Commonly described as the world’s automobile capital, Detroit offers more than just fancy cars. Its robust industrial base makes capital readily accessible for middle market firms. Detroit has seen major growth over the past few years with a radical transformation in its tech, healthcare, and logistics industries. All together, Detroit can be a great area for people and companies trying to grow capital.
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In this article, we’re spotlighting the top private equity firms in the Detroit metro area that are leading the charge in deal-making and market transformation. By the end, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of these firms, their investment strategies, and their impact on the private equity space.
1. Rockbridge Growth Equity Management L.P.
Overview: Rockbridge Growth Equity is a Detroit-based private equity firm founded in 2007, focused on investing in growth-oriented, middle-market companies. As part of the Rock Family of Companies, Rockbridge leverages deep operational resources, strategic relationships, and long-term capital to support portfolio companies. With a collaborative, founder-friendly investment approach, the firm partners with strong management teams to drive innovation and scale. Rockbridge has raised dedicated funds—including its $345 million RB Equity Fund II—to continue backing transformational businesses in dynamic sectors.
Focus: Rockbridge Growth Equity targets U.S.-based companies in sectors such as digital media and e-commerce, tech-enabled products and services, financial services, and consumer services. The firm seeks businesses with scalable platforms, defensible market positions, and proven revenue models, typically in the lower to middle market. Rockbridge’s investment strategy includes both control and significant minority stakes, and the firm plays an active role in helping its portfolio companies accelerate growth through technology enablement, marketing support, and operational excellence.
2. Huron Capital Partners
Overview: Huron Capital is a Detroit-based private equity firm founded in 1999, focused on growing lower middle-market companies through its specialized buy-and-build strategy. With over $1.8 billion raised across six funds, the firm has completed more than 260 investments, primarily in partnership with experienced executives and entrepreneurial management teams. Huron is best known for its proprietary ExecFactor® investment model, which combines deep industry research with hands-on leadership to create and scale industry-leading platforms. The firm takes an operationally focused approach, committed to building enduring businesses that drive long-term value.
Focus: Huron Capital targets U.S.-based lower middle-market companies within the commercial and industrial services, professional services, and consumer services sectors. The firm seeks businesses with strong recurring revenue, fragmented market opportunities, and a clear path for add-on acquisitions. Through its ExecFactor® model, Huron partners with executives to proactively identify investment themes and pursue a buy-and-build strategy that includes professionalizing operations, expanding service offerings, and executing strategic M&A. The firm typically invests in companies with annual revenues between $20 million and $200 million, with EBITDA ranging from $5 million to $20 million.
3. O2 Investment Partners LLC
Overview: O2 Investment Partners is a Midwestern-based private equity firm focused on investing in lower middle-market companies across the United States and Canada. Founded with a mission to partner with family- and founder-owned businesses, O2 emphasizes collaboration, long-term value creation, and operational excellence. The firm typically acquires majority ownership positions and supports management teams through strategic guidance and capital investment. In 2023, O2 successfully closed its fourth fund with $445 million in committed capital, underscoring strong investor confidence in its focused, hands-on approach.
Focus: O2 Investment Partners targets businesses with EBITDA greater than $5 million (or smaller for add-on acquisitions) across niche services, technology, and select industrial sectors. The firm is particularly interested in non-sponsor-owned companies with strong management teams, a track record of profitability, and a diversified customer base. O2 seeks opportunities to accelerate growth through professionalization, strategic add-on acquisitions, and operational improvements. Their investment strategy is centered on building enduring partnerships with leadership teams to unlock long-term shareholder value.
4. Peninsula Capital Partners
Overview: Peninsula Capital Partners is a Detroit-based private equity firm founded in 1995, specializing in customized structured capital solutions for lower middle-market companies. With over $2.3 billion raised across eight investment partnerships, Peninsula has completed nearly 150 platform transactions, offering a unique blend of equity and subordinated debt tailored to the needs of each situation. The firm works closely with management teams, business owners, and independent sponsors, providing flexible capital and deep experience across a wide range of industries.
Focus: Peninsula targets U.S.-based middle-market companies with a minimum of $3 million in EBITDA, focusing on businesses with strong operating histories and sustainable competitive advantages. The firm is industry-agnostic, with experience in sectors such as manufacturing, aerospace, professional services, distribution, consumer products, IT, transportation, food processing, and packaging. Peninsula’s flexible investment strategy allows for majority or minority equity, subordinated debt, and mezzanine capital, making it a preferred partner for management buyouts, recapitalizations, and growth financings.
5. Valstone Partners
Overview: ValStone Partners is a private equity investment firm founded in 1998, with offices in Birmingham, Michigan, and Baltimore, Maryland. The firm specializes in alternative investments, with a focus on real estate, commercial real estate loans, and senior housing. Since its inception, ValStone has completed over $1.2 billion in transaction value and manages approximately $840 million in assets as of December 2022. ValStone combines deep industry experience with a disciplined investment process to identify value-driven opportunities across economic cycles, leveraging strong partnerships and operational expertise.
