SMB Investor Platforms & Capital Networks

SMBInvestorNetwork.com
Website: SMBInvestorNetwork.com
Contact: Sean Smith — LinkedIn • [email protected]
About: “AngelList for SMB buyers.” Matches qualified buyers with accredited investors interested in small-business acquisitions.
Notes: SMB Investor Network is a U.S.-based co-syndication and deal-platform for accredited investors seeking private-market SMB acquisitions. Their model allows investors to participate with minimum checks of around $10,000, joining a network of 500+ accredited investors in vetted, profitable small-business investment opportunities

SMBInvest.com
Run by: John DeYonker for Sam Rosati (SMB Law / Pursuant Capital)
About: Micro-PE investor syndicate that raises equity for SMB acquisitions.
Notes: SMB Invest is a U.S. / Canada-facing deal-marketplace that connects accredited investors with acquisition entrepreneurs and independent sponsors who are buying established, cash-flowing small- and medium-sized businesses (rather than startups). It focuses on predictable, “boring” business models, helping sponsors raise the equity portion of deals while giving investors access to vetted acquisition opportunities.Have your LOI, CIM, and lender structure ready — they move fast on verified financials.

FollaCapital.com
Contact: John Panaccione (Army Veteran) — [email protected]
About: Veteran-owned capital platform raising equity through Reg CF + Reg D offerings.
Notes: Strong fit for veteran buyers or mission-driven SMBs. Folla Capital is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and investment platform that helps U.S. small businesses raise capital through crowdfunding exemptions like Reg CF, Reg D and Reg A. It doesn’t strictly define typical EBITDA or acquisition-size criteria, as its focus is more broadly on underserved small business equity raises rather than traditional buy-side acquisitions. 

SMBJunction.com
Run by: Ben Tiggelaar — LinkedIn
About: Private group of accredited SMB and micro-PE investors sharing deal flow.
Notes: MB Junction is a U.S.-based capital-connector platform that links SMB buyers, independent sponsors and entrepreneurs with accredited investors. Their network consists of 550+ accredited investors with $400 M+ of available capital. They focus on deal sizes where check sizes run $100K–$5M each, and typical enterprise values of target businesses range from $1M to $50M.Smaller checks ($50K–$250K) but very fast yes/no decisions. Relationship-driven.

MindsCapital.co
Run by: Max Lummis & Will Smith (Acquiring Minds)
About: Investor community backing first-time SMB acquirers.
Notes: Minds Capital backs independent sponsors and searchers by investing $1-3 million per platform in U.S. lower-middle-market companies that typically have $1 million+ adjusted EBITDA, stable profits, predictable revenue streams, low vendor/customer concentration and minimal tail-risk industries. Warm introductions work best — they invest in the operator as much as the business.

FruitionCapital.com
Contact: Jason Ehrlich — [email protected] • LinkedIn
About: Operator-first investor group funding acquisitions requiring process improvement or scale-up leadership.
Notes: Fruition Capital partners with acquisition-entrepreneurs to buy stable, “old-economy” B2B and manufacturing/distribution companies (U.S.-based) that are typically first-time business owners. They focus on businesses with roughly $1 M+ EBITDA (with a sweet spot closer to ~$2 M) and a solid operating history.  While they provide capital, they also bring board-level support and mentorship to the entrepreneur.

SlackWaterCap.com
Run by: Ben Bortner — active on X (Twitter)
About: Private investment partnership focused on SMB and micro-PE deals.
Notes: Slack Water Capital is a U.S.-based private equity firm focused on partnering with entrepreneurs to buy and build service-oriented businesses. They look for companies with EBITDA typically between $1 M and $10 M, strong fundamentals (recurring revenue, low key-person risk, diversified customers), and stable industries like home/property services, skilled trades, and value-added distribution. 

MainStreetCapitalNetwork.com
Website: MainStreetCapitalNetwork.com
About: Investor network interested in roll-ups and consolidation strategies.
Notes: Main Street Capital Network is a lower-middle-market investor syndicate connecting searchers and independent sponsors with 200+ funds, family offices, and operators. They typically back acquisitions of U.S./Canada businesses with $750K–$10M EBITDA, stable growth, long operating history, and low customer concentration. The platform gives buyers a single place to present deals and raise equity for co-investments, with members capable of writing checks into “tens of millions” for the right opportunities.

