 716 sub-industries.

Beyond fee-for-service advisory, Hillandale operates as a holding company for a portfolio of operating businesses and minority investments. Wholly owned platforms include Horizon Roofing & Restoration (residential and commercial roofing across NC and SC) and Polysonics (acoustics, audio-visual, and technology consulting for commercial buildings), both acquired in 2024. Minority stakes include Sidekick Therapy Partners (speech therapy in TN/NC schools), Aiwyn AI (professional-services billing automation, $440M+ valuation post-KKR/Bessemer), Datavations AI ($2.26T building-materials market data platform, $100M post-Forestay Series A), Touchstone Electric (Southeast electrical services), and IndiAide (India-market SaaS).

The firm's four-person core team is led by Managing Partner Matthew Hultquist and complemented by an analyst, an operations/PBR coordinator, an AI/PE Solutions lead with executive-program credentials at MIT, Stanford, Duke, Vanderbilt, and Wharton, and a PBR growth partner. Strategic partners include Axial (deal-sourcing platform since March 2022), Red Clay Advisors (co-engagement on Project Titan), Forestay Capital and KKR/Bessemer as portfolio co-investors, and law firms Adams & Reese and Greenberg Traurig on transactions. The Private Business Roundtable is both a community asset and a deal-flow engine, with planned expansion in 2025 into Raleigh/Chapel Hill and Greensboro/Winston-Salem chapters.

Name

Hillandale Advisors

Legal name

Hillandale Advisors

Website

https://hillandaleadvisors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hillandale Advisors is a Charlotte-based boutique merchant banking firm that advises founder-led Southeast US businesses with $1-10MM EBITDA on capital raising, M&A, valuations, and exits, while also operating and investing in portfolio companies spanning roofing, electrical, acoustics, speech therapy, and AI/SaaS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Banking & Advisory

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSAEAGAA

Sell-Side M&A Advisory

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/M&A Advisory & Corporate Finance

SECONDARYFSAEAGAC

Capital Raising Advisory (Equity & Equity-Linked)

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/M&A Advisory & Corporate Finance

SECONDARYFSAEAIAD

Buy-Side Search & Acquisition Advisory

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/Business Brokerage (Buying/Selling Private Businesses)

Keywords

• Merger acquisition advisory
• Capital raising services
• Business valuation services
• Private equity investing
• Exit planning advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. M&A Advisory and Financial Advisory Fees: Hillandale Advisors provides capital raising, sell-side/buy-side advisory, valuation, and exit planning services to private businesses. They earn fees for advisory services including helping businesses prepare marketing decks, structure raises, and source investors or buyers.
2. Investment Returns from Portfolio Companies: The firm invests in and holds portfolio companies (Sidekick Therapy Partners, Aiwyn AI, Horizon Roofing, Polysonics, Datavations AI, IndiAide, Touchstone Electric) generating returns through equity appreciation and operational performance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hillandale Advisors is a boutique merchant banking firm that provides financial advisory and transaction execution services to founder-led private businesses with $1-10 million in EBITDA across the Southeast US. Core services include capital raising (typically $5-50 million), M&A advisory (buy-side and sell-side), business valuation completed within 2 weeks, and exit planning. The firm supplements advisory work with principal investments in operating companies across AI/SaaS, building services, and specialty trades, and operates the Private Business Roundtable, a 200+ member community of private business owners, operators, and investors.

Product overview

Hillandale Advisors is an investment and advisory firm serving founder-led businesses with $1-10 million in EBITDA across the Southeast. The company offers a unified set of advisory services including capital raising ($5-50 million), M&A advisory, business valuation, and exit planning, complemented by the Private Business Roundtable (PBR) community platform for networking and deal flow. The firm's portfolio includes seven operating companies across diverse sectors: Aiwyn AI (AI-powered billing automation SaaS), Datavations AI (building materials analytics SaaS), IndiAide (SaaS), Horizon Roofing & Restoration (roofing services), Polysonics (acoustics consulting), Sidekick Therapy Partners (speech therapy), and Touchstone Electric (electrical services).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Private Business Roundtable (PBR): A community of over 200+ private business owners, operators and investors across the Carolinas, hosting events, content, and networking opportunities for business scaling and exits.

