Leeds Equity is a New York-based private equity firm dedicated exclusively to partnering with management teams in the education, training and information and data management services industries (the “Knowledge Industries”).  The firm was founded in 1993 and has raised over $4.5 billion of capital since inception across a broad spectrum of companies within the Knowledge Industries. Leeds Equity seeks to leverage its sector-focused expertise and market insights to create long-term value for its partner companies and investors.

Why do prospects want to do business with the firm?

The Firm has long history of partnering with business owners and management teams that place significant value on an investment partner who deeply understands their market and business, has a multi-decade track record of building innovative companies within their sector, and has proven to be a great steward of a company’s brand, people and customers, in addition to being able to offer attractive overall investment terms.

The Firm’s past and current portfolio company executives are some of the Firm’s strongest advocates when providing references to management teams and potential portfolio companies and have helped source many new proprietary opportunities for the Firm. The Firm believes that being a preferred partner has frequently led to opportunities where the Firm has been able to acquire companies on a proprietary basis or without being the highest bidder in an auction.

Why do intermediaries present opportunities and want to conduct transactions with the firm?

While the vast majority of the Firm’s recent investments are sourced within the investment team’s proprietary networks, Leeds Equity is proud of the reputation it has established with intermediaries in the industry. The Firm has demonstrated a unique track record of investing in, supporting, and successfully exiting businesses within the Knowledge Industries, across many subsectors within education, training and information services. Given its unique sector expertise and its broad portfolio of companies, sector focused intermediaries are keen to engage with Leeds portfolio companies and the investment team on new opportunities and add-on acquisitions.

Leeds Equity has built a reputation of hard work, integrity, and honesty through its many engagements with intermediaries across its sector. The Firm believes that consistently proving that one will follow through on what it says it will do is a key aspect to its success with intermediaries and ultimately business owners.