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BluWave Awards 2024: Top Private Equity Innovators
We’re proud to announce the third annual Top Private Equity Innovators with the 2024 BluWave Awards*.
“We’re regularly asked by market leaders about the best practices that are being embraced by the most innovative private equity firms,” said BluWave founder and CEO Sean Mooney, talking about the impetus for creating the awards.
Learn more about the 2024 Private Equity Innovator of the Year, Access Holdings
Our objective, thorough process gathered feedback from the world of private equity as well as the top service providers that work with them on a daily basis.
With their help, we identified the top 2 percent of firms for their innovative practices based on four key criteria identified by our research and operations team, limited partners, investment bankers, industry thought leaders and service providers in the private equity ecosystem.
As part of its selection process, the selection committee evaluated more than 5,000 private equity firms and utilized more than 75 different factors, incorporating more than 400,000 data points to evaluate these four criteria.
Here’s a little more about each one.
Proactive Due Diligence Practices
Innovative PE firms look at prospective investments with an eye toward not only trusting and verifying, but also with a preemptive lens into informing future value creation opportunities.
Transformative Value Creation
Once PE firms make investments leading private equity firms partner with their portfolio company management teams to purposely create value that didn’t or couldn’t exist before.
Modern Private Equity Firm Operations
These PE leaders treat the business of private equity like a business. They strategically utilize best-in-class internal and external cross-functional resources to enable insightful opportunity assessments and unique levels of value creation.
Corporate Citizenship
Top PE firms know that corporate citizenship is not only good for the world, but also fundamentally improves returns.
Here’s where you can find all the 2024 Private Equity Awards winners, including Innovator of the Year, Access Holdings.
“We are excited to recognize this distinguished group of investors as the 2024 Top Private Equity Innovators,” Mooney said.
*BluWave, LP has not received investment capital from and holds no ownership interest in the PE firms evaluated or recognized under the PE Innovator awards program. BluWave received no compensation from any of the PE firms in connection with this awards program. However, BluWave may otherwise provide services to the PE firms and/or portfolio companies, but BluWave confirms that its assessment of the PE firms was independent of any such service arrangements. Top 2% in the PE industry is based on BluWave’s review of the more than 5,000 PE firms in the U.S. and Canada from which the 82 PE firms were selected as award recipients.
BluWave Awards 2024: Access Holdings is PE Innovator of the Year
We’re proud to announce Access Holdings as Innovator of the Year in the third annual BluWave private equity awards*. The Baltimore-based firm was selected for its for exemplary innovation and leadership.
“For over a decade, we have endeavored to do things differently,” Access Holdings Founder and Managing Partner Kevin McAllister said. “By listening to and learning from our partners, we have developed contemporary technologies and research capabilities that scale and innovate our partner companies into market leaders. Access Holdings is honored to be recognized as this year’s Private Equity Innovator.”
Also see more about the 2024 Top Private Equity Innovator awards
Firms chosen for the Top Private Equity Innovator Award are selected based upon a rigorous assessment in consultation with our research and operations team, leading limited partners, investment bankers, service providers and other thought leaders in the private equity ecosystem. Selected firms represent the top 2 percent in the private equity for innovative practices in:
- Proactive due diligence practices
- Transformative value creation
- Modern private equity firm operations
- Corporate governance
“Private equity is an essential business builder and pillar of the economy, facilitating growth and development in almost every industry and creating millions of jobs in America,” said Sean Mooney, BluWave founder and CEO. “Access Holdings has differentially demonstrated how to build and grow businesses. We congratulate them on their innovation and success in creating value.”
*BluWave, LP has not received investment capital from and holds no ownership interest in the PE firms evaluated or recognized under the PE Innovator awards program. BluWave received no compensation from any of the PE firms in connection with this awards program. However, BluWave may otherwise provide services to the PE firms and/or portfolio companies, but BluWave confirms that its assessment of the PE firms was independent of any such service arrangements. Top 2% in the PE industry is based on BluWave’s review of the more than 5,000 PE firms in the U.S. and Canada from which the 82 PE firms were selected as award recipients.
Private Equity Innovator of the Year: Kevin McAllister, Access Holdings
Top Private Equity Podcasts
Private equity has a reputation for being an opaque industry to outsiders, with accessible expert insights difficult to find.
Some of PE’s most experienced professionals, however, are out to change that. These in-depth podcasts pull the curtain back on due diligence, value creation, prep for sale and everything in between.
While there are plenty of great options available for download, these are the five best podcasts about private equity to which you should be listening – in no particular order – to max out your knowledge.
Best But Never Final
- Hosts: Doug McCormick, Lloyd Metz, Sean Mooney
- Recording Since: Feb. 6, 2024
- Publishing Frequency: 2–3 per month
For too long, the first word in private equity has been “private.” On this “insider” podcast, McCormick, Metz and Mooney pull back the curtain and get real about private equity.
Listeners will gain a deep understanding of how private equity professionals think and operate. With three distinct backgrounds and decades’ worth of combined industry experience, everyone from CEOs to aspiring PE partners can learn from this dynamic trio.
Karma School of Business
- Host: Sean Mooney
- Recording Since: Aug. 2, 2022
- Publishing Frequency: 2–3 per month
You caught us! Our very own CEO and founder, Sean Mooney, hosts this podcast, too. But we wouldn’t share if we didn’t believe it was full of great content.
Launched in 2022, we cover a wide range of topics with frequent guests, from the role of private equity in the economy to the latest trends and challenges.
“You’ll learn insights and best practices from leading and influential private equity professionals, visionary business executives, and one-of-a-kind industry thought leaders who will help you take meaningful action, improve your business, and enhance your life.”
Dry Powder: The Private Equity Podcast
- Host: Hugh MacArthur
- Recording Since: Sept. 16, 2019
- Publishing Frequency: 2–3 per month
This podcast features interviews with industry leaders and experts, providing listeners with an in-depth understanding of the private equity landscape.
Each episode focuses on a specific topic, such as fundraising or portfolio management, and provides valuable insights and success strategies “that will redefine the private equity industry.”
Private Equity FunCast
- Hosts: Devin Mathews and Jim Milbery
- Recording Since: Sept. 10, 2013
- Publishing Frequency: 1–3 per month
Hosted by ParkerGale Capital, this podcast covers a wide range of hot topics in private equity, from deal sourcing to exits. The hosts bring a unique perspective and a healthy dose of humor to your headphones, making it a great listen for both industry veterans and newcomers.
It describes itself as “a lively discussion of the uses of technology to improve business operations for companies with less than $100 million in revenue.”
And if that’s not enough, they open each episode with a fun, original jingle.
Middle Market Musings
- Hosts: Andy Greenberg and Charlie Gifford
- Recording Since: April 2, 2021
- Publishing Frequency: 1–2 per month
Most private equity deals take place in the middle market, and that’s what this one focuses on.
Industry leaders and experts discuss the latest middle-market trends and strategies.
With a different guest for each episode, you won’t be short on diverse perspectives.
These podcasts are available to download for free on iTunes, Spotify and other popular platforms.