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Carousel Capital

North America, North Carolina, United States, Charlotte

Description

Carousel Capital is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based private investment firm with a distinct focus on middle-market companies located in the Southeastern United States. Established in 1996, the firm primarily targets businesses within the business services, consumer, and healthcare sectors. Their investment strategy centers on partnering with management teams to drive growth, often through operational improvements, strategic acquisitions, and market expansion initiatives. They are known for their long-term perspective and commitment to fostering sustainable value creation within their portfolio companies.

The firm's investment criteria typically involve companies with enterprise values ranging from $50 million to $500 million. Carousel Capital is structured to provide significant equity capital, with typical first cheques falling between $25 million and $100 million per transaction. This substantial investment capacity allows them to support a wide range of growth initiatives, including recapitalizations, management buyouts, and growth equity investments. Their regional focus provides them with deep market insights and strong networks within the Southeastern U.S. business community.

Since its inception, Carousel Capital has built a substantial track record, having invested in a total of 49 companies across various industries. This extensive experience underscores their expertise in identifying and scaling businesses in their target region and sectors. Furthermore, the firm has successfully raised five funds, accumulating approximately $1.2 billion in committed capital, demonstrating strong investor confidence and a robust financial foundation for future investments. Their disciplined approach and regional specialization position them as a key player in the private equity landscape of the Southeastern United States.

Investor Profile

Carousel Capital has backed more than 30 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 3 rounds, about 10% of its total and boasts 11 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Private Equity, Series Unknown rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States.
  • Strong thematic focus on Automotive, Health Care, Manufacturing.
  • Typical check size: $25M – $100M.

Stage Focus

  • Private Equity (97%)
  • Series Unknown (3%)

Country Focus

  • United States (100%)

Industry Focus

  • Automotive
  • Health Care
  • Manufacturing
  • Finance
  • Insurance
  • Logistics
  • Professional Services
  • Real Estate
  • Legal
  • Accounting
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Carousel Capital frequently co-invest with?

M/C Partners
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Boston
Co-Investments: 1
Chase Capital Partners
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 1
First Union Corporation
North America, North Carolina, United States, Charlotte
Co-Investments: 1
Morgan Stanley Dean Witter
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 1
Providence Equity Partners
North America, Rhode Island, United States, Providence
Co-Investments: 1
HarbourVest Partners
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Boston
Co-Investments: 1
Nautic Partners
North America, Rhode Island, United States, Providence
Co-Investments: 1
J.H. Whitney & Co
North America, Connecticut, United States, New Canaan
Co-Investments: 1
Spectrum Equity
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 1
Bank of America
North America, North Carolina, United States, Charlotte
Co-Investments: 1

What are some of recent deals done by Carousel Capital?

O.R. Colan

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

O.R. Colan is a real estate agency based in the state of North Carolina.

Real Estate
Private EquityMar 7, 2024
Reliance Partners

Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States

Reliance Partners operates as a trucking and commercial insurance agency.

AutomotiveCommercial InsuranceInsuranceLogisticsProfessional Services
Private EquityAug 29, 2022
Transflo

Tampa, Florida, United States

Transflo develops mobile, telematics, and business process automation solutions for the transportation industry.

Business Process Automation (BPA)Cloud Data ServicesFleet ManagementProductivity ToolsReal TimeShippingSoftware
Private EquityDec 14, 2021
Legacy Data Access

Marietta, Georgia, United States

A singular focus on the healthcare industry.

Health CareInformation TechnologyMedicalProfessional ServicesService Industry
Private EquityJul 20, 2021
Landscape Workshop

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Bucks County Playhouse is an entertainment company that organizes Broadway plays.

Environmental Consulting
Private EquitySep 22, 2020
APEX Analytix

Greensboro, North Carolina, United States

APEX Analytix helps companies audit, recover and optimize working capital across the global financial supply chain.

AccountingFinance
Private EquityAug 18, 2020
Ethos Risk Services

St. Petersburg, Florida, United States

Ethos Risk Services is an investigative and risk mitigation company.

Cyber SecurityInformation TechnologySecurity
Private EquityJan 1, 2020
Armstrong Transport Group

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Armstrong Transport Group is a transportation company that offers logistics, consultancy, and transportation services.

ConsultingLegalTourism
Private EquityJun 18, 2019
Palmetto Infusion Services

Pawleys Island, South Carolina, United States

Palmetto Infusion provides ambulatory and home-based infusion services for both acute and chronically ill patients.

Health Care
Private EquityApr 16, 2019
Huseby

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Huseby is a global leader in court reporting, trial support services.

Legal
Private EquityJun 4, 2018