How “Most active independent sponsors” is calculated
A count, not a score: distinct dated completed deals per sponsor in the 24 months to 10 October 2026. See the ranking.
What counts as one event
A completed deal is a dated acquisition in the DFX independent sponsor deal record whose announcement names a verified independent sponsor as the buyer.
The window
From 10 October 2024 to 10 October 2026. The window moves with the calendar, and the ranking is recomputed from the records every hour.
Counting and order
- Only sponsors that pass the DFX verified sponsor test are ranked.
- Each sponsor is counted once per deal.
- Ranked by the number of distinct counted events in the window. A tie is broken by the date of the firm's most recent counted event, then alphabetically.
Left out
- Candidate sponsors, sponsor groups not yet verified, and committed-fund buyers.
- Deals with no date, or dated outside the window.
Where the records come from
- Deal announcements naming the buyer, with the company bought linked to its record
- SEC Form D filings for the deal vehicles
No weighting, survey or editorial judgement enters the order. Every source is listed with its rights determination on the sources page.