Private investment firm investing its partners' own capital
Summit Avenue Partners
Formerly Solheim Investment Partners
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, MN S1
- Websitesummitavenuepartners.com
- Last verifiedNovember 3, 2026
At a glance
| EBITDA range | $2M to $25M S2 |
|---|---|
| Revenue range | $10M to $250M S2 |
| Check size | $5M to $50M S2 |
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S2 |
| Geography | Midwest US, United States S2 |
| Sectors | Industrial & Manufacturing, Distribution |
What Summit Avenue Partners buys
Summit Avenue Partners, formerly Solheim Investment Partners, is a Minneapolis firm run by two partners who invest their own money rather than an outside fund. That means no fixed date by which a company must be sold. It buys control of family-owned and founder-run businesses, mostly in the Midwest but anywhere in the continental US, often when the owner is ready to step back and leadership needs to change hands.
Its stated range is $10 million to $250 million of revenue and $2 million to $25 million of EBITDA, with $5 million to $50 million of equity per deal. It will look at any industry but knows industrial, infrastructure and consumer businesses best, especially manufacturers, distributors and service companies. Current holdings include a Minnesota cabinet and appliance distributor, a precast concrete maker, a railcar mover maker and a branded merchandise company. A smaller business can also join one of these, as Madison Cabinetry did when it became part of DDI in 2025.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before November 3, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | CalbrandtAsset purchase of the Delano, Minnesota railcar mover maker, made together with the company's president; the founder stays on as an advisor | Platform | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| February 2025 | Madison CabinetryWisconsin cabinet dealer added to DDI, extending it beyond Minnesota | Add-on | Distribution | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S3.
Distribution
- Diversified Distributors (DDI)
- MJ's Contract Appliance (combined with DDI)
- Madison Cabinetry (combined with DDI)
Industrial & Manufacturing
- Eull's Manufacturing
- American Event Services (AES)
- Canariis
- Calbrandt
Other
- Will Customized Products
Greymont’s take
How Summit Avenue Partners fits a seller
Summit Avenue fits a family or founder who wants to sell to a local, long-term owner instead of a fund that must resell in a few years. Because the partners invest their own capital, they say there is no set holding period. In the December 2025 Calbrandt sale, the seller's advisor said the family chose Summit Avenue for its longer hold and its Minnesota ties. The company president bought in alongside the firm, the founder stayed on as an advisor through 2026, and the rest of the team stayed.
With only two partners and no outside fund, the equity behind each deal comes from a small group. An owner should ask how the purchase will be financed, how much debt the company will carry, and what role the firm expects the current management team to play after closing.
Questions owners ask
What size company does Summit Avenue Partners buy?
Its stated criteria are $10 million to $250 million of revenue and $2 million to $25 million of EBITDA, with an equity investment of $5 million to $50 million per company.
How is Summit Avenue different from a typical private equity fund?
It invests the personal capital of its two partners instead of money from outside investors, so it says it has no fixed holding period and no pressure to sell a company by a set date.
Does Summit Avenue keep the existing team after it buys a company?
That is its stated approach and what happened at Calbrandt in December 2025. The president bought in alongside the firm, the founder stayed on as an advisor, and the other employees stayed.
Sources
- S1Summit Avenue Partners home page Accessed November 3, 2026
- S2Summit Avenue Partners: What We Look For Accessed November 3, 2026
- S3Summit Avenue Partners: Our Portfolio Accessed November 3, 2026
- S4Summit Avenue Partners: Our Partners Accessed November 3, 2026
- S5Lingate advises Calbrandt in sale to Summit Avenue Partners (December 15, 2025) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S6DDI: Proud to Expand! (March 7, 2025) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S7solheiminvestmentpartners.com (redirects to summitavenuepartners.com; solheimpartners.com does the same) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S8DDI: Solheim acquires MJ's Contract Appliances (August 1, 2022) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S9Summit Avenue Partners: Past Investments (partners' predecessor firm) 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 Summit Avenue Partners. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction