Panther Equity group
A TRUSTED PARTnER FOR FOUNDERS, COMPANIES & ENTREPRENEURS.
learn more
ABOUT PANTHER EQUITY GROUP
Nimble, intelligent and resourceful – Panthers are one of the few in the animal kingdom able to survive & hunt – in water, trees and land making them adaptable across diverse terrains.
At Panther Equity Group, we bring a similar minded approach to lower middle market private company investing.
Whether a company is navigating a generational shift, a complexity in an industry or business cycle, or realizing a high period of growth – we aim to collaborate with Founders and Company Management to provide the resources, capital and operational help for the terrain changes that follow.
Our investment philosophy allows us to be more than just a financial resource. In addition to providing liquidity to Founders, Owners & Companies, we bring a collaborative and operational culture to the companies we invest in. Panther Equity Group and our Operating Partners proudly help create meaningful value by focusing on:
- Operational Processes & Systems Refinement
- Services, Product & Geographic Expansion
- Middle Management, Leadership & C-Suite Support
- Strategic Technology & IT Implementation
- Sales, Business Development, Marketing & Channel Partnership Strategies
- Process Automation Utilization
- Thoughtful Add-on M&A Sourcing, Evaluation & Execution
about panther equity group
Nimble, intelligent and resourceful – Panthers are one of the few in the animal kingdom able to survive & hunt – in water, trees and land making them adaptable across diverse terrains.
At Panther Equity Group, we bring a similar minded approach to lower & middle market private company investing.
Whether a company is navigating a generational shift, a complexity in an industry or business cycle, or realizing a high period of growth – we aim to collaborate with Founders and Company Management to provide the resources, capital and relationships for the terrain changes that follow.
Our investment mandate allows us to be more than just a financial resource. In addition to providing liquidity to Founders and Owners, we bring a collaborative approach and an operational culture to the companies we select to invest in. Panther Equity Group helps build & create lasting equity value by focusing on:
Panther Equity Group invests in Companies providing ‘mission critical’ services, products and solutions in the market. We look to make majority or significant equity investments in established organizations while preserving their legacy.
While we remain agile, Panther Equity Group typically invests in line with the following:
Size & Geography
- EBITDA of $2 million – $12 million with at least 10% EBITDA margin
- U.S. or Canada headquarters
Target transaction
- Majority, significant minority or structured equity investment
- Founder(s) ready to Exit / Retire
- Recapitalization with Founder(s) liquidity event
- We find best alignment occurs where we can share additional value creation with Founders, Sellers and Management teams post transaction
Business Profile
- Founder or closely-held ownership
- Experienced management team
- Diverse customer base with stable or recurring revenue streams
- Minimum 3-5 years of operating history
IT & Tech-enabled services
- Digital Transformation, Software Development
- Managed IT Services, Gov-Con IT
- Cybersecurity Services & Solutions
- Cloud Services & Solutions
- Unified Communications & Networking
- VARs & IT Integrators
- ERP Implementation & Services
- Telecom, Fiber & Data
Business Services
- Business Process Outsourcing
- Administrative, Accounting, Technical & Training Services
- Professional Services
- Governance, Risk & Compliance
- Marketing & Agency Services
- Engineering Services
- Niche (e.g. Legal) Services
e-Commerce
- Branded Consumer Products
- Digitally Native & Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Brands
- Niche End-Market Marketplace
- Select Amazon / Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) Brands
IT & Tech-Enabled Services
- Digital Transformation, Software Development & Software Support
- Managed IT Services, IT Consulting & Gov-Con IT
- Healthcare IT Services, Support & Consulting
- Cybersecurity Services & Solutions
- Cloud Implementation, Services, Infrastructure & Solutions
- Unified Communications, Voice & Networking Services
- VAR, System Integrators & IT Solutions
- ERP Implementation & Services
- Telecom, Fiber & Data
- Niche IT / Tech-Enabled Services & related Software
Business services
- Business Process Outsourcing
- Administrative, Accounting, Technical & Training Services
- Professional Services
- Governance, Risk & Compliance Services
- Marketing & Agency Services
- Engineering Services
- Niche (e.g. Legal) Services
- Niche B2B Vertical Software
e-Commerce
- Branded Consumer Products
- Digitally Native & Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Brands
- Niche End-Market Marketplace
- Select Amazon / Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) Brands
Switchbox
- Status: Current
- Investment Date: 2023
- Industry: Digital IT Transformation, Software Development
- Headquarters: Ohio, USA
- Transaction Type: Recapitalization
- Add-On Criteria: Up to $4M in EBITDA, Majority or 100% Acquisition
We welcome meeting company Founders, experienced Operating Executives, reviewing investment proposals or referrals that are in line with our criteria. We are actively seeking investment opportunities and happy to compensate fees to intermediaries at market levels.
David Eshaghian
Managing partner
(310) 422-0340
David is the Founder of Panther Equity Group and a member of the Panther Investment Committee. He is primarily responsible for deal sourcing and qualification, transaction execution, firm strategy, portfolio management and investor relations.
Prior to Panther Equity Group, David was the CEO of a Managed IT Services Provider (MSP) which he acquired in 2017 through a Search Fund vehicle. In 2020 the MSP merged with a California based ISP / CLEC and is now operating as a comprehensive Technology Service Provider. Previously, David was an investment banker within Guggenheim Securities M&A practice focusing on strategic M&A advisory and providing public & private companies on various ways to improve growth or financial performance.
David is currently on the Board of Directors of Switchbox, Inc. and a non-profit focused on high-school systems in underserved communities (Youth Renewal Fund). David is a California native and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.
The values that move us
ETHICAL CREATIVE SIMPLICITY PERSISTENT
At Panther Equity Group, we are guided by four core values that embody how we interact with all of our stakeholders. These values drive how we treat others, how we make decisions and how we lead.
contact us
We would love to hear from you. Please reach out to connect!