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The Wire

Private equity deal news and insights from the New York newsroom

Jun 24, 2025

 

Unity Partners acquires CFO-focused Ampleo; FTI survey finds AI the top priority for PE leaders

Good morning dealmakers, it’s Obey Martin Manayiti with the US edition of the Wire from the New York newsroom.

 

First, we have an exclusive that Unity Partners has acquired Ampleo, a fractional finance, marketing and HR managed professional services business that primarily targets small- to medium-sized businesses. The growing demand for CFOs has made it harder for small businesses to have full time accountants that will spearhead their businesses. Below, Hannah Inclán, vice-president at Unity Partners details how Ampleo is making the accounting and finance ecosystem accessible to small businesses.

 

Next, we have some deal news this morning that Harvest Partners agreed to make a growth investment in Med-Metrix, a Parsippany, New Jersey-based provider of technology-enabled revenue cycle management services. I will also highlight our past coverage on the sector.

 

We will also look at the FTI Consulting’s 2025 Private Equity Value Creation Index survey that highlights priority points for PE investors. As PE firms navigate a more challenging path to returns, FTI Consulting asked more than 500 PE leaders across the world to assess 10 value creation levers across six key dimensions. More on that below.

 

Finally, the sweltering heat in most parts of the country puts a spotlight on PE backed HVAC investments. I will close with a few stories in the sector, including insights into why the HVAC business is booming for PE investors.

 

Balancing the books

PE Hub is the first to report thatUnity Partners has acquired Ampleo, aLehi, Utah-based provider of fractional finance, marketing and HR managed professional services business to small- to medium-sized businesses.

 

Upgrade to the premium version of the Wire to learn more about what Hannah Inclán, vice-president at Unity Partners told PE Hub about opportunities driving this deal.

 

Over the past year, PE Hub covered a slew of accounting related PE investments. You can read more from these five deals.

 

Tech-enabled revenue cycle management

Harvest Partners agreed to make a growth investment in Med-Metrix, a Parsippany, New Jersey-based provider of technology-enabled revenue cycle management services.

 

Premium Wire subscribers will learn more.

 

For more on the sector, PE Hub recently covered five deals focusing on revenue cycle management (RCM) systems. EQT, Arsenal Capital Partners and New Mountain Capital are among the PE firms backing healthcare revenue cycle management companies.

 

Survey says…

FTI Consulting today released the 2025 Private Equity Value Creation Index, which found that M&A ranked last among 10 value creation levers. Only 9 percent of the roughly 500 global PE leaders surveyed named M&A their top priority for 2025.

 

Upgrade to the premium version of the Wire to gain more insights from this report.

 

Cooling down

Finally, some regions are experiencing extreme heat in the US. This is the right time to have another look at PE investments in HVAC business. Earlier this week, Citation Capital acquired a majority stake in Gallo Mechanical, a New Orleans-based provider of HVAC and plumbing installation and services.

 

Late last year, PE Hub analyzed about 80 residential and commercial HVAC deals that we covered between 2022 and 2024 and learned that demographic shifts, warmer temperatures, an abundance of targets to implement roll-ups and supersized returns are among the factors attracting investors.

 

Premium Wire subscribers have access to more.

 

That’s it from me today. Craig McGlashan will bring you the Europe edition tomorrow, while Rafael Canton will write Wednesday’s US Wire.

 

Cheers,

Obey

 

Read the full Wire commentary on PE Hub ...

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Today's must reads
> Exclusive: Accounting talent shortage leads Unity Partners to acquire Ampleo More...
> Thorough reviews of targets’ AI capabilities ‘critical’ under EU Act More...
> Schwarzman and Gray: Europe in unique position to capture more investment More...
> From UPI to AI: India’s digital leap creates rich ground for private equity play More...
> PE eyes investments in oncology drug manufacturers: 6 deals More...

Also of note (may require subscriptions)

With AI beginning to touch all forms of business, how should dealmakers factor new regulations from the the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act into their decision-making, as well as the other provisions that came into force last year? To find out, PE Hub spoke to Lyndsey Laverack, a London-based partner in the global private equity practice, and Moritz Hüsch, a Frankfurt-based partner and co-chair of the technology industry group and the AI and Internet of Things practice groups, at law firm Covington.

 

Neuberger Berman closed its second dedicated GP-led vehicle, NB Strategic Capital Fund II, on $4 billion earlier this month, surpassing its $2.5 billion target. In a Q&A with Secondaries Investor, Ben Perl, global co-head of secondary private equity at Neuberger Berman, shares what drove the fund’s strong outcome, how the firm allocates deals across its platform and where he’s finding the most attractive investment opportunities.

 

MEAG has acquired a timberland asset of about 13,000 acres in Washington, marking the Sustainable Forestry Equity Fund’s first investment. Financial details were undisclosed. (Agri Investor)

 

Nature-conscious investors are upping their investment exposure in spite of political headwinds, according to research conducted by climate advisory and investment manager Pollination. (New Private Markets)

Deals

> Serent Capital invests in software provider PhotoDay More...
> Fintech firm ProfitSolv snags investment from FTV Capital and Lightyear Capital More...
> One Equity Partners to sell Brush Group’s power distribution biz More...
> Parthenon Capital backs management and tech consulting firm AArete More...
> Sky Island Capital scoops up Azek's commercial unit's Scranton Products business More...
> Platinum Equity to buy provider of personalizable products Solo More...
People
> Angeles Equity Partners taps Michael Johnson for operations team More...
> Bowmark bolsters investment team with two hires More...
> HarbourVest Partners taps Elizabeth Pritchard as managing director and head of data and analytics More...
 
 

They said it

“We felt that if accounting firms were struggling to hire, then small businesses that are growing were probably feeling that even more so. What we found is that a lot of small businesses that are growing, they really need strategic advice to deal with changing consumer preferences, changing macroeconomic tailwinds or budget constraints, but they can’t afford a full-time resource.”

— Hannah Inclán, vice-president at Unity Partners, about her firm’s acquisition of Ampleo, a provider of fractional CFO.

Today's letter was prepared by Obey Martin Manayiti

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