Independent sponsor
An independent sponsor is a dealmaker, usually a small team with private equity or operating experience, who finds and negotiates an acquisition without a committed fund behind it. Once a company is under a letter of intent, the sponsor raises the equity for that one deal from family offices, mezzanine funds and other capital providers. The sponsor is typically paid a closing fee, a management fee and a share of the profits, and most of these deals are in the lower middle market.
In DFX data
DFX currently tracks 1,043 independent sponsors, as of 12 October 2026.
The independent sponsor graph records sponsors from their deal vehicle filings, deal announcements and their own descriptions, and keeps verified sponsors apart from candidates.