Identifying high-net-worth individuals in need of financial guidance is central to growth in the wealth management industry.
While advisors and sales teams use many signals to guide outreach, one of the strongest and most time-sensitive is often overlooked, the sale of a private business. A liquidity event instantly transforms business owners into high-net-worth individuals, creating a narrow window where the need for financial planning is at its peak.
We track more than 2,000 private company transactions each month in Dakota Marketplace and map those deals directly to key executives. This allows firms to gain a clear, actionable view into who has recently gone through a buyout and is likely navigating newfound liquidity, all in one place where you can view and act on every transaction.
Book a demo of Dakota Marketplace to source key executives and CEOs!
Top 10 CEOs in Boston
1. Tim Baldwin – Keystone Partners
Recent Transaction: Acquisition / Merger | February 10, 2026 | Undisclosed
Keystone Partners was acquired by Careerminds on February 10, 2026, as part of a broader strategic expansion to create a global leader in end-to-end workforce solutions. The transaction reflects continued consolidation across the career management and talent transition sector, as firms scale to meet growing demand for leadership development, executive coaching, and workforce transformation services.
Tim Baldwin, who has served as CEO since 2023, has led Keystone’s growth in leadership development and career management offerings. Under his leadership, the firm strengthened its service delivery capabilities and deepened its position as a trusted advisor to organizations navigating talent mobility, executive transition, and organizational resilience. The acquisition positions Keystone within a larger global platform, expanding its reach and enhancing its ability to deliver integrated workforce solutions.
View the full profile in Dakota Marketplace.
2. Patrick Boyaggi – Own Up
Recent Transaction: Acquisition / Merger | February 3, 2026 | Undisclosed
Own Up was acquired by Experian in February 2026 to expand mortgage access and AI-powered home loan capabilities within the Experian Marketplace. The transaction highlights continued strategic investment in digital mortgage platforms that combine data, personalization, and embedded financial services to improve consumer outcomes.
Patrick Boyaggi, Co-Founder and CEO, has led Own Up’s mission to bring transparency and personalization to the mortgage shopping process. With deep experience in residential lending, he has positioned the company as a consumer-focused platform simplifying lender comparison and home financing decisions.
View the full profile in Dakota Marketplace.
3. Kevin Kassekert – VulcanForms
Recent Transaction: Series D Growth Equity | January 30, 2026 | $220M
VulcanForms raised $220 million in an oversubscribed Series D round led by Eclipse and 1789 Capital to scale its fully integrated U.S. digital metal manufacturing platform. The financing underscores strong investor conviction in next-generation industrial infrastructure supporting aerospace, defense, energy, and high-performance computing, while reinforcing domestic manufacturing resilience.
Kevin Kassekert, CEO, brings decades of experience scaling complex manufacturing operations across electric vehicles, battery infrastructure, and semiconductor production. His leadership positions VulcanForms to accelerate industrial-scale deployment of digitally integrated metal manufacturing systems across critical sectors.
View the full profile in Dakota Marketplace.
4. Iñaki Berenguer – MITO AI
Recent Transaction: Pre-Seed Venture Funding | January 29, 2026 | $4.5M
MITO AI recently raised $4.5 million in venture funding to scale its AI-native platform for collaborative video creation. The investment highlights continued momentum behind generative AI tools transforming how brands, agencies, and creators produce content at speed and scale.
Iñaki Berenguer, Co-CEO, brings a strong track record of founding and scaling technology companies across media, fintech, and SaaS. His leadership positions MITO at the forefront of AI-driven creative infrastructure, blending product innovation with strategic growth in the evolving digital content ecosystem.
View the full profile in Dakota Marketplace.
5. Derek Adams – Stellular Bio
Recent Transaction: Series 1 Venture Funding | January 28, 2026 | Undisclosed
Stellular Bio recently completed a Series 1 venture round to advance its regenerative biologic therapies targeting ocular surface diseases. The financing supports the clinical progression of its lead candidate, STLR-201, focused on treating Sjögren’s syndrome-related dry eye, signaling continued investor interest in innovative ophthalmology platforms.
Derek Adams, President and CEO, brings extensive biopharmaceutical manufacturing and development leadership to the company. With prior senior roles across cell therapy, biologics, and large-scale pharmaceutical operations, he is guiding Stellular Bio through clinical development and positioning it for long-term growth in regenerative medicine.
