100% employee-owned ESOP holding company
Empowered Ventures
- HeadquartersCarmel, IN S6
- Founded2020 S6
- Websiteempowered.ventures
- Last verifiedNovember 3, 2026
At a glance
| EBITDA range | $2M to $7M S2 |
|---|---|
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S2 |
| Sectors | Industrial & Manufacturing, Distribution, HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical |
What Empowered Ventures buys
Empowered Ventures is a Carmel, Indiana holding company owned entirely by its employees through an ESOP. It started in 2020 as an offshoot of TVF, a fabric supplier that became employee-owned in 2010, and it now owns five companies. It buys closely held businesses as a succession plan for the owner, with no plan to ever sell them. New platforms should earn $2 million to $7 million of EBITDA with net margins of 10% or more, in manufacturing, distribution, business services, construction and trades, home services, or medical services and supply.
It is not a fund. It has no outside investors, pays mostly in cash from its own capital, and will consider creative structures. Employees join the ownership plan at no cost, and it wants key leaders who plan to keep running the business. A smaller company can fit as an add-on: it also looks for $500,000 to $2 million of EBITDA in precision machining, plastics, textiles, and construction and trades. Its last announced purchase was Whitney Brothers in January 2025.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before November 3, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | Whitney BrothersKeene, New Hampshire maker of wood furniture for early learning, founded 1904; the president stays and about 50 staff join the ESOP | Platform | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S3.
Distribution
- TVF
HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical
- Benoure Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning
Industrial & Manufacturing
- Firstar Precision Corp.
- Paramount Plastics
- Whitney Brothers
Greymont’s take
How Empowered Ventures fits a seller
Empowered Ventures suits an owner with a capable leader in place who cares what happens to staff after the sale. It wants key people who will keep running the business, says it leaves daily decisions to them, and moves employees into its ESOP at no cost. In its two latest deals, Benoure and Whitney Brothers, the sitting president stayed on.
The firm pays mostly in cash from its own capital, so a deal depends on that capital rather than on a fund. It has announced no purchase since January 2025. An owner should ask how much cash is ready for a new deal and whether any seller financing would be part of the price.
Questions owners ask
How long does a sale to Empowered Ventures take?
Its published process has three stages: 15 to 30 days of exploration, 30 to 60 days to reach a letter of intent, and 60 to 180 days of diligence and closing.
Is Empowered Ventures a private equity fund?
No. It says it is not a fund, has no outside investors and uses its own capital, mostly cash, to buy companies it plans to keep indefinitely.
What happens to employees after the sale?
They join the Empowered Ventures ESOP at no cost. That plan owns the holding company and all its operating companies, and account values follow the combined results of the group.
Will Empowered Ventures buy a smaller company?
Yes, as an add-on. It looks for businesses with $500,000 to $2 million of EBITDA that fit its existing platforms in precision machining, plastics, textiles, and construction and trades.
Sources
- S1Empowered Ventures home page Accessed November 3, 2026
- S2Empowered Ventures: Our Approach Accessed November 3, 2026
- S3Empowered Ventures: Our Companies Accessed November 3, 2026
- S4About Empowered Ventures Accessed November 3, 2026
- S5Empowered Ventures: How We're Different Accessed November 3, 2026
- S6EV Acquires Whitney Brothers (January 24, 2025) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S7EV Acquires Benoure Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning (April 2, 2024) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S8Five Years, Five Companies, Hundreds of Owners (October 15, 2025) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S10Fitting the Profile: Is EV a Good Fit for Your Business? (May 11, 2023) Accessed November 3, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Empowered Ventures. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction