We invest in firms that have an expertise in providing business services to electric and
gas utilities and/or government agencies. We are interested in companies that have:
- High visibility to recurring contracted revenue
- End customers that have contracting initiatives that support Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certifications
- Deep customer relationships where the company is considered a valued partner
- Potential for an add-on acquisition strategy
Our Investment Criteria
We utilize the following criteria to guide our investment decisions:
- Partner with proven founders/owners/management teams willing to reinvest meaningful money/rollover equity
- $5 to $25 million in EBITDA; add-ons as low as $1.0 million
- Capital expenditures (capex) less than 20% of EBITDA
- Willing to invest in customer concentrated businesses
- Business may benefit from IMB Partners’ Minority Business Enterprise (“MBE”) Certification and MBE Sales Advantage™
Transaction Types
We are flexible and accommodate a range of capital structures (control and non-control acquisitions). Our transaction experience includes:
- Two-Step Buyout™ of closely-held or family-owned companies
- Management buyouts, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations and leveraged build-ups
- Corporate divestitures, joint ventures and de-novo large-scale startups in partnership with large corporations
A unique approach to growth with a
“second bite of the apple”
IMB Partners adds value by growing and building companies. We can accelerate the organic growth of our partner companies through our distinct value-added tool kit. Additionally, our flexible Two-Step BuyoutTM transaction structure generates a significant return to our partner company founders/owners/management teams through a “second bite at the apple.”
Value-Added Tool Kit
IMB Partners offers a variety of tools that our partner companies can access, at their discretion, to enhance company operations, improve workforce opportunities, and grow the business:
- Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS): a set of simple concepts and practical tools that help your leadership team align on vision, gain traction and accountability for execution and provides consistency in measuring the health of the team
- Diversity is an asset: capability to certify companies with national, regional, state and/or local minority certifications; leverage of IMB Partners’ deep network of relationships to grow sales
- Add-on acquisition and capital fundraising strategies: grow beyond organic growth with a developed acquisition strategy that identifies target companies, structures deals, secures financing, and creates post-close growth strategies
- Succession planning: create a path to exit your business operationally and financially with a timeline that works for you; assistance in building your team so you can step away confidently
- Back office services: take the burden of financial and administrative functions off your plate in an efficient and cost-effective manner
- Diversity and inclusion, social impact and community initiatives: support for developing and executing diversity and inclusion
Two-Step BuyoutTM
The structure of our Two-Step Buyout™ provides a flexible long-term hold period for business owners seeking:
- A meaningful upfront cash payment for their business via a buyout
- The opportunity to “rollover” and retain a continued ownership position
- The ability to remain involved in the management and growth of the business (in the same role or a more strategic role)
- The ability to financially benefit from the value created in a second sale or recapitalization of the business in 3-5 years (second bite at the apple)
Our current partner companies have generated over$100 million in incremental sales since
minority certification with IMB.