Growth-oriented private equity firm
Winterbird Partners
- HeadquartersBoston, MA S1
- Websitewinterbirdpartners.com
- Last verifiedNovember 3, 2026
At a glance
| EBITDA range | Up to $10M S1 |
|---|---|
| Revenue range | $8M to $80M S1 |
| Check size | $20M to $60M S1 |
| Deal types | Growth, Minority, Platform S1 |
| Sectors | IT Services & MSP, Software & SaaS, Accounting & Professional Services |
What Winterbird Partners buys
Winterbird Partners is a Boston private equity firm that backs founder-owned B2B technology and services companies that are profitable and growing quickly. Its target areas are IT and managed services, digital engineering, tech-enabled services, data and information services, vertical software, business and professional services, energy and infrastructure services, and software or services for finance, marketing and sales leaders. It looks for revenue of roughly $8 million to $80 million or more, EBITDA from breakeven up to $10 million or more, and annual growth of 25 percent or better.
The firm puts in $20 million to $60 million or more of initial equity for a 40 to 75 percent stake, which can be control or a large minority. Founders usually keep a meaningful share and keep running the company, and Winterbird plans to hold for five years or more. Its first announced deal was a July 2026 growth investment in Emergent Software, a Minneapolis Microsoft partner. A company below about $8 million of revenue, or growing more slowly than 25 percent, falls outside its stated range.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before November 3, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | Emergent SoftwareGrowth equity investment in a founder-led Minneapolis Microsoft partner offering data, cloud, AI, application development and managed services | Growth | IT Services & MSP | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S2.
IT Services & MSP
- Emergent Software
Greymont’s take
How Winterbird Partners fits a seller
Winterbird fits the founder of a fast-growing IT services, software or specialized B2B services company who wants to take real money off the table but is not ready to sell outright. Its model is a partial sale: it buys 40 to 75 percent, the founder keeps a meaningful stake and stays in charge, and both sides aim for a larger sale down the road. The firm says it does not lean on debt or financial engineering and does not replace management with outside executives.
Winterbird appears to be new. Its site shows one investment, Emergent Software, so its own record as a partner is short. An owner should ask how much of the price is paid in cash at closing, who controls the board if Winterbird ends up with a minority stake, and to speak with founders the team has backed, which the firm says it is glad to arrange.
Questions owners ask
Does Winterbird Partners buy majority control?
It can. Winterbird takes 40 to 75 percent of a company, which may be a control stake or a large minority, so founders usually keep a meaningful share of the business.
What size company does Winterbird look for?
Its stated targets are revenue of about $8 million to $80 million or more, EBITDA from breakeven to $10 million or more, growth of at least 25 percent, and $20 million to $60 million or more of initial equity.
Does Winterbird invest in IT services and managed service providers?
Yes. IT services and managed services is one of its named target sectors, and its July 2026 investment, Emergent Software, is a Microsoft partner that sells cloud and data managed services.
Do founders stay after Winterbird invests?
The firm says it looks for founders and teams who want to keep building, and that founders typically keep meaningful equity and continue to lead the business after the investment.
Sources
- S1Winterbird Partners home page (investment criteria, target sectors, team, FAQ) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S2Winterbird Partners: Emergent Software portfolio page Accessed November 3, 2026
- S3Winterbird Partners news: Emergent Software Secures Growth Investment (July 21, 2026) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S4Emergent Software Secures Growth Investment from Winterbird Partners, ACCESS Newswire (July 21, 2026) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S5Emergent Software home page (managed services offering) 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 Winterbird Partners. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction