I want to find an investment firm that will take a minority stake in my bootstrapped software company.
Data as of Sep 21, 2026 · Based on 303 AI responses from ChatGPT Search and Google AI Mode · See how Parse measures this
Data as of Sep 21, 2026 · Based on 303 AI responses from ChatGPT Search and Google AI Mode · See how Parse measures this
You can find growth equity firms that target bootstrapped software businesses for minority investments. Key partners include 
Brands AI recommends here
Named in 46% of answers
Mainsail Partners is tailored for founder-led, bootstrapped B2B software companies. They are noted for providing hands-on operational support, making them a strong fit for those seeking active mentorship.
Named in 36% of answers
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Source | Citation share |
|---|---|
 The Top Growth Equity Firms of 2024 - GrowthCaphttps://growthcapadvisory.com/the-top-growth-equity-firms-of-2024/ | 5% |
 Top 10 Private Equity Firms That Acquire SaaS Companies - Founderpath Bloghttps://founderpath.com/blog/the-top-10-firms-that-buy-saas-companies | 3% |
 Top 10 Growth Equity Firms in SaaS & Vertical Softwarehttps://www.dakota.com/resources/blog/top-10-growth-equity-firms-in-saas-vertical-software | 2% |
 PE Investors 2026: Growth Equity & Buyout Firms for Startupshttps://www.ellty.com/blog/private-equity-investors | 2% |
 Meet The Investors That Back or Acquire Bootstrapped and Indie SaaS Companieshttps://churnkey.co/blog/meet-the-investors-that-back-or-acquire-bootstrapped-and-indie-saas-companies/ | 2% |
 Top 10 Software Private Equity Investors – Aventis Advisorshttps://aventis-advisors.com/software-private-equity/ | 2% |
The Top Private Equity Firms of 2025 - GrowthCaphttps://growthcapadvisory.com/the-top-private-equity-firms-of-2025/ | 2% |
Mainsail Partnershttps://mainsailpartners.com/ | 2% |
 Software Private Equity Firms | Private Equity Listhttps://privateequitylist.com/investors/private-equity/software | 2% |
 Top 25 Growth Equity Firms - Growth Equity Interview Guidehttps://growthequityinterviewguide.com/growth-equity/what-is-growth-equity/growth-equity-firms | 1% |
Yes. For a **bootstrapped software company where you want to sell a minority stake rather than give up control**, there are several investors specifically built around that situation. ### Firms I’d put on your initial outreach list - **[mambagrowth.com](https://www.mambagrowth.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** —…
Yes. For a bootstrapped software company where you want to sell a minority stake rather than give up control, there are several investors specifically built around that situation.
There are also firms such as Sunstone Partners and DTCP that do minority software investments, but their stated size/growth requirements can put them further up-market.
If you give me these 7 numbers/details, I can narrow this to a much more targeted list and tell you which firms appear to fit your profile:
Also tell me whether you're B2B SaaS, vertical SaaS, consumer software, fintech, AI, etc.
With that, I can build you a shortlist of ~10 firms, including their likely check size, minority/majority preference, relevant portfolio companies, and the best way to approach each one.
Finding a minority investor for a bootstrapped software company means you are likely looking for **growth equity** or **capital-efficient/non-control private equity** rather than traditional venture capital (which often pushes for massive, high-burn scaling and large ownership chunks) or traditional buyouts (which…
Finding a minority investor for a bootstrapped software company means you are likely looking for growth equity or capital-efficient/non-control private equity rather than traditional venture capital (which often pushes for massive, high-burn scaling and large ownership chunks) or traditional buyouts (which want control).
Several prominent investment firms specialize in taking significant or flexible minority stakes in profitable, bootstrapped B2B software and SaaS companies:
To help narrow down which of these firms (or types of funds) would be the best fit, could you share:
Yes. For a **bootstrapped software company where you want to sell a minority stake and retain control**, you’re looking for **growth equity / minority growth capital**, rather than traditional buyout private equity. A few firms that explicitly fit that profile: - **Mainsail Partners** — specifically targets…
Yes. For a bootstrapped software company where you want to sell a minority stake and retain control, you’re looking for growth equity / minority growth capital, rather than traditional buyout private equity.