Focus: ValStone Partners targets value-add real estate, distressed debt, and senior housing investments throughout the United States. The firm typically seeks opportunities requiring $5 million to $50 million of equity, partnering with experienced developers and operators to unlock asset value. ValStone also invests in performing, sub-performing, and non-performing commercial real estate loans, providing creative capital solutions to owners and developers. In senior housing, ValStone is strategically positioned to capitalize on long-term demographic trends by working with top-tier operators and management companies to deliver high-quality care-focused living environments.
6. Speyside Equity
Overview: Speyside Equity is a private equity firm that specializes in control investments in middle-market companies with histories of profitability but facing financial or operational challenges. Founded in 2004, the firm employs an operationally intensive approach to transform underperforming businesses into well-run organizations.
Focus: Speyside Equity targets companies with revenues between $50 million and $500 million, primarily headquartered in North America but with global operations. The firm is comfortable investing in complex situations, including corporate carve-outs, public-to-private transitions, family succession solutions, and distressed or special situations. Industries of focus include food ingredients and processing, specialty chemicals and minerals, value-added industrial distribution, building materials, metals forming, engineered products, and other manufacturing and assembly sectors.
7. Sturbridge Capital
Overview: Sturbridge Capital is a Birmingham, Michigan-based private equity firm specializing in secondary market transactions. Founded in 2011 by Salam Chaudhary, with significant investment from Chris Hornung, the firm manages over $500 million in assets across three funds. Sturbridge has completed over 30 transactions, acquiring exposure to more than 2,000 underlying funds since its inception. The firm's disciplined and focused investment strategy has generated stable and attractive returns for its investors.
Focus: Sturbridge Capital specializes in two niche areas of the private equity secondary market: fund-of-funds and secondary private equity funds, as well as tail-end interests. As a leading global acquirer of pooled private equity vehicles—often considered difficult to transfer—Sturbridge has executed transactions with some of the world’s largest banks and insurance companies. In the tail-end space, the firm helps organizations liquidate older private equity fund interests, enabling the timely and efficient closure of legal entities. Sturbridge also makes select primary investments in fund-of-fund managers with whom it has existing relationships. Its client base includes a wide range of institutional investors such as pension funds, corporations, university endowments, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals.
8. Strength Capital Partners
Overview: Strength Capital Partners is a Birmingham, Michigan-based private equity firm founded in 2000 by Mark McCammon and Mike Bergeron. With additional offices in Cincinnati and Denver, the firm focuses on control investments in established, profitable U.S.-based companies. Strength Capital brings an entrepreneurial mindset to the lower middle market, partnering with management teams to scale operations, drive strategic growth, and build long-term value. Since its inception, the firm has developed a strong track record of platform investments and follow-on acquisitions, particularly in industrial and infrastructure-related sectors.
Focus: Strength Capital targets businesses with EBITDA between $4 million and $25 million, focusing on sectors such as manufacturing, distribution, infrastructure, industrial services, and financial services. The firm specializes in industrial consolidation strategies, acquiring platform companies with the potential for significant add-on acquisitions and organic growth. Strength Capital emphasizes operational efficiency, market expansion, and long-term partnership with leadership teams, aiming to transform solid regional businesses into diversified, scalable enterprises.
9. TRP Capital Partners
Overview: TRP Capital Partners is a Birmingham, Michigan-based private equity firm specializing in growth-oriented investments within the transportation sector. Leveraging strategic relationships and deep industry expertise, TRP supports existing management teams while allowing them the autonomy to run their businesses. The firm's principals collectively possess over 125 years of transportation-related investment experience.
Focus: TRP targets investments in transportation-related companies, capitalizing on commercial synergies and the extensive network of its partners and affiliates. The firm seeks opportunities where it can add value through its unique industry relationships and operational insights.
10. Spring Arbor Group
Overview: Spring Arbor Group is a Michigan-based private investment firm focused on backing values-aligned, founder-led companies that promote American resilience and long-term prosperity. With roots in national service, entrepreneurship, and investment, Spring Arbor partners with exceptional operators building enduring businesses in sectors vital to U.S. competitiveness. The firm takes a mission-driven approach to capital deployment, supporting companies that uphold cultural, economic, and strategic values aligned with long-term national interests. Spring Arbor combines strategic capital with deep networks in government, defense, and industry to scale impactful businesses that contribute to the strength of the American industrial and civic landscape.
Focus: Spring Arbor targets early- to growth-stage investments in businesses operating at the intersection of national resilience, advanced industry, and civic strength. Key focus areas include dual-use technologies, advanced manufacturing, defense and supply chain infrastructure, critical communications, and trusted digital platforms. The firm invests in companies with strong leadership, high-integrity missions, and long-term potential to contribute to U.S. strategic autonomy. Spring Arbor employs a patient, partnership-driven model and actively supports founders with capital, strategy, and access to cross-sector relationships across public and private domains.
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