Technology-focused private equity firm
Vector Capital
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, CA S6
- Founded1997 S2
- Websitevectorcapital.com
- Last verifiedOctober 22, 2026
At a glance
| Assets under management | $3.7B (as of Oct 2026) S2 |
|---|---|
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on, Minority, Growth S2 |
| Sectors | Software & SaaS, Cybersecurity |
What Vector Capital buys
Vector Capital is a San Francisco private equity firm that has invested only in technology since it spun out of the Ziff family's investment office in 1997. It says it manages more than $3.7 billion. On the equity side it takes public software companies private, carves businesses out of large corporations, buys founder-owned companies, and makes growth equity, minority and recapitalization investments. Recent targets are established software businesses it believes it can reshape, such as sales enablement software makers Bigtincan and Showpad, database company SingleStore and Corel's creativity software brands.
Vector does not publish revenue, EBITDA or equity check ranges for its buyouts. The one recent price it disclosed was about A$183 million for Bigtincan in 2025. An in-house value creation team works on product strategy, pricing, costs and supply chain after closing, and the firm combines related holdings, as it did when it merged Showpad with Bigtincan. A smaller software company is most likely to meet Vector as an add-on to one of those platforms.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before October 22, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | IPValue Management GroupSold the patent and IP monetization firm to Fortress Investment Group | Exit | Source | |
| Feb 2026 | CorelAgreed to buy Corel's creativity and productivity software brands, such as CorelDRAW and WinZip, while KKR kept Parallels | Platform | Software & SaaS | Source |
| Oct 2025 | ShowpadClosed the purchase of the revenue enablement software company and combined it with Bigtincan under the Showpad name, with a new CEO | Add-on | Software & SaaS | Source |
| Sep 2025 | SingleStoreAgreed to lead a growth buyout of the enterprise database company | Platform | Software & SaaS | Source |
| Apr 2025 | BigtincanCompleted the take-private of the ASX-listed sales enablement software company for about A$183 million | Platform | Software & SaaS | Source |
| Nov 2024 | AzireVPNPrivacy-focused VPN provider bought by Malwarebytes, where Vector holds a minority stake | Add-on | Cybersecurity | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S3.
Digital Media
- Mood Media
Healthcare and Fintech
- iVita Financial
Industrial Technology, Vertical Applications
- Vispero
Infrastructure
- Cambium Networks
- Riverbed
- SingleStore
- WatchGuard
Internet and Digital Media, Vertical Applications
- Corel
- Marigold
Security Software
- Kela
- Malwarebytes
Vertical Applications
- Bigtincan
- Cornerstone OnDemand
- Leap Event Technology
- McGraw Hill Education
- MoxiWorks
- Planful
- Showpad
Past investments: IPValue Management
Greymont’s take
How Vector Capital fits a seller
Vector fits owners of software or technology companies with a loyal customer base that need a new plan: a cost structure that needs work, or a product line that a parent company no longer wants to own. It is less suited to owners who want a hands-off growth partner, because Vector's model is built around changing how the business runs after closing. Leadership changes are common; when it closed on Showpad it named a new CEO the same day and folded in Bigtincan.
A smaller company would most often sell to one of Vector's platforms, as AzireVPN did with Malwarebytes in 2024. An owner should ask what the first year after closing would look like, including cost changes, management changes and any plan to merge the business with other holdings.
Questions owners ask
Does Vector Capital invest only in technology?
Yes. The firm says it has focused only on technology companies since its 1997 founding, and its current holdings include software, network security and wireless networking businesses such as WatchGuard, Riverbed and Cambium Networks.
What kinds of deals does Vector Capital do?
Its About page lists public and private company buyouts, corporate carve-outs, recapitalizations, growth equity, private investments in public companies and add-on acquisitions. Recent examples include the Bigtincan take-private, the SingleStore growth buyout and the Corel carve-out.
Does Vector Capital also lend to companies?
Yes, through a separate credit strategy that makes loans of $5 million to $50 million to technology companies, and can lead deals up to $150 million. This profile covers only its equity investing.
Sources
- S1Vector Capital home page Accessed October 22, 2026
- S2Vector Capital: About Accessed October 22, 2026
- S3Vector Capital: Investments Accessed October 22, 2026
- S4Vector Capital: News Accessed October 22, 2026
- S5Vector Capital: Credit Strategy Accessed October 22, 2026
- S6Vector Capital: Contact Us Accessed October 22, 2026
- S7Vector Capital: Showpad case study Accessed October 22, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Vector Capital. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction