Investment criteria

What we look for in a portfolio investment.

A North 41° investment checks at least five of the Core Three boxes — and meets a tight, fundamentals-first bar on revenue, retention and management alignment.

01

Five+ Core Three checks

AI beneficiary sector, resilient business, resilient assets — at least five attributes stacked.

02

PE-owned 18+ months

Past initial management transition with core reporting and infrastructure already in place.

03

15%+ growth potential

High conviction we can accelerate sales, marketing and product engines from day one.

04

Cash flow positive

Breakeven or positive after debt service. Not bleeding cash to lenders. Clean foundation to compound on.

05

Recurring revenue base

Stable customer base with proven retention. Sticky revenue that survives macro and AI shifts.

06

North American focus

Majority of revenue and team in North America — geographically aligned with our operating capacity.

07

Aligned management

Solid team that wants to win, willingness to partner, and alignment on the go-forward direction.

08

Pipeline & roadmap

Demonstrated investment in the future of the business — not just maintenance-mode operations.

09

Multiple value levers

Tech and data transformation, ops/finance efficiency, and a healthy, growing addressable market.

Approach

Disciplined, thesis-driven, opportunistic.

We don't chase sectors. We pursue specific business and asset attributes wherever we find them — and partner with strong management teams who bring the sector expertise.

— A fresh playbook for PE zombies

The opportunity in stuck portfolios.

Roughly two-thirds of PE investments are not winners and sit on existing books. Many sponsors are willing to take significant haircuts to exit them.

  • Identify companies that fit the Core Three thesis
  • Restructure debt with banks; free up cash flow for growth
  • Reinvigorate sales and marketing; align leadership for growth
  • Reinvest in innovation, capex, capsoft and technology
  • Refocus product and team toward sustainable expansion
+ Beyond the Core Three

Fundamentals still rule.

The Core Three is necessary but not sufficient. Every portfolio company also clears a tight, traditional bar.

  • Established business with strong customer base
  • Solid financials and dependable cash flows
  • Proven product or service pipeline
  • Multiple structural levers for growth
  • Management teams aligned on the long-term outcome
Next steps

If you're an LP, founder or operator — let's talk.

Specific fund terms and pipeline details are available to qualified investors on request.

Contact us Meet the team →