A few firms that explicitly fit that profile:
I can narrow this from a broad list to 10–15 genuinely plausible investors if you give me:
For example, if you told me “$6M ARR, 30% growth, 25% EBITDA margin, bootstrapped, B2B vertical SaaS, looking to raise $8M for 15–20%”, I could research the current market and build you a targeted investor list with fit, typical check size, minority/majority preference, relevant portfolio companies, and direct contact/application links.
When you have successfully bootstrapped a software company to a point of stability or strong growth, taking a minority investment is a great way to secure liquidity or growth capital without losing control. The category of investor you are looking for is typically a **Growth Equity** firm or a **Flexible Private…
When you have successfully bootstrapped a software company to a point of stability or strong growth, taking a minority investment is a great way to secure liquidity or growth capital without losing control.
The category of investor you are looking for is typically a Growth Equity firm or a Flexible Private Equity (PE) firm that specializes in non-control (minority) recapitalizations or growth investments for profitable/scaling B2B SaaS and software businesses.
Top-tier and mid-market firms known for flexible, minority structures with bootstrapped or founder-owned software companies include:
To help narrow down the right fit, could you share:
Yes. For a **bootstrapped software company where you want to sell a minority stake while retaining control**, I’d look primarily at **growth-equity firms**, rather than traditional buyout PE or early-stage VC. A few firms stand out: - **Mainsail Partners** — One of the strongest fits. They explicitly specialize in…
Yes. For a bootstrapped software company where you want to sell a minority stake while retaining control, I’d look primarily at growth-equity firms, rather than traditional buyout PE or early-stage VC.
A few firms stand out:
I can narrow this to a shortlist of 5–10 firms that are genuinely likely to take your deal rather than giving you a generic PE list.
Send me these six things:
Also tell me whether you want the investment to be primary capital into the company, personal liquidity for you, or a combination.
With that, I can rank the firms by fit, likely check size, minority-vs-control appetite, and what I'd pitch to each one.
**Growth equity and lower-mid market private equity firms** specialize in taking non-controlling, minority stakes in profitable, bootstrapped software companies. Unlike traditional venture capital (which chases hyper-growth at all costs) or majority buyouts (which take total control), minority growth partners provide…
Growth equity and lower-mid market private equity firms specialize in taking non-controlling, minority stakes in profitable, bootstrapped software companies. Unlike traditional venture capital (which chases hyper-growth at all costs) or majority buyouts (which take total control), minority growth partners provide capital for scaling while allowing founders to retain operational control and a majority share.
| Firm Name | Focus Area | Typical Check Size / Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Mainsail Partners | B2B Software & AI-enabled | Partner with bootstrapped/founder-owned software needing scaling and talent support. |
| Strattam Capital | B2B Software & Tech | Known for flexible majority and minority alignment with aligned operational plans. |
| Haveli Investments | Enterprise Software & Gaming | Austin-based growth equity deploying minority and structured equity. |
| Copley Equity Partners | Profitable Lower-Mid Market | Boston-based family office style capital taking minority or majority stakes. |
To help narrow down the best prospective partners, could you share:
Yes. For a **bootstrapped software company where you want to sell a minority stake while retaining control**, you should generally be looking at **growth equity / early-growth investors**, rather than traditional VC or buyout PE. A few firms look particularly relevant: Firm | Why it may fit
Yes. For a bootstrapped software company where you want to sell a minority stake while retaining control, you should generally be looking at growth equity / early-growth investors, rather than traditional VC or buyout PE.
A few firms look particularly relevant:
| Firm | Why it may fit |
|---|---|
| Mamba Growth Equity | Extremely on-point: specifically targets bootstrapped B2B software, $2–15M+ ARR, profitable/cash-flow positive, and makes minority investments. Typical investment: $5–15M+. Mamba Growth |
| Channel Equity Partners | Focuses on lightly funded/bootstrapped B2B software, $3–10M ARR, 40%+ growth, and explicitly targets minority lead investments of $5–10M. Channel Equity Partners |
| Mainsail Partners | Growth equity specifically for bootstrapped B2B software and AI-enabled companies. They have a substantial track record of partnering with bootstrapped founders. Mainsail Partners |
| Golden Section | Particularly interesting if you're $1–8M ARR and building vertical SaaS. It offers minority growth equity with $1–5M initial checks. Golden Section |
| Level Equity | Larger-scale option. Focuses on lower-middle-market software and typically looks for companies with $5M+ recurring revenue and little institutional capital, with both minority and majority investment options. Level Equity |
| Sunstone Partners | Makes both majority and minority investments in software/technology-enabled businesses, generally $20M+ revenue and $75–200M checks, so more appropriate once you're substantially larger. Sunstone Partners |
| MUSEDATA | Minority growth equity for enterprise software/AI, targeting roughly $3–25M ARR with $5–25M checks. Muse Data |
| Sundance Growth | B2B software, bootstrapped/lightly capitalized companies, and explicitly minority or majority transactions. Sundance Growth |
If you're a typical profitable, founder-owned SaaS business, I'd start with:
There's also an important distinction I'd make before approaching anyone: Are you looking for primary capital, founder liquidity, or both?
For example, suppose you have a $20M company and want to raise $5M. There are several very different structures:
That distinction will substantially change which firms are interested.
If you give me these 6 numbers, I can narrow this to a targeted list of ~10 firms and rank them by fit:
I can also look specifically for firms that don't require control, which is probably the most important criterion in your case.
For a bootstrapped software company looking for outside capital while retaining control, you are looking specifically for **Growth Equity** or **Lower-Middle Market Private Equity/Venture firms** that specialize in founder-led, capital-efficient B2B SaaS. Unlike early-stage VC (which wants explosive, high-risk…
For a bootstrapped software company looking for outside capital while retaining control, you are looking specifically for Growth Equity or Lower-Middle Market Private Equity/Venture firms that specialize in founder-led, capital-efficient B2B SaaS. Unlike early-stage VC (which wants explosive, high-risk hypergrowth) or traditional buyouts (which demand 100% control), growth equity firms are comfortable taking meaningful minority or flexible non-control stakes in profitable or cash-flowing bootstrapped businesses.
Prominent investment firms actively targeting bootstrapped, founder-led software companies include:
To help me narrow down the best specific firms for you, could you share:
Yes. For a **bootstrapped software company where you want to sell a minority stake while retaining control**, I’d look at growth-equity firms rather than traditional buyout PE or early-stage VC. A few firms stand out: - **[insightmatters.capital](https://www.insightmatters.capital/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** —…
Yes. For a bootstrapped software company where you want to sell a minority stake while retaining control, I’d look at growth-equity firms rather than traditional buyout PE or early-stage VC.
A few firms stand out:
The right investor depends heavily on your numbers. If you give me these 6 things, I can research a much more targeted list of ~10 firms and rank them by fit:
I can also distinguish between investors who will actually buy a minority stake from you personally (providing founder liquidity) versus those who want the money to go entirely onto the company's balance sheet. That distinction is very important for a bootstrapped founder.
To achieve your goal, you need to target **Growth Equity firms** rather than traditional venture capital or buyout private equity. Growth equity firms specifically look for capital-efficient, revenue-generating software companies and are highly accustomed to taking structured minority stakes (usually 10% to 40%). This…
To achieve your goal, you need to target Growth Equity firms rather than traditional venture capital or buyout private equity. Growth equity firms specifically look for capital-efficient, revenue-generating software companies and are highly accustomed to taking structured minority stakes (usually 10% to 40%). This allows bootstrapped founders to achieve "founder liquidity" (taking cash off the table) or fund rapid market expansion while retaining majority corporate control.
The specific firm you should pitch depends directly on your current Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) and scale.
🔎 Top Growth Equity Firms for Bootstrapped Software
Lower-to-Middle Market ($3M to $15M ARR)
These firms explicitly specialize in acting as the "first institutional capital" for self-funded software entrepreneurs.
Mid-Market ($15M to $50M ARR)
Firms at this tier bring massive operational resources and provide a bridge toward eventual enterprise scaling.
Large Market / Scale-Up ($50M+ ARR)
If your company has reached massive scale entirely on its own revenue, these multi-billion-dollar platforms offer global reach.
⚠️ Critical "Fine Print" for Bootstrapped Founders
Because you have operated independently up to this point, institutional capital brings new governance hurdles. When negotiating a minority stake, pay close attention to these mechanisms:
💡 To help point you toward the right investment tier or introduce specific deal terms, could you share your company's approximate ARR , your current annual growth rate , and whether you are raising capital for company expansion or personal founder liquidity?