EntrepreneurialCapital.com
Contact: Peter VaselKiv — LinkedIn
About: Independent investor backing experienced operators and repeat acquirers.
Notes: Entrepreneurial Capital backs self-funded searchers and acquisition entrepreneurs seeking to buy stable, cash-flowing small businesses. They typically invest $300K–$2M in companies that have $750K+ earnings and are purchased at under 5× EBITDA multiples, with low customer concentration, low cap-ex, and low cyclicality.   For investors, they target businesses acquired in the 3-5× multiple range and aim for a 24%+ net IRR, with a preferred return of 8-12%. Wants to see a clear post-close leadership + incentives plan.

Legate Partners
Website: legatelp.com
Contacts: William Gallagher & Rob Cherun
About: Long-tenured search-fund investor group backing acquisition entrepreneurs with capital, advisory support, and board-level operating experience.
Notes: Legate Partners backs high-caliber search fund entrepreneurs tackling lower-middle-market companies, focusing on firms with long histories of stable cash flows and recurring revenue in non-high-tech industries.  They emphasize strong talent (grit + track record), conservative capital structures, and “supportive capital” — meaning they roll up their sleeves and provide operational and strategic support beyond just funding.  The deal size and exact EBITDA targets aren’t explicitly stated publicly, but their model is very much aligned with search-fund style acquisitions (typically businesses with a few million dollars of revenue/EBITDA).Best for serious operators (not “deal tourists”). Prefers recurring revenue, stable cash flow businesses, and conservative capital structures.

CapitalPad.com
Contact: Travis Jamison or Max Harrison - Linkedin
About: Deal-funding platform helping SMB buyers raise equity quickly from a large investor pool.
Notes: CapitalPad is a U.S. platform that connects accredited investors with acquisition entrepreneurs raising equity for small-business buyouts. They typically support deals with $750K+ EBITDA for self-funded searchers and $2M+ EBITDA for independent sponsors, with investors able to participate via SPVs starting around $25K per check. CapitalPad focuses on established, profitable, “boring” businesses and helps operators raise the equity portion of an acquisition without upfront fees.Great for first-time acquirers who need simplified capital-stack execution and broader reach.

Shareholder Ventures (SMB Fund)
Website: smb.fund
Contact: Jordan Fliegel & Tim Hanson
About: Micro-PE fund backing acquisition entrepreneurs with capital and community resources.
Notes: Invests $250K–$750K per deal in U.S. SMB buyouts ($3M–$12M revenue) using SBA 7(a) loans, focusing on stable, boomer-owned businesses in essential services. Network of 100+ co-investors (family offices, HNWIs) for syndication; provides mentorship and policy advocacy via the Council for Acquisition Entrepreneurs (CAE). Prefers recurring revenue models with low capex; targets 25%+ IRRs through organic growth and add-ons. Great for searchers seeking aligned, hands-on partners.

Endurance Search Partners
Website: endurancesearchpartners.com
Contact: Team via site inquiry — LinkedIn
About: Search fund accelerator providing capital, mentorship, and networks for ETA deals.
Notes: Backs 250+ partnerships with $500K–$2.5M equity per platform in U.S. lower-middle-market companies ($1M+ EBITDA, $5M–$15M revenue). Emphasizes innovation in "old-economy" sectors like B2B services; includes in-house marketing/tech support and service provider intros. Syndicates with accredited investors for diversified exposure; conservative structures with 8–12% preferred returns. Best for gritty operators with track records—warm referrals accelerate decisions.

Bardo Capital
Website: bardocapital.com (or via Smash.vc listings)
Contact: Ben Tiggelaar — LinkedIn • [email protected]
About: Investment firm funding independent sponsors in SBA-eligible SMB buyouts.
Notes: U.S./Canada syndicate writing $100K–$1M checks for deals supplementing SBA loans, targeting $750K+ EBITDA businesses in durable sectors (e.g., trades, logistics). Led by ex-operator; focuses on post-LOI execution with verified financials. Co-invests with 200+ HNWIs; fast yes/no on aligned opportunities. Emphasizes low-risk profiles with recurring revenue—strong for searchers needing equity gap fills without dilution.

➕ ETA IQ
Website: ETAIQ.com
About: Structured platform providing data, benchmarks, and acquisition intelligence for searchers and operators.
Notes: Useful for market mapping, underwriting confidence, and investor readiness.

🧾 Bonus — Standardized Deal Terms
ETA PACT — ETAPact.com
About: Lawyer-vetted investment agreement template — basically the SAFE note for SMB acquisitions.
Notes: Use to structure investor equity in parallel with SBA or senior debt.

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