Products and services

• Capital Raising / M&A Advisory

Quantifiable outcome

• NC Based SaaS AI Platform raised $3 million venture equity; Platform now over $25MM ARR with $440MM+ valuation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Adams & ReeseminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2025Adams & Reese provided legal advice to Brownstone Construction Group in the $28 million merger with CSL Consulting, on which Hillandale Advisors served as financial advisor.
• Greenberg TraurigminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2025Greenberg Traurig provided legal advice to CSL Consulting in the $28 million merger with Brownstone Construction Group, on which Hillandale Advisors served as financial advisor.
• Red Clay AdvisorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Red Clay Advisors partnered with Hillandale Advisors on Project Titan, a $3.8MM EBITDA residential door platform sale. The firms are co-engaged on this transaction, combining their respective deal flow and advisory capabilities.
• NewLeaf BrokerageminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2024NewLeaf Brokerage served as M&A advisor for Horizon Roofing & Restoration in its sale to Hillandale Advisors. Todd Little of NewLeaf Brokerage navigated the deal process with Hillandale.
• Vista Business GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2023Vista Business Group represented Polysonics in its sale to Hillandale Advisors. Polysonics was represented by Scott Blackwood at Vista Business Group, a 9-person M&A advisory firm and 12+ year Axial member based in Lincoln, Kansas.
• AxialcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHillandale joined Axial in March 2022 to augment deal-sourcing efforts and cover a wider group of boutique investment banks and advisory firms. Through Axial, Hillandale has sourced multiple acquisitions including Polysonics and Horizon Roofing.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Houlihan Lokey: Global investment bank with strong middle-market M&A and capital markets advisory practices, frequently active in founder-led business sales and sponsor-backed deals across industrials and business services — incumbent pushing down-market.
• B. Riley Advisory Services: Diversified advisory firm providing M&A, valuation and capital raising services to middle-market companies across the U.S. — direct competitor on capital-raising and sell-side mandates in the lower middle market.
• Lincoln International: Global mid-market M&A advisory firm with strong industrials, business services and technology verticals — competing indirectly for higher-end lower-middle-market mandates as it pushes down-market into Hillandale's territory.
• KPMG Corporate Finance LLC: Middle-market M&A advisory arm of KPMG serving private business sales and capital raises across the Southeast; broader firm but with active practice competing for lower middle market sell-side and capital-raising mandates.

Direct peers

• Murphy Business & Financial Corporation: Long-standing lower middle market business brokerage and M&A advisory franchise focused on selling founder-led SMBs with $1-10MM EBITDA — direct overlap with Hillandale's target ticket size and founder-led buyer/seller profile.
• Succession Resource Group: Boutique M&A advisory firm focused on lower middle market exits and succession planning for founders — directly comparable customer segment (founder-led exits at $1-10MM EBITDA) and service model.
• NewLeaf Brokerage: M&A advisor that represented Horizon Roofing & Restoration in its sale to Hillandale in July 2024. Comparable boutique sell-side advisory practice serving founder-led businesses in the Carolinas/Southeast.
• Generational Group: Large lower middle market M&A advisory firm that has long specialized in sell-side mandates for founder-led businesses with sub-$50MM enterprise value — same client profile as Hillandale's.
• Vista Business Group: A 9-person M&A advisory firm based in Lincoln, Kansas with 12+ years on Axial that represented Polysonics in its sale to Hillandale. Same lower-middle-market, founder-led sell-side playbook on a comparable small-team scale.
• Red Clay Advisors: Co-advisor with Hillandale on Project Titan, a $3.8MM EBITDA residential door platform sale. Comparable-sized boutique M&A firm serving founder-led lower middle market companies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hillandale-advisors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries7 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 Hillandale Advisors