February 21, 2024
BluWave Recognizes RFE Investment Partners with 2024 Top PE Innovator Award
BluWave’s third annual awards program recognizes RFE Investment Partners amongst the top 2 percent of North America’s most innovative private equity firms
Westport, CT/ NASHVILLE, Tenn. – February 21, 2024 – BluWave, the Business Builders’ Network that connects the private equity industry with best-in-class talent, industry consultants and service providers, today announced RFE Investment Partners as a 2024 Top PE Innovator Award winner*.
BluWave’s third annual Top Private Equity Innovator Awards recognize the top 2% of private equity firms that differentially embrace proactive due diligence, transformative value creation, modern private equity firm operations and corporate citizenship practices.
“We are honored by this recognition as a Top Private Equity Innovator this year,” said Michael Rubel, Managing Director of RFE Investment Partners. “Over the last four decades, RFE has partnered with founders and management teams to build great companies. In our ever-changing market, we are always focused on finding creative ways to enhance our playbook and value creation efforts.”
The Top Private Equity Innovator awardees were selected by a cross-functional committee that assessed candidates in consultation with a broad universe of limited partners, investment bankers, industry thought leaders and service providers in the private equity ecosystem. As part of their selection process, the committee evaluated more than 5,000 private equity firms and utilized more than 75 different factors, incorporating more than 400,000 data points.
“The 2024 top private equity innovators are providing differential leadership in the world of business,” said Sean Mooney, founder and CEO of BluWave. “Their innovative practices are strengthening companies, creating jobs and catalyzing a rebound in our economy.”
The Top Private Equity Innovator Awards are distinctive in that they involve no financial obligations from any participants and the selection process is independent of any customer relationships.
As the go-to connector of private equity-grade resources for due diligence and value creation needs of the business builders of PE, BluWave has a one-of-a-kind perspective that enables it to uniquely understand best practices and innovation in the private equity industry. For further information on the BluWave 2024 Top Private Equity Innovator Awards, including the selection process, selection criteria and recipients, please visit bluwave.net/awards.
About BluWave*
BluWave is the Business Builders’ Network for private equity-grade service provider needs. The company’s platform combines AI, technology and data with concierge-like consultative support to expertly connect businesses with proven providers across due diligence, value creation and prep for sale. The BluWave Vetted™ network is an invite-only ecosystem of top-tier service-providing groups and individuals. Based in Nashville, Tenn., BluWave ranks as one of America’s fastest-growing companies and today serves hundreds of leading private equity firms and their thousands of portfolio companies.
*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. BluWave, however, 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 private equity firms were selected as award recipients.
About RFE Investment Partners
RFE Investment Partners is a private equity firm focused on making control investments in established small market companies located in the United States. RFE is a long-standing Connecticut-based firm founded in 1980 with over 40 years of experience investing in the lower middle market. RFE’s investment strategy is to transform its portfolio companies from the lower end of the market to fully professionalized and market leading middle market companies. RFE is currently investing out of Fund IX.