Our Approach
Our approach to working with companies is one of a collaborative, thoughtful, and supportive investment partner. We can either work closely alongside an existing owner(s) with a desire to remain involved and run the business going forward, or collaboratively determine the right leadership transition plan on a timeline that suits the situation and all parties’ objectives.
Koru brings a tremendous amount of experience working closely and thoughtfully with family businesses and founders to steward their companies through an ownership transition and growth acceleration that accomplishes a number of critical objectives including:
Liquidity for business owners
Customized transaction structure to accomplish business owner goals
Preservation of legacy and company culture
Active partner with operating knowhow
Value creation toolkit for business growth
Ownership opportunities for leadership team
We are highly experienced investors and operators within the markets Koru is focused.
Prior experience includes 20+ transactions in the lower middle market and P&L leadership of multiple industrial businesses.
Although we are not operators and rely on the leadership teams to run the business, having walked in your shoes a few times, we understand what it’s like, bring a set of resources to the table to accelerate growth and increase the value of the business, and can jump in with an extra set of hands wherever is needed.
We care about the teams and the people we work with, and we want employees within the Koru portfolio to go home to their families every day more fulfilled than they were the day before.
Why Koru Equity Partners
Focused Investment Strategy
+We only focus on the industrial & commercial sectors in which we have deep investing and operating experience and where we can significantly impact outcomes. We are disciplined in selecting the businesses and situations where we feel we are the best fit as a capital partner.
Small Business Investing and Operating Expertise
+We bring a strong track record and significant experience getting deals done and building companies in the lower middle market, having operated in this space for a long time as P&L operators and highly engaged investors. We understand small companies and what it requires to take them to the next level while nurturing the roots & legacy that have made them so successful.
We Focus on Building a Small Number of Great Businesses
+We are selective for a reason. By intentionally investing in just a few companies, we have more energy and resources to commit to working alongside our management team partners to build the business. We will be in the trenches together.
Energy & Entrepreneurial Spirit
+We are entrepreneurs at heart. We will do whatever it takes to make every partnership successful, including mopping the floors.
Long-Term Investing is in our DNA
+Thinking long-term has always been our approach and is how we're wired. Like reputations, great companies are built over time (and can be ruined quickly). Our investment and partnership approach is thoughtful and deliberate. Our capital is catered to each deal to support the growth plan as opposed to having pre-defined exit timelines based on fundraising cycles that commonly occur in "blind pool" funds.
Cautious Use of Debt as a Growth Tool (not a crutch)
+We do not over-lever companies. We focus on establishing the right capital structure to support the growth plan and eliminate distraction for the team.
We give a damn
+Simply put, we care about the teams and the people we work with. There is more to life than work, but the reality is most people spend at least half of their waking hours working. We want to partner with companies that enhance the lives of employees and build on that through Koru's operating philosophy.