View the full profile in Dakota Marketplace.
6. Nan Ji – PAQ Therapeutics
Recent Transaction: Series B Venture Funding | January 22, 2026 | Undisclosed
PAQ Therapeutics raised a Series B extension, bringing its total Series B financing to $77 million to advance its pipeline of KRAS-targeted degradation therapies. The funding supports continued development of its autophagy-dependent platform aimed at treating KRAS-driven cancers, one of the most challenging and high-value targets in oncology.
Dr. Nan Ji, Co-Founder and CEO, brings deep expertise in targeted protein degradation and oncology drug development. Under his leadership, PAQ is advancing next-generation cancer therapeutics focused on degrading, rather than inhibiting, oncogenic drivers, positioning the company at the forefront of precision oncology innovation.
View the full profile in Dakota Marketplace.
7. Kirill Bigai – Preply
Recent Transaction: Series D Growth Equity | January 21, 2026 | $150M
Preply recently secured $150 million in Series D growth equity to accelerate expansion of its global online language learning platform. The raise reflects continued investor confidence in scalable edtech models delivering personalized instruction at international scale.
Kirill Bigai, Co-Founder and CEO, has led Preply’s evolution from startup to global marketplace, connecting learners with tens of thousands of tutors worldwide. Under his leadership, the company has expanded its international footprint while positioning itself as a technology-driven leader in personalized language education.
View the full profile in Dakota Marketplace.
8. Lingping Gao – NetBrain Technologies
Recent Transaction: Majority Investment by Blackstone Growth | January 20, 2026 | Undisclosed
NetBrain Technologies closed a majority investment from funds managed by Blackstone Growth to accelerate global expansion of its AI-powered network automation platform. The transaction underscores continued investor conviction in enterprise infrastructure software enabling visibility, resilience, and automation across complex hybrid IT environments.
Lingping Gao, Founder of NetBrain, has led the company’s growth into a global leader in automated network operations. Following the transaction, he transitioned to Chair of the Board, as Bernadette Nixon was appointed Chief Executive Officer to guide the company’s next phase of expansion under Blackstone’s ownership.
View the full profile in Dakota Marketplace.
9. Marcus Wilson – NOBULL
Recent Transaction: Minority Growth Equity | January 20, 2026 | $50M
NOBULL raised $50 million in new funding at a $1 billion valuation, marking its first major capital injection since Mike Repole acquired a majority stake in 2023. The financing supports the brand’s expansion beyond its CrossFit roots into a broader fitness and wellness platform, including the launch of NOBULL Nutrition.
Mike Repole, Founder of BodyArmor and majority owner of NOBULL, is leading the company’s next phase of growth alongside co-owner Tom Brady. Under his leadership, the brand is evolving into a diversified performance lifestyle platform, leveraging strategic sports partnerships and direct-to-consumer momentum to compete at scale in the global athletic market.
View the full profile in Dakota Marketplace.
10. Ryan Begin – Divert
Recent Transaction: Minority Growth Equity | January 20, 2026 | Undisclosed
Divert recently completed a minority growth equity transaction to accelerate expansion of its food waste prevention and sustainability infrastructure platform. The investment underscores continued capital interest in climate-focused technologies addressing retail efficiency and environmental impact.
Ryan Begin, Co-Founder and CEO, has led Divert’s growth from an early-stage concept to a national platform serving thousands of retail locations. Under his leadership, the company has positioned itself at the intersection of impact technology and large-scale retail operations, advancing solutions aimed at reducing food waste and strengthening supply chain sustainability.
View the full profile in Dakota Marketplace.
Where Liquidity Events Become Prospecting Signals
Finding prospects may not be the challenge, it’s knowing when to reach them.
Private company transactions are one of the clearest signals of imminent need. They turn operating executives into newly liquid decision-makers almost overnight. Firms that align outreach to these moments gain a real advantage in timing, relevance, and conversion.
Dakota Marketplace delivers that edge.
Our combination of real-time private company transaction data and “likely to transact” signals allows RIAs and advisors to engage in timely, highly relevant outreach to individuals with newly acquired, or soon-to-be-acquired, wealth.
You’ll see all private company transactions in one place, updated continuously, so your team can prioritize outreach, engage with confidence, and convert at the right moment.
Book a demo of Dakota Marketplace to source key executives and CEOs!
