Top Private Equity Firms in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is home to several top private equity firms driving growth across industries like healthcare, tech, and real estate. This guide explores key players, their investment strategies, and how they help businesses scale.
Fort Lauderdale, located in sunny South Florida, is a thriving city home to a growing number of private equity (PE) firms. These firms play a crucial role in fostering innovation and growth across a variety of industries, from healthcare to technology, and even consumer goods.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the top private equity firms in Fort Lauderdale, highlighting their investment strategies, portfolio companies, and key contributions to the market.
Harbor Beach Capital
Founded in 2015, Harbor Beach Capital is a premier private equity firm based in Fort Lauderdale, focusing on mid-market investments across a wide array of sectors, including technology, healthcare, and industrials. Harbor Beach specializes in acquiring companies with strong growth potential and helping them scale through strategic initiatives and operational improvements.
One of Harbor Beach’s key strategies is working closely with portfolio companies to improve their financial and operational performance, leveraging its extensive network and expertise. They are particularly known for targeting companies in emerging industries and helping them expand into new markets.
A standout portfolio company is Atlantic Southern Paving and Sealcoating, headquartered in Sunrise, Florida. The company provides pavement maintenance and construction services to commercial and municipal customers across the U.S. Harbor Beach’s strategic involvement has helped Atlantic Southern grow its market share and expand service capabilities.
Firelight Capital
Firelight Capital, established in 2016, is a private equity firm based in Fort Lauderdale, specializing in growth equity investments. The firm focuses on branded consumer and retail concepts, helping businesses accelerate growth through brand management, digital transformation, and operational scaling. Firelight partners with exceptional founders and management teams to help unlock exponential growth for companies, primarily in sectors like apparel, health & wellness, beauty, and food & beverage.
The firm targets companies with revenues of $25-$100 million and EBITDA of $3-$15 million. Firelight typically makes majority investments, with equity investments ranging from $10-30 million. Notable portfolio companies include brands in industries such as footwear, home décor, and outdoor products, where Firelight has played a crucial role in driving their growth.
Alterna Equity Partners
Alterna Equity Partners is a prominent private equity firm based in Fort Lauderdale, specializing in small to mid-sized, founder and family-owned businesses poised for growth. With decades of collective experience, the firm focuses on supporting management teams' vision for growth while maintaining a strong alignment of interests for future upside potential.
The firm is known for its proactive approach, working closely with portfolio companies to drive long-term value. Notable investments include Bulk Environmental, a professional transportation and logistics company, Mod Op, a leading insights-driven marketing agency, and Alterna Capital Solutions, a financial services firm. Through strategic support and operational expertise, Alterna has helped these companies scale and expand.
SouthOcean Capital Partners
SouthOcean Capital Partners, founded in 2014 and based in Fort Lauderdale, is a boutique private equity firm that primarily focuses on opportunistic real estate investments. The firm specializes in partnering with developers to invest in class-A multi-family apartment projects across the United States.
Known for its strategic approach, SouthOcean Capital combines financial expertise with operational insight to help developers maximize returns. The firm’s partnerships with experienced operating partners enable it to navigate complex markets and identify high-potential investment opportunities, creating lasting value in the real estate sector.
BBX Capital
BBX Capital, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, is a diversified holding company that has been a key player in private equity since its founding in 1994. The firm’s principal investments span sectors such as real estate, healthcare, and consumer services, with notable portfolio companies including Altman, BBX Sweet Holdings, and Renin.
BBX Capital is known for backing talented management teams and supporting their growth over the long term. The firm brings not just capital but also a wealth of experience in founding, operating, and scaling businesses across various industries. As an active and strategic partner, BBX assists management teams in achieving operational excellence, accessing additional resources, and executing successful growth strategies.
Let’s Recap
Fort Lauderdale is emerging as a hub for private equity activity, with several prominent firms driving growth and innovation in a variety of sectors. Whether you are seeking a firm with expertise in technology or real estate, the private equity firms listed above represent some of the most active players in the market. Each of these firms brings its own unique approach, from hands-on operational experience to strategic acquisitions, and they continue to shape the landscape of business growth in Fort Lauderdale.
If you’re a business owner or entrepreneur looking to take your company to the next level, partnering with the right private equity firm can help fuel your growth. Platforms like Private Equity List make it easier to connect with the right investors for your needs.
Sign up today at Private Equity List and find the perfect partner for your business!
Read More
- Top Private Equity Firms: Ultimate Guide
- What Are Private Equity Investors? A Quick Guide
- Find Private Investors for Startups: Your Guide to Success
- Private Equity Deal Sourcing Strategies: Expert Advice
About Private Equity List
Private Equity List is a top choice for finding investment opportunities in new markets. It's a straightforward and detailed site for people looking for private equity, venture capital, and angel investors. You don't have to sign up or subscribe to use it.
With global perspective (incl. US, EU and UK) and special focus on regions like the Middle East, Africa, Pan-Asia, and Central and Eastern Europe, Private Equity List provides vital info on investors, such as how much they invest, what regions and industries they're interested in, and how to contact key team members. This means you get everything you need to find, check out, and reach out to potential investors for your project. We also pay attention to early stage founders.
Our team, experienced in financial services and committed to helping businesses and entrepreneurs, keeps adding around 300 new companies to our database every month. This effort has made us a reliable source for anyone looking to find investment in markets that don't get enough attention. Check out Private Equity List to begin searching for investors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is private equity?
Private equity involves investing capital in companies, typically with the goal of improving operational efficiency and generating higher returns. Private equity firms invest in both private and public companies.
What types of companies do private equity firms in Fort Lauderdale invest in?
Private equity firms invest in a wide range of sectors, including technology, healthcare, consumer goods, and industrials. The common factor is that these companies typically have strong growth potential.
What does acquisition mean?
In the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), an acquisition refers to the process where one company purchases another—a type of transaction. The acquiring company typically buys the target company’s shares or assets to gain control. Acquisitions are often made to expand market reach, diversify offerings, or achieve strategic synergies.
What is a flexible, value-added approach?
A flexible, value-added approach refers to a strategy in which private equity firms actively engage with their portfolio companies, offering not just capital, but also expertise and resources. This approach allows firms to tailor their involvement based on the specific needs of the business, providing strategic guidance, operational improvements, or assistance in scaling the company, all of which help unlock its full potential.
What is venture capital and equity capital?
Venture capital (VC) is a form of private equity that focuses on investing in early-stage, high-potential startup companies. Venture capitalists provide capital in exchange for equity ownership and often play an active role in helping the company grow, offering strategic guidance, industry connections, and resources to drive success.
Equity capital, on the other hand, refers to the funds raised by a company through the sale of ownership stakes (equity) in the company. This capital can come from various sources, including venture capital, private equity, or public offerings. It represents ownership in the company and gives the investor a claim on the company’s future profits and assets. Equity capital is typically used to fund business operations, expansion, or acquisitions.