What Meridian Capital does

CLA Meridian Capital is a Seattle-headquartered middle-market investment bank and M&A advisory firm that was founded in 1995 by Chuck Wilke and acquired by CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) in April 2026, at which point it was rebranded and integrated as the investment banking division of CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, LLC (an SEC-registered investment advisor and FINRA/SIPC member broker-dealer). The firm advises privately held, family-owned, founder-led, and entrepreneur-owned businesses on M&A advisory (sell-side and buy-side), capital raising (equity and debt), and strategic advisory engagements across three core industry verticals: Consumer (consumer products, retail, food/beverage/agribusiness), Industrials (aerospace/defense/space, AEC services, manufacturing/distribution, industrial/residential services), and Technology & Services (software, tech-enabled services, telecom). Cross-border transaction capabilities are delivered through the REACH Global M&A Partners network.

The firm's core technology stack is human capital rather than software; there is no proprietary platform, API, or technology product. Its deliverables consist of bespoke advisory engagements, proprietary sector-specific M&A market research publications (Automotive Aftermarket, Baked Goods & Confectionery, LegalTech), and content marketing assets. Revenue is generated primarily through transaction-based success fees on M&A mandates and capital raises, supplemented by professional services fees for strategic advisory work; pricing is negotiated per engagement and is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market model is relationship-based, enterprise field sales targeting middle-market business owners across the United States, with a six-office footprint spanning Seattle (HQ), Salt Lake City, Portland, San Francisco, Orange County, and Raleigh, supported by a team of approximately 19 bankers.

Name

Meridian Capital

Legal name

CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, LLC

Website

https://meridianib.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CLA Meridian Capital is a Seattle-headquartered middle-market M&A advisory firm advising family-owned, founder-led, and privately held businesses on sell-side, buy-side, capital raising, and strategic transactions across Consumer, Industrials, and Technology verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Banking & M&A Advisory

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Miscellaneous Intermediation (52391), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

M&A Advisory (Buy-side/Sell-side) (BPAHADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB), Capital Raising Advisory (Debt/Equity/Private Capital) (BPAHADAG), Capital Raising Advisory (Equity & Equity-Linked) (FSAEAGAC)

Keywords

• Mergers and acquisitions advisory
• Middle market investment banking
• Capital raising services
• Strategic advisory services
• Sell side advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. M&A Advisory Fees: Advisory fees for merger and acquisition transactions, typically structured as success-based fees tied to transaction completion.
2. Capital Raising Services: Fees for equity and debt capital raising services for middle-market companies.
3. Strategic Advisory: Strategic consulting and advisory services for business owners on complex corporate finance and ownership transitions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Meridian Capital (CLA Meridian Capital) is a Seattle-based middle-market investment bank providing M&A advisory, capital raising (equity and debt), buy-side advisory, and strategic advisory services to privately held, family-owned, founder-led, and entrepreneur-owned businesses. The firm operates dedicated industry practices across Consumer, Industrials, and Technology & Services verticals, with cross-border execution capabilities delivered through the REACH Global M&A Partners network.

Product overview

CLA Meridian Capital is a middle-market investment bank offering a unified suite of advisory services rather than a software product platform. The core service portfolio consists of M&A Advisory, Capital Raising, Buy Side Advisory, and Strategic Advisory, which are organized around three primary industry verticals: Consumer (covering consumer products, retail, and food/beverage/agribusiness), Industrials (covering aerospace/defense, architecture/engineering/construction, industrial services, and manufacturing/distribution), and Technology & Services (covering software, tech-enabled services, and telecom). The firm complements its advisory services with proprietary research publications including sector-specific M&A market updates for industries such as automotive aftermarket, baked goods, confectionery, and LegalTech. Cross-border transaction capabilities are delivered through the REACH: Global M&A Partners network. All services are focused on serving privately held, middle-market companies including family-owned, founder-led, and entrepreneur-owned businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• M&A Advisory Comprehensive merger and acquisition advisory services including sell-side and buy-side transaction support for middle-market companies, with industry coverage across Consumer, Industrials, and Technology & Services.
• Capital Raising Equity and debt capital raising services to help middle-market businesses secure funding for growth, recapitalization, and strategic initiatives.
• Buy-Side Advisory Advisory services for companies seeking to acquire other businesses, including target identification, due diligence support, and transaction execution.
• Strategic Advisory Strategic consulting and advisory services to help business owners navigate complex corporate finance challenges and plan for sustainable growth, including ownership transition planning.
• REACH: Global M&A Partners Network International M&A network providing cross-border transaction capabilities and access to global buyers and sellers for clients through partner firms.

Quantifiable outcome

• $22 billion in total transaction value
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• REACH Global M&A PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLA Meridian Capital offers clients unparalleled cross-border capabilities through its REACH Global M&A Partners network, enabling international deal execution and access to global buyers and sellers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cascadia Capital: Seattle-headquartered middle-market investment bank with overlapping Consumer, Industrials, and Technology verticals. Teague Collins previously co-led Cascadia's software practice before joining Meridian, making the two firms closely comparable in coverage and geography.
• B. Riley Securities: Middle-market investment bank with diversified sector coverage and capital markets capabilities. Michael Yoon worked at B. Riley before joining Meridian.
• Greif & Co. Boutique middle-market M&A advisor serving entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses — same target persona as Meridian. James Kim worked at Greif & Co. before joining Meridian.
• FMI Capital Advisors: Middle-market M&A advisor focused on engineering, construction, and building products — directly overlapping Meridian's AEC Services vertical. Greg Powell led FMI's AEC M&A practice before joining Meridian, underscoring deep comparability.
• Moss Adams Capital: Seattle-based middle-market investment banking arm of Moss Adams (a top accounting firm) with a comparable sector-focused model. Brandon Leyert and other Meridian bankers previously worked at Moss Adams Capital.

Broad incumbents

• Lazard: Global investment bank with a strong middle-market technology M&A practice; Matt Rechtin previously worked at Lazard. Represents a bulge-bracket competitor increasingly active in mid-market tech deals.
• Lincoln International: Global middle-market M&A advisor with sector-focused verticals (Industrials, Technology, Consumer). Operates at the upper-middle-market band that overlaps with Meridian's larger mandates.
• Piper Sandler: Diversified middle-market investment bank with sector-focused advisory practices. Steven Meader previously worked at Piper Sandler before joining Meridian.
• Houlihan Lokey: Global investment bank with a deep middle-market M&A franchise, competing for larger mid-cap mandates that overlap with Meridian's upper end. Functions as a broader incumbent in the same space.
• Robert W. Baird & Co. Large diversified financial services firm with a well-established middle-market M&A practice, competing head-to-head for U.S. mid-market sell-side and capital-raising mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cla-meridian-capital

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Meridian Capital