Independent Sponsors & Capital Providers Dealmakers Meeting

Date

Venue

December 9, 2025

New York

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ABOUT THE EVENT

The Independent Sponsors & Capital Providers Dealmakers Meeting is returning to New York in December 2025!

Immerse yourself in engaging panel discussions, inspiring thought leadership sessions, and over 4 hours of dedicated 1x1 networking opportunities. Choose the Premium Pass for early access to the 1x1 meetings platform, launching 3 weeks before the event.

This exclusive event is limited to just 75 participants! Reserve your spot now to avoid missing out.

Stay tuned for updates on the exact date and agenda!

Why Attend

Join up to 10 bespoke 1x1 networking meetings based on your investment criteria

Benefit from partnerships unique to your business model

Develop business connections through personalized 1x1 networking meetings

Explore and discuss future business opportunities

Connect directly with leading industry professionals and decision-makers

AGENDA

08:00 AM – 09:00 AM Registration & Breakfast

09:00 AM – 10:30 AM Business-Building 1:1 Meetings (Session 1)
Connect with independent sponsors and capital providers who align with your sector focus and investment strategy.

10:30 AM– 11:00 AMNetworking Break

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Roundtable Series 1

Table 1: Independent Sponsors in 2025: Saturation Point or Golden Age?

The independent sponsor model continues its rapid growth, attracting both seasoned investors and fresh entrants. With rising competition and evolving market dynamics, this session explores whether we’re witnessing a maturing ecosystem or facing the challenges of saturation. Join us as we unpack what defines credibility, how sponsors differentiate themselves, and what the future holds for this dynamic market.

How do experienced sponsors differentiate themselves and maintain deal quality amid increasing competition?
What indicators signal whether the market is maturing healthily or heading toward saturation?
How is greater sponsor activity impacting valuation trends and seller expectations across key sectors?
What role do sector specialization and operational expertise play in long-term sponsor success?

Jonathan Barnes

Managing Director

Star Mountain Capital

Jonathan Barnes has more than 20 years of private equity investing and investment banking experience, including at Morgan Stanley.

Mr. Barnes was a Partner at Halyard Capital, a U.S. lower middle-market private equity fund manager where he spent 15 years. Mr. Barnes helped lead Halyard’s successful investment of over $600 million in the technology, business services, media and communications industries, backed by sophisticated institutional investors such as Goldman Sachs, Abbott Capital and the Bank of Montreal.

Mr. Barnes has a broad spectrum of private equity investing experience across technology-enabled services industries including Human Capital Management, Digital and Direct Marketing and IT/Cybersecurity Services. He has represented Halyard on the board of directors of numerous portfolio companies and has also actively worked with Halyard portfolio companies on negotiating and structuring finance solutions, advising on management changes and restructurings as well as helping find and integrate add-on acquisitions.

Prior to Halyard, Mr. Barnes was an Analyst at Aragon Global Management, a long/short public equities hedge fund affiliated with Tiger Management. Mr. Barnes began his career in Morgan Stanley’s Media Corporate Finance Group and subsequently worked at Consolidated Press Holdings, a Sydney, Australia based private investment company.

Mr. Barnes received an MBA with honors from Columbia Business School and an AB (cum laude) from Harvard University where he played JV lacrosse, among other activities.

Table 2: From Good to Great: Elevating Independent Sponsor Standards for 2025

Good sponsors get deals done; great sponsors build repeatable value and investor trust. This session highlights the evolving criteria capital providers use to distinguish between the two—and how sponsors can raise their game in 2025 and beyond.

How do capital providers evaluate governance and operational excellence when distinguishing truly institutional-grade sponsors?
What role does deep sector expertise and team composition play in elevating a sponsor’s credibility and long-term success?
How can sponsors demonstrate consistent alignment with investors and portfolio management to build lasting trust?
What common pitfalls prevent sponsors from moving beyond one-off wins to creating repeatable, sustainable value?

Rachit Shukla

Managing Director

Amalgam Capital

Rachit brings his diverse experience as a serial entrepreneur, corporate executive, and early-stage investor to Amalgam Capital. His background includes founding, scaling, and exiting technology companies, giving him unique insight into growth strategies and digital transformation.

Table 3: Who’s Writing the Checks? Inside the Minds of Capital Providers

The capital behind Independent Sponsors is shifting — and so are the expectations. Family offices, PE funds, SBICs, and other backers are getting more intentional about where, how, and with whom they deploy capital. This session goes beyond the headlines to unpack what’s actually driving capital formation in 2025, how partnership dynamics are evolving, and what it takes to stand out to the investors that matter.

Which types of capital providers are increasing their exposure to Independent Sponsors—and why now?
How are capital partners evaluating new relationships in a more competitive, cautious environment?
What makes a sponsor’s structure, process, or pitch stand out in today’s capital landscape?
Are partnership expectations changing—on economics, timelines, or sponsor involvement?

Matt London

Managing Director, Co-Head of Equity Group

Monroe Capital

Mr. Matt London is a Managing Director, Co-Head of Equity Group of Monroe Capital. He is responsible for executing new equity investments, working with existing portfolio company management teams on value creation initiatives and arranging for the disposition of investments. Mr. London has over 20 years of experience in private equity investing and investment banking. Prior to Monroe, he was a Principal at Waud Capital Partners, where he focused on partnering with leadership teams and growing companies primarily in the healthcare services market. Previously, Mr. London was an Analyst within the investment banking groups at Deutsche Bank and Morgan Keegan. Mr. London earned his B.S.B.A. in Finance and International Business from Washington University in St. Louis.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch Break

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Roundtable Series 2

Table 4: Smarter, Faster, Leaner: Where Tech Gives Independent Sponsors the Edge

Lean teams. Smart tools. Faster execution. This session examines how Independent Sponsors are harnessing technology to punch above their weight — and why building the right workflows may now matter more than adding headcount.

What parts of the deal lifecycle are being meaningfully accelerated or improved by technology today?
Which AI or automation tools are sponsors actually using — and which are just hype?
What’s the tech stack of a “modern sponsor” in 2025 — and how do you build one without overengineering?
How are sponsors using data to prioritize targets and customize outreach at scale?

Connor McMahan

Managing Partner

Virent Capital

In 2025, Connor launched Virent Capital, a lower middle market private equity firm dedicated to transforming family- and founder-owned businesses into digitally enabled market leaders.

Connor joined L2 Capital in 2012 as an Associate and rose to Partner, contributing to every deal during his tenure. He led initiatives across the full investment lifecycle—from sourcing and execution to value creation—and continues to support L2’s legacy companies through their next phase of growth.

Prior to L2, Connor was an Associate at Boxwood Partners, a Richmond-based merchant bank, where he executed a range of transactions in the lower middle market. He earned his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Richmond, where he was also a member of the Spiders’ championship football team.

Table 5: From LOI to Leadership: How Top Independent Sponsors Drive Post-Close Performance

The most effective Independent Sponsors do more than get deals done — they create momentum from the LOI stage through to long-term value creation. This session explores how experienced sponsors set the tone early, manage expectations across investors and sellers, and stay in the driver’s seat post-close without building large teams or losing strategic focus.

How do experienced Independent Sponsors shape alignment from day one — across sellers, investors, and internal teams — without a dedicated fund structure?
What are the most overlooked risks between LOI and close, and how do top sponsors keep control of the deal as complexity builds?
How are the best sponsors building repeatable post-close value creation playbooks without depending on external consultants or operating partners?
How do top Independent Sponsors keep alignment across capital partners, especially when navigating bumps in the first 12–18 months post-close?

Jonathan Slonim

Managing Partner and Founder

Ilion