Lower middle market private equity firm
Clarion Capital Partners
- HeadquartersNew York, NY S2
- Founded1999 S2
- Websiteclarion-capital.com
- Last verifiedOctober 28, 2026
At a glance
| Assets under management | $1.9B (as of Jun 2026) S2 |
|---|---|
| Latest fund | Clarion Investors IV, $677M (Apr 2024) S5 |
| EBITDA range | $7.5M to $30M S3 |
| Check size | $20M to $100M S3 |
| Deal types | Platform, Growth S4 |
| Sectors | Education, Consumer & Food, Accounting & Professional Services, Software & SaaS |
What Clarion Capital Partners buys
Clarion Capital Partners is a New York investment manager whose private equity arm, started in 1999, buys majority stakes in and makes growth investments in lower middle market companies with $7.5 million to $30 million of EBITDA. It usually puts in $20 million to $100 million of equity up front, with room to add more later, and it is often a company's first institutional investor. Its focus areas are media, entertainment and technology; financial technology and services; business and healthcare services; consumer and education services; and industrial services. It also runs a separate CLO credit business.
Clarion closed its fourth fund, Clarion Investors IV, at $677 million in April 2024 and reported $1.89 billion of firmwide regulatory assets in mid-2026. Its newest platforms are the Arthur Murray dance studio franchise, Marketplace Events and International Cybernetics, a road testing firm that Clarion plans to grow by acquisition into a larger testing and inspection group. A company below the $7.5 million EBITDA floor is more likely to meet Clarion as an add-on to one of those platforms.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before October 28, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2025 | International CyberneticsPavement condition survey and structural testing firm for state and local governments, the base of a new infrastructure testing and inspection platform | Platform | Source | |
| Jan 2025 | Marketplace EventsLargest North American organizer of consumer home, garden, holiday and outdoor shows, bought through Fund IV | Platform | Source | |
| Dec 2024 | Arthur Murray InternationalDance studio franchisor with about 300 studios, bought with longtime brand ambassador Gary Edwards, who became CEO | Platform | Education | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S6.
Business & Healthcare Services
- Harris & Harris Current
Consumer & Education Services
- Arthur Murray Current
- Eco Style Current
- Perigon Learning Current
Financial Technology & Services
- Credit Associates Current
- OpenRoad Lending Current
- Ready Credit Current
Industrial Services
- International Cybernetics Current
Media, Entertainment & Technology
- Ad.net Current
- Marketplace Events Current
- Narrative Strategies Current
- Premiere Digital Current
- V10 Entertainment Current
Greymont’s take
How Clarion Capital Partners fits a seller
Clarion suits founders of established companies with at least $7.5 million of EBITDA who have never taken outside capital and want help professionalizing the business. Its recent deals pair the purchase with a trusted operator. At Arthur Murray, a longtime brand ambassador took over as CEO from the owner of 60 years. At International Cybernetics, the sitting CEO stayed on while a former SGS and Intertek executive was brought in to lead a wider acquisition plan. Clarion has been named to Inc.'s Founder-Friendly Investors list three years running, and its team commits 10 to 15 percent of each fund, so it tends to value fewer, bigger bets over deal volume. An owner should ask whether Clarion sees the business as a platform for add-ons, and what role the founder and current managers will play after closing.
Questions owners ask
What size company does Clarion Capital Partners look for?
Its private equity team targets lower middle market companies with $7.5 million to $30 million of EBITDA and expects to invest $20 million to $100 million of equity at first, with room for follow-on capital.
Is Clarion usually a company's first outside investor?
Often, yes. Clarion says it is typically the first institutional capital in its deals, and it builds a growth plan with the leadership team to professionalize the business.
What has Clarion bought recently?
Its three newest platforms, all from its fourth fund, are Arthur Murray International in December 2024, Marketplace Events in January 2025 and International Cybernetics in June 2025.
Sources
- S1Clarion Capital Partners home page Accessed October 28, 2026
- S2Clarion Capital Partners: About Accessed October 28, 2026
- S3Clarion Capital Partners: Private Equity overview and investment criteria Accessed October 28, 2026
- S4Clarion Capital Partners: Private Equity approach Accessed October 28, 2026
- S5Clarion Capital Partners Closes Oversubscribed $677 million Fourth Fund (April 3, 2024) Accessed October 28, 2026
- S6Clarion Capital Partners: Portfolio (with each company page for sector, status and fund) Accessed October 28, 2026
- S7Clarion Launches New Infrastructure Testing Platform Through Investment in International Cybernetics (June 12, 2025) Accessed October 28, 2026
- S8Clarion Capital Partners Acquires Marketplace Events (January 8, 2025) Accessed October 28, 2026
- S9Clarion Capital Partners Acquires Arthur Murray International (December 10, 2024) Accessed October 28, 2026
- S10Clarion Named to Inc.'s 2026 Founder-Friendly Investors List (October 27, 2026) Accessed October 28, 2026
- S11Clarion Capital Partners: News + Media Accessed October 28, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Clarion Capital Partners. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction