Stonington recognized by Advisory Rankings in 2026

Top 20 Private Capital Raising & Placement Advisory 2026

This report forms part of the Ranking News Investment Banking & Capital Markets Advisory series, which evaluates specialist advisory firms focused on private capital raising, placement, and investor advisory across global markets.

Private capital raising and placement advisory firms play a central role within the global investment ecosystem by connecting fund managers with institutional investors. These firms advise private equity sponsors, infrastructure managers, private credit platforms, and other alternative asset managers on capital formation strategy, investor positioning, and execution of fundraising processes.

Unlike traditional investment banks, these firms typically operate as independent advisory platforms without underwriting balance sheets. Their primary function is to facilitate the efficient allocation of institutional capital by leveraging deep relationships with pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, insurance companies, and family offices.

Their services extend beyond capital introduction to include strategic advisory on fund structuring, positioning, investor targeting, and increasingly, secondary market liquidity solutions and GP-led transactions.

The firms recognized in this ranking represent a core layer of the global private capital ecosystem, shaping capital flows across private markets.

Market Overview

The private capital advisory market has grown significantly over the past decade alongside the expansion of global alternative assets. Private equity, infrastructure, and private credit allocations have increased across institutional portfolios, creating sustained demand for specialized capital raising expertise.

Placement agents and capital advisory boutiques have become essential intermediaries in this environment. Fundraising has evolved into a highly structured and competitive process, requiring not only access to LP networks but also precise positioning, narrative construction, and investor segmentation.

The market is highly relationship-driven, with leading firms maintaining long-standing connections with institutional investors across multiple regions. As fundraising cycles become longer and more complex, fund managers increasingly rely on advisors to navigate capital formation strategy and execution.

Geographically, the market is anchored in London, New York, Paris, and increasingly the Middle East and Asia, reflecting the global distribution of institutional capital.

Industry Trend — 2026

In 2026, private capital raising is characterized by increasing competition among fund managers and rising selectivity among LPs. Investors are placing greater emphasis on track record, differentiation, and alignment of interests, making fundraising more challenging for emerging and mid-sized managers.

As a result, the role of placement agents has expanded beyond simple distribution to include strategic advisory on fund positioning and investor communication. Advisors are increasingly involved early in the fundraising process, shaping how funds are structured and presented to the market.

Secondary transactions and GP-led liquidity solutions are also becoming a significant area of activity. Many placement agents now operate across both primary fundraising and secondary advisory, reflecting the growing complexity of private markets.

The firms that succeed in this environment are those that combine strong investor relationships with disciplined execution and credible market positioning.

MethodologyCore Eligibility Criteria

Firms considered for this ranking were evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Operates as an independent private capital advisory or placement firm
  • Advises on fundraising for private equity, infrastructure, or private credit strategies
  • Maintains active relationships with institutional LPs
  • Demonstrates consistent activity in cross-border capital raising
  • Provides strategic advisory beyond pure investor introductions

MethodologyRanking Factors

Firms were evaluated based on qualitative institutional indicators including:

  • Track record in successful fundraising mandates
  • Depth and breadth of global LP relationships
  • Ability to support fund positioning and investor strategy
  • Involvement in secondary and liquidity advisory
  • Reputation among GPs and institutional investors

The ranking universe consisted of approximately 80 advisory firms globally, from which 20 firms were selected.

Tier I — Leading Private Capital Raising & Placement Advisory Firms

Atlantic-Pacific Capital

  • Headquarters: New York, United States
  • Founded: 1995

Atlantic-Pacific Capital is one of the most established independent private capital placement and advisory firms, with a long track record across private equity, private credit, real estate, and real assets fundraising. The firm describes itself as a global, privately owned placement and advisory platform, with mandates spanning fund placements, secondary advisory, and direct private placements.

Its platform combines global institutional investor coverage with a focused private-markets capital formation model. Atlantic-Pacific’s investor network across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East allows it to support managers seeking diversified capital sources across multiple fund strategies.

The firm’s continued independence and long operating history make it suitable for Tier I. It is broad enough to serve large global managers, but still sufficiently rooted in private capital raising to fit the placement advisory category rather than a general investment banking or management consulting ranking.

Asante Capital Group

  • Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
  • Founded: 2010

Asante Capital Group is an independent private capital placement and advisory firm focused on fundraising, secondary advisory, and GP capital solutions. The firm works across private equity, venture capital, private debt, infrastructure, and real assets, serving fund managers seeking institutional capital across global markets.

Asante’s positioning is especially relevant for managers that require a selective, relationship-driven approach to fundraising. The firm emphasizes a low-volume, quality-focused model, combining private capital market knowledge with investor targeting and strategic input throughout the fundraising process.

Its global footprint and strong GP advisory orientation make it a natural Tier I firm in this category. While it has broader advisory capabilities, those services remain closely tied to private capital formation, making Asante a better fit than bank-owned platforms or generalist advisory firms.

Monument Group

  • Headquarters: Boston, United States
  • Founded: 1994

Monument Group is an independent placement agent and secondaries advisory firm providing capital formation and liquidity solutions to general partners and limited partners. Its services include primary fundraising, LP secondaries, GP-led transactions, advisory services, and capital solutions.

The firm has a long-standing reputation in global private funds placement, particularly for alternative investment managers seeking institutional capital. Its model is built around senior involvement, select mandates, and long-term relationships with institutional investors.

Monument’s independent, partner-owned structure gives it a strong fit for this ranking. It has enough scale and history to belong in Tier I, while remaining more clearly aligned with placement advisory than broader financial institutions that have acquired private capital advisory teams.

Probitas Partners

  • Headquarters: San Francisco, United States
  • Founded: 2001

Probitas Partners is an independent global advisory and alternatives placement firm focused on helping sponsors raise capital from sophisticated institutional investors. The firm reports a long history in fundraising, with services centered on placement advisory, market guidance, project management, and global distribution.

Its work spans established funds, differentiated emerging managers, and private markets strategies requiring focused investor access. Probitas emphasizes selectivity in client selection, durable institutional investor relationships, and non-conflicting mandates across asset class, geography, fund size, and strategy.

The firm remains a strong Tier I candidate because it combines independence, scale, and a clearly defined private capital placement function. Its profile is broad enough for institutional credibility, but still focused enough to avoid drifting into general investment banking or corporate advisory.

Rede Partners

  • Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
  • Founded: 2011

Rede Partners is an independent private markets advisory firm focused on primary fundraising, GP-led secondary transactions, capital solutions, and strategic advisory projects. The firm has built a large international platform with offices across major private capital centers, including London, New York, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, and Dubai.

Rede is particularly relevant for private equity managers that require both fundraising execution and strategic positioning in competitive markets. Its services extend beyond pure placement, but they remain closely connected to capital formation, liquidity, and GP–LP engagement.

The firm’s scale, institutional investor coverage, and recognized position in private equity fundraising make it a clear Tier I entry. Among newer-generation placement advisory firms, Rede has become one of the most visible independent platforms in the market.

Tier II — Established Private Capital Raising & Placement Advisory Firms

(Alphabetical order)

Acalyx Advisors

  • Headquarters: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, United States
  • Founded: 2015

Acalyx Advisors is an independent private capital fundraising and placement advisory firm specializing in advisory, private placement, and investor relations for alternative asset managers. The firm positions itself as a selective advisor to leading private equity and alternative investment managers, rather than as a broad investment bank or general corporate advisory platform.

Its services are closely aligned with the core purpose of this ranking: helping private fund managers refine fundraising strategy, engage institutional investors, and execute private placement processes. Acalyx’s team is described as having raised and advised on substantial private equity capital across prior fundraising cycles, which gives it more credibility than a very small regional placement agent while still preserving the independent advisory character of the list.

Acanthus Capital

  • Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
  • Founded: 2014

Acanthus Capital is a London-based private equity placement and advisory firm focused on European mid-market private equity fundraising. The firm works with ambitious private equity managers, providing strategic advice, investor access, and documentation support across the fundraising process.

Its positioning is highly relevant for managers operating in the European mid-market, where investor targeting, fund differentiation, and credible positioning are especially important. Acanthus combines a corporate-finance-driven approach with a targeted investor relations model, allowing it to support fund managers through both narrative construction and capital raising execution.

Acanthus fits Tier II because it is specialist, independent, and clearly focused on private equity fund placement rather than broader corporate advisory.

BerchWood Partners

  • Headquarters: New York, United States
  • Founded: 2000

BerchWood Partners is a global placement agency specializing in raising capital for private equity funds. The firm has operated since 2000 and works across varying fund sizes, strategies, and geographies, with a focus on connecting fund managers to institutional investors.

Its model is centered on private equity fundraising, investor relationship management, and targeted capital raising execution. BerchWood’s long operating history gives it credibility among mid-market and specialist managers seeking a placement partner with experience across multiple fundraising cycles.

The firm is suitable for Tier II because it is more specialized than large bank-owned platforms but still has an established profile within private equity fund placement.

FIRSTavenue

  • Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
  • Founded: 2006

FIRSTavenue is a global advisory and capital placement firm focused on private funds, private companies, and private secondaries. Its coverage includes private equity, private credit, real estate, and real assets, making it relevant across several core alternative investment strategies.

The firm supports managers through fundraising strategy, investor access, and capital placement execution. Its platform is especially relevant for fund managers seeking global institutional capital across private markets categories where investor selection and positioning are central to fundraising outcomes.

FIRSTavenue fits Tier II because it has meaningful scale and global reach, while still remaining closely tied to capital placement rather than broad corporate advisory or general consulting.

Greenstone Equity Partners

  • Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Founded: 2011

Greenstone Equity Partners is a GCC-focused capital placement firm connecting regional investors with global alternative investment managers. The firm is headquartered in Dubai and positions itself as a leading fund placement platform in the Middle East, with relationships across GCC institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and UHNW investors.

Its role is distinctive because it specializes in regional capital access rather than broad global placement coverage. For fund managers seeking commitments from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and the broader GCC investor base, Greenstone provides localized investor coverage and market execution.

Greenstone belongs in Tier II because of its regional specialization and clear placement function. It is not a general advisory firm; its relevance comes from connecting global private market managers with Middle Eastern capital.

Jasmin Capital

  • Headquarters: Paris, France
  • Founded: 2011

Jasmin Capital is a private markets specialist advising general partners and limited partners across private equity, infrastructure, and private debt. The firm provides placement agent services, secondary transaction advisory, co-investment syndication, and related private markets advisory services.

Its fundraising work supports management companies throughout the capital raising process, from positioning and investor targeting to engagement with LPs across Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia. The firm is particularly relevant for European managers seeking international investor access.

Jasmin Capital fits Tier II as a credible European placement advisory firm with a clear private markets focus. Its services are broader than pure fund placement, but they remain anchored in fundraising, secondaries, and GP–LP capital solutions.

M2O Private Fund Advisors

  • Headquarters: White Plains, United States
  • Founded: 2012

M2O Private Fund Advisors is a private fund placement and advisory firm supporting managers with capital raising, secondary advisory, and customized private fund assignments. The firm is headquartered in White Plains, New York, and operates as a specialized advisor to private fund managers and investors.

Its services span primary fundraising, direct equity, and secondary-related advisory, giving it relevance across multiple private capital formation situations. M2O is particularly suitable for managers that require tailored execution rather than mass-market fundraising coverage.

The firm fits Tier II because it is identifiable, specialized, and active in private fund advisory without being absorbed into a large bank platform.

Quest Fund Placement

  • Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
  • Founded: 2004

Quest Fund Placement is a private capital placement agent focused on raising funds globally for European private equity and private debt managers. The firm works with GPs on fundraising strategy, investor access, and long-term capital formation, positioning itself as a specialist partner for managers seeking institutional LP commitments across international markets.

Its focus on private equity and private debt makes it a cleaner fit for this ranking than broader advisory platforms or investment banks with capital-raising divisions. Quest’s model is especially relevant for mid-market managers that require targeted fundraising support, differentiated investor messaging, and credible access to LPs beyond their domestic market.

Stonington Capital Advisors

  • Headquarters: New York, United States
  • Founded: 2012

Stonington Capital Advisors is an independent placement and advisory firm focused on fund placement, secondary advisory, and direct private placement services. The firm has a distinctive focus on sub-$1 billion funds, a segment often overlooked by larger placement agents.

Its positioning makes it relevant for emerging managers, specialist strategies, and mid-market funds that require more targeted investor access. Stonington’s value lies in providing partner-led fundraising support to managers that may not fit the mandate size or profile preferred by larger global agents.

The firm fits Tier II because it is specialized, independent, and focused on private capital placement rather than broad investment banking.

Threadmark

  • Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
  • Founded: 2009

Threadmark is a private markets placement agent focused on raising global investor capital for alternative investment strategies. The firm works across real assets, real estate, private credit, and private equity, and offers services including capital raising, strategic advisory, business development, and sustainability-related support.

Its strength lies in supporting innovative or differentiated private markets strategies where investor education and narrative development are important. Threadmark combines fundraising execution with strategic market positioning, helping managers communicate their investment case to institutional investors.

Threadmark is appropriate for Tier II because it remains recognizably tied to private markets capital placement, while its broader services are still connected to fundraising and manager development.

Tier III — Specialist Private Capital Raising & Placement Advisory Firms

(Alphabetical order)

Athos Partners

  • Headquarters: Monaco
  • Founded: 2011

Athos Partners is an independent placement advisory firm focused on mid-market private equity managers. The firm provides bespoke fundraising support and brings experience across private placements, investment banking, and management consulting to support fund managers through the capital raising process.

Athos is suitable for Tier III because it is specialist, boutique, and focused on targeted fundraising mandates rather than broad-scale capital markets advisory.

Colmar Capital

  • Headquarters: Zug, Switzerland
  • Founded: 2020

Colmar Capital is a boutique European placement agent serving mid-market private equity managers. The firm supports primary fundraising, co-investments, syndication, and GP-led secondary transactions, with partners across Zurich, Paris, London, and the Middle East.

Colmar fits Tier III because it is newer and more specialist than the larger placement firms, but its focused European mid-market private equity positioning makes it credible for a specialist private capital advisory list.

Further Capital Partners

  • Headquarters: Toronto, Canada
  • Founded: 2006

Further Capital Partners is a Canada-focused placement agent helping global asset managers raise institutional capital in the Canadian market. The firm works with private market and public market strategies, but its relevance here comes from its placement role for investment managers seeking Canadian institutional investor access.

Further Capital fits Tier III as a regional specialist. It is not a global Tier I placement platform, but it gives the ranking geographic depth and captures an important institutional fundraising channel.

Park Madison Partners

  • Headquarters: New York, United States
  • Founded: 2006

Park Madison Partners is a private placement and capital solutions firm focused on real estate private equity and alternative real estate investment strategies. The firm raises capital for closed-end funds, open-end funds, co-investments, separate accounts, joint ventures, and recapitalizations.

Park Madison belongs in Tier III because it is sector-specialized. It is not a general private equity placement agent, but its real estate private capital focus makes it a useful specialist inclusion within a broader private capital raising advisory ranking.

Pinnacle Trust Partners

  • Headquarters: West Hartford, United States
  • Founded: 2004

Pinnacle Trust Partners is an independent placement agent for alternative investments. The firm provides direct private placements, fundraising advisory, fund finance solutions, insurance solutions, and strategic advisory, with a long-standing emphasis on institutional capital placement.

Pinnacle Trust fits Tier III because it is a specialist placement firm with identifiable alternative investment fundraising capabilities, but it is more niche than the firms placed in Tier I or Tier II.

Remarks

Private Capital Raising & Placement Advisory remains one of the most commercially active and structurally distinct segments within the broader advisory landscape. Unlike other advisory categories, firms operating in this space are directly engaged in capital formation, where visibility, reputation, and investor access translate into measurable financial outcomes.

The category is characterized by a high degree of competition among both fund managers and placement agents. As institutional investors become more selective, the role of advisory firms has evolved beyond distribution toward strategic positioning, investor segmentation, and process management.

A key feature of this market is its relationship-driven nature. Firms that maintain deep and durable LP networks are able to deliver consistent fundraising outcomes, reinforcing their position within the ecosystem. At the same time, emerging boutiques continue to gain relevance by offering targeted investor access and specialized sector expertise.

Recognition

Organizations included in the Top 20 Private Capital Raising & Placement Advisory 2026 ranking may request information regarding authorized use of the Ranking News designation for marketing and communications purposes.

Recognized institutions may reference the designation in:

  • corporate websites
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  • marketing materials
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