Acquisition History / Search Funds / 2014
Search Fund Acquisitions in 2014
7 publicly known companies acquired by search funds in 2014.
- 1BNIacquired by Pioneer Equity Partners · Business Services · United StatesThis was a leadership-plus-growth-investment deal rather than a classic search-fund purchase. In December 2014 Business Network International (BNI), the franchised business referral organization founded by Dr. Ivan Misner in 1985, brought in Graham Weihmiller as CEO alongside a growth investment from Pioneer Equity Partners. Weihmiller had earlier bought homecare franchisor Griswold Home Care thro
- 2Caravel Autism Healthacquired by Wolf Point Growth (per ESP Partners page; not confirmed elsewhere) · Healthcare Providers · United StatesESP backed Caravel Autism Health in 2014, and its Partners page lists Mike Miller, a Kellogg graduate, as exited CEO through a vehicle called Wolf Point Growth. I could not find any public account of how that original acquisition was done: seller, sourcing, price and financing are not disclosed in the sources I found. What trade press does show is the later path. Caravel became a Green Bay, Wiscon
- 3Design Communications (DCI)acquired by Light Beam Capital / Manifestations Capital (per ESP partner listing); Zreik says he founded a search fund in 2012 · Information Technology · United StatesCharbel Zreik, a Wharton-trained searcher, founded a search fund in 2012 and bought Design Communications (DCI), a hospitality-focused telecom and data provider that installs hotel phone and network systems. In a 2021 interview he described growing the sales team from 2-3 to 17, adding Wi-Fi to the telephony offer, courting national hotel brands and granting equity to employees. DCI bought EthoStr
- 4Neuro Internationalacquired by Ironclad Capital · Healthcare Providers · United StatesCompany provides neurobehavioral supported living and assisted living programs for persons with head injury / traumatic brain injury (ABI / TBI), as well as spinal cord injury.
- 5PEC Safetyacquired by Eagle Ridge Growth Partners · Software · United StatesProvider of integrated training solutions that enable organizations to more efficiently manage training associated with safety compliance programs.
- 6Repliacquired by Ariol Capital · Plastic packaging · SpainManufacturer/distributor of plastic containers for pharma, food and cosmetics, La Roca del Vallès (Barcelona) Backed by Cabiedes Capital, Relay Investments, TTCER Partners. Source: https://rollupeurope.com/p/buscar-como-boss-ariol-the-deal-that-ignited-spain-s-search-fund-hype
- 7Windley Ely Professional Corporationacquired by CPS Management Partners · Business Services · United StatesCanadian claims management services firm focused on workers compensation, absence management, and occupational health and safety.