ECI Partners

Established in 1976 under a Bank of England initiative originally known as Equity Capital for Industry, ECI Partners is one of the longest-established private equity groups in the UK. The firm was a founding member of both Invest Europe and the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA) in 1983. It has a long history of management buyouts, dating back to its first such transaction for Ansafone in 1980.

The firm focuses on mid-market investments, typically backing high-growth businesses. In September 2023, ECI announced the final close of its twelfth buyout fund, ECI 12, reaching its hard cap of £1 billion. Historically, the firm has achieved notable high-multiple exits, including returns of over 6x on companies like LateRooms, Tusker, MiQ, and Wireless Logic.

ECI operates primarily out of offices in London, Manchester, and New York. While historically focused on the UK and Ireland, the firm expanded its geographic reach in 2026 by acquiring the Netherlands-based Paragin Group. In addition to its investment activities, the firm produces the ECI Growth Survey, a major UK study focused on growth companies and their economic impact.