CLEVELAND, NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Riverside Company, a global investment firm focused on lower middle market investments, announced the successful final close of its Riverside Value Fund II (RVF II) at its hard cap of $750 million. RVF II was significantly oversubscribed and closed at more than double the size of its predecessor fund RVF I, which held a final close in June 2023 at $350 million. RVF II closed the fund five months after its initial launch in February 2025.

The Riverside Value Fund (RVF) seeks to invest in North American businesses that compete in durable, growing end markets and that have the potential for significant growth and operational transformation. RVF provides flexible capital solutions to support businesses in transition or at an inflection point. The fund targets investments in a wide range of industries, and its current portfolio includes companies in the business services, specialty manufacturing, value-added distribution and financial services sectors, among others. The RVF team works closely with its management partners to implement aggressive top- and bottom-line growth plans for each of its portfolio companies.

“We are humbled by the trust placed in us by this highly experienced and thoughtful group of existing and new investors in RVF II, and we are grateful for the strong performance delivered by our partner companies which enabled us to achieve this milestone,” said Riverside Managing Partner Sean Ozbolt. “We’re fortunate to partner with investors who share our value-driven philosophy and our focus on operational excellence as a catalyst for sustainable growth.”

Joining Ozbolt in leading the RVF investment team are Managing Partner Ron Sansom and Partners Andrew Fohrer and Craig Kahler. In addition to its dedicated investment and operating team based in Los Angeles, RVF leverages the depth and breadth of Riverside’s global platform, including its highly experienced, 23-person origination team and its extensive group of more than 50 operating professionals.

“The lower middle market offers a wide range of companies navigating complex or transitional situations, including carve-outs, family-owned business transitions, challenging integrations, leadership changes or other inflection points,” said Riverside Co-CEO Stewart Kohl. “RVF’s platform is built to identify these hidden gems, unlock overlooked value and work with management partners to implement hands-on operational strategies that accelerate both revenue and quality of earnings.”

Over the last twelve months, RVF completed transactions totaling more than $1 billion in enterprise value, including three new platform investments, five add-on acquisitions and one exit. The firm also continues to expand its partnership with Ownership Works, implementing broad-based employee equity ownership plans at several of its portfolio companies. Thus far, more than 1,100 employees of RVF partner companies have earned an equity stake in their businesses.

“The RVF team now has a proven track record of identifying value in complex situations or companies in transition which led to successfully raising this second fund,” said Riverside Co-CEO Béla Szigethy. “We’re thrilled so many LPs, both new and existing, in turn recognized the value of RVF. An oversubscribed fund is a testament to their faith in Riverside – and we’re honored to have those investors join us on this journey.”

The Riverside Company
The Riverside Company is a global investment firm focused on being one of the leading private equity and flexible capital options for business owners and portfolio company employees at the smaller end of the middle market by seeking to fuel transformative growth and create lasting value. Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has made more than 1,000 investments. The firm's international private equity and flexible capital portfolios include more than 140 companies. For more information, visit www.riversidecompany.com.

Holly Mueller 
Marketing Consultant
The Riverside Company
216.535.2236 
hmueller@riversidecompany.com