Middle market private equity firm
Brightstar Capital Partners
- HeadquartersNew York, NY S1
- Founded2015 S1
- Websitebrightstarcp.com
- Last verifiedOctober 20, 2026
At a glance
| Assets under management | $5B (as of Oct 2026) S1 |
|---|---|
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S2 |
| Sectors | Accounting & Professional Services, Industrial & Manufacturing, Healthcare Services, Consumer & Food, Roofing, Education, Auto Services & Collision, IT Services & MSP |
What Brightstar Capital Partners buys
Brightstar Capital Partners is a New York private equity firm, started in 2015, with a second office in West Palm Beach. It takes control positions in middle market companies, and its website shows about $5 billion of assets under management and more than 90 completed transactions. Business services and industrials are its two core verticals, and recent releases add technology, media and telecom and financial services. It wants strong free cash flow, steady demand, high barriers to entry, and established companies it thinks have been short of capital. Most platforms then grow through add-ons.
In late 2024 Brightstar hired partner Charles Yoon to run a new lower middle market strategy for founder, family and entrepreneur-led companies. Its first two deals there were Bendon in April 2026 and Simon Eye in May 2026, and in both the leaders kept a meaningful stake. The firm publishes no revenue, EBITDA or check-size range. A smaller company is most likely to meet Brightstar through that strategy or as an add-on to a holding such as W.W. Williams, Stratus or Bendon.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before October 20, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | Hinkler North AmericaNorth American arm of Hinkler, with brands such as Kaleidoscope and Craft Maker, added to Bendon | Add-on | Consumer & Food | Source |
| Jul 2026 | School Zone PublishingFamily-owned publisher of K-6 learning products added to Bendon | Add-on | Consumer & Food | Source |
| Jul 2026 | BrightTree StudiosPennsylvania audiovisual, IT and security design consultancy added to the architecture and design platform | Add-on | Accounting & Professional Services | Source |
| Jul 2026 | Dealers Auto Auction of the RockiesFirst Colorado location for America's Auto Auction | Add-on | Source | |
| Jun 2026 | ErdmanMadison, Wisconsin designer of hospitals and senior living, joined KZF Design in the architecture and design platform | Add-on | Accounting & Professional Services | Source |
| May 2026 | Simon EyeMid-Atlantic eye care group from the lower middle market strategy; the CEO and managers keep a meaningful stake | Platform | Healthcare Services | Source |
| Apr 2026 | BendonFirst lower middle market deal; the founder stays as CEO and keeps a meaningful stake | Platform | Consumer & Food | Source |
| Apr 2026 | G3 Vehicle AuctionsUK vehicle auction company, America's Auto Auction's first sites outside the US | Add-on | Source | |
| Mar 2026 | Valley Power SystemsCalifornia engine, transmission and power generation distributor and service provider added to W.W. Williams | Add-on | Distribution | Source |
| Mar 2026 | Dealers Auto Auction of the SouthwestPhoenix auction with its own mechanical and detailing shops, now America's Auto Auction Phoenix | Add-on | Source | |
| Mar 2026 | Plaza Auto AuctionFamily-founded Iowa dealer auction bought by America's Auto Auction | Add-on | Source | |
| Feb 2026 | Albany Auto AuctionOwner-run Georgia auction folded into America's Auto Auction Albany | Add-on | Source | |
| Jan 2026 | AlumaAluminum trailer maker added to Novae | Add-on | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Sep 2025 | Mid-State Auto AuctionMinnesota auction added to America's Auto Auction | Add-on | Source | |
| Aug 2025 | Analyte HealthHouston direct-to-consumer testing and treatment company; the founder stays as CEO with a significant stake | Platform | Healthcare Services | Source |
| Jul 2025 | Arden UniversityAgreement to buy a 50% stake in the UK online and blended learning university | Investment | Education | Source |
| Jun 2025 | PlayAGSTake-private of the casino gaming supplier, valued at about $1.1 billion, completed | Platform | Source | |
| Jun 2025 | KZF DesignCincinnati architecture, engineering and design firm that became the base of the architecture and design platform | Platform | Accounting & Professional Services | Source |
| Jun 2025 | Kilian EngineeringRaleigh mechanical, electrical and plumbing design firm added to Stratus | Add-on | Accounting & Professional Services | Source |
| Feb 2025 | Engineering Strategies (ESI)Georgia water and wastewater engineering firm added to Stratus | Add-on | Accounting & Professional Services | Source |
| Jan 2025 | W.W. WilliamsCommercial truck, engine and power generation parts and repair provider bought from One Equity Partners; senior managers keep a stake | Platform | Auto Services & Collision | Source |
| Jan 2025 | Amerit Fleet SolutionsMajority stake in the fleet maintenance company sold to New Mountain Capital; Brightstar reinvested | Exit | Auto Services & Collision | Source |
| Oct 2024 | LikewizeFurther stake sold as Genstar Capital became majority owner; Brightstar stays a minority investor | Exit | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S4.
Business Services
- America's Group (America's Auto Auction) Current
- Best Choice Roofing Current
- KZF Design Current
- Simon Eye Current
- Stratus Current
- Texas Water Supply Current
Industrials
- BrightCell Logistics Current
- Douglas Products Current
- Novae Current
- W.W. Williams Current
- WindsorONE Current
Technology, Media & Telecom
- AGS Current
- Analyte Health Current
- Arden University Current
- Astrion Current
- Bendon Current
- REMarkets Current
Past investments: Amerit Fleet Solutions, Capstone Nutrition, InfraServ, Likewize, Qualtek
Greymont’s take
How Brightstar Capital Partners fits a seller
Brightstar suits owners of family or founder-run companies who want a control buyer that will fund acquisitions and who are willing to keep some equity. In its 2026 lower middle market deals, Bendon's founder stayed on as CEO and Simon Eye's CEO and managers kept meaningful stakes, with an experienced industry executive brought in alongside the Simon Eye team. Owners whose business fits an existing platform, such as wholesale auto auctions, truck and engine service, or architecture and engineering, are more likely to sell as an add-on, which usually means joining a larger company led by someone else.
The firm puts heavy weight on operating changes and on applying AI, so an owner should ask which specific changes Brightstar plans for the first year and who will carry them out. It has sold majority stakes while keeping a minority, as with Amerit and Likewize, so it is also worth asking how and when it expects to exit.
Questions owners ask
Does Brightstar buy smaller, founder-owned companies?
Yes, through the lower middle market strategy it launched in November 2024 under partner Charles Yoon. The first two deals were Bendon, a maker of children's coloring and activity products, in April 2026, and Simon Eye, a Mid-Atlantic eye care group, in May 2026.
Does the owner keep a stake after Brightstar invests?
Often, yes. Bendon's founder remained CEO and kept a meaningful stake with his team, Analyte Health's founder stayed on as CEO with a significant stake, and W.W. Williams' senior managers kept an ownership stake when Brightstar bought it.
Does Brightstar make add-on acquisitions?
Yes, often. America's Auto Auction alone announced several auction purchases in 2025 and 2026, and Bendon, Novae, W.W. Williams and Stratus have each bought companies since Brightstar invested. In 2026 it also added Erdman and BrightTree Studios to its architecture and design platform.
Sources
- S1Brightstar Capital Partners home page Accessed October 20, 2026
- S2About Brightstar Accessed October 20, 2026
- S3Brightstar: Approach Accessed October 20, 2026
- S4Brightstar: Portfolio Accessed October 20, 2026
- S5Brightstar: News Accessed October 20, 2026
- S6Brightstar Hires Charles Yoon to Lead Lower Middle Market Strategy (November 25, 2024) Accessed October 20, 2026
- S7Brightstar Capital Partners Invests in Bendon (April 22, 2026) Accessed October 20, 2026
- S8Brightstar Capital Partners Invests in Simon Eye (May 7, 2026) Accessed October 20, 2026
- S9Brightstar Capital Partners Acquires WW Williams (January 30, 2025) Accessed October 20, 2026
- S10Brightstar Capital Partners Closes Fund II at $1.27 Billion Hard Cap (April 15, 2021) Accessed October 20, 2026
- S11Introducing Astrion, a Transformative Evolution of Oasis Systems and ERC (December 5, 2023) Accessed October 20, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Brightstar Capital Partners. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction