NASHVILLE, TENN. MARCH 23, 2022 - BluWave, a private equity-focused B2B Intelligent Marketplace, announces today the recipients of the inaugural 2022 Top 50 Private Equity Innovator Awards. The awards were created by BluWave to recognize private equity firms for exemplary innovation and leadership. The BluWave 2022 Top 50 Private Equity Innovator Awards recognizes firms that represent the top 1% in the private equity industry as determined by BluWave for innovative practices in due diligence, value creation, PE firm operations, and ESG.*
The BluWave Top 50 Private Equity Innovator Award recipients were selected based upon a rigorous assessment in consultation with leading limited partners, investment bankers and other thought leaders in the private equity ecosystem. BluWave partners with more than 500 leading private equity firms and has a unique perspective that enables the company to understand best practices and innovation in the private equity industry.
The private equity firms considered for this recognition were assessed across the following criteria:
- Proactive Due Diligence Practices
- Transformative Value Creation
- Progressive Private Equity Firm Operations
- ESG
“Private equity is a driving force in the economy, supporting the growth and development of virtually every type of business and providing more than 11 million jobs in America,” says Sean Mooney, Founder and CEO, BluWave. “We congratulate these top 50 private equity firms that are taking uniquely innovative approaches to building businesses and creating sustainable value for a wide range of stakeholders.”
BluWave also recognizes Lexington, Kentucky headquartered MiddleGround Capital with the Innovator of the Year Award due to the company’s achievements across due diligence, value creation, PE firm operations, and ESG. MiddleGround makes control equity investments in B2B industrial and specialty distribution businesses. The firm was founded by John Stewart, Lauren Mulholland, and Scot Duncan in 2018. MiddleGround partners with small and mid-sized businesses, providing extensive operational resources to help them build and grow. The firm is a signatory to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment, which provides a framework for investing responsibly and integrating ESG practices into investment practices.
The BluWave 2022 Top 50 Private Equity Innovator Award recipients are the following firms:
● Accel-KKR
● Advent International
● Align Capital Partners
● Altamont Capital Partners
● Aterian Investment Partners
● Avance
● Bain Capital
● Bertram Capital
● BPOC
● Blue Sea Capital
● Clairvest Group
● Cortec Group
● Council Capital
● Cressey & Company
● Crest Rock Partners
● DFW Capital Partners
● Encore Consumer Capital
● Francisco Partners
● Gemspring Capital
● Genstar Capital
● Great Hill Partners
● Great Range Capital
● GreyLion Capital
● GrowthCurve Capital
● GTCR
● The Halifax Group
● Heartwood Partners
● Hellman & Friedman
● Hidden Harbor Capital Partners
● Housatonic Partners
● ICV Partners
● Industrial Opportunity Partners
● Inverness Graham
● Juggernaut Capital Partners
● LLR Partners
● Long Ridge
● Main Post Partners
● MiddleGround Capital
● MidOcean Partners
● Nautic Partners
● New Harbor Capital
● New State Capital
● Pamlico Capital
● ParkerGale Capital
● Periscope Equity
● Serent Capital
● Sun Capital Partners, Inc.
● The Riverside Company
● Trivest Partners
● Water Street Healthcare Partners
For further information on the BluWave 2022 Top 50 Private Equity Innovator Awards, including the selection process, selection criteria, and recipients, please visit https://www.bluwave.net/awards/.
About BluWave
BluWave is an innovative B2B Intelligent Marketplace that uses technology, data and human ingenuity to connect more than 500 leading private equity firms and thousands of proactive businesses with best-in-class, pre-vetted, third parties for critical due diligence, value creation, and preparing for sale needs. BluWave’s invitation-only Intelligent Marketplace includes private equity-grade service provider groups, independent consultants, and interim executives. Visit http://www.BluWave.net for more information.
*BluWave, LP has not received investment capital from and holds no ownership interest in the PE firms evaluated or recognized under the Top 50 PE Innovator awards program. BluWave received no compensation from any of the PE firms in connection with this awards program. However, BluWave may otherwise provide services to the PE firms and/or portfolio companies, but BluWave confirms that its assessment of the PE firms was independent of any such service arrangements. Top 1% in the PE industry is based on BluWave’s review of the more than 5,000 PE firms in the U.S. and Canada from which 50 PE firms were selected as award recipients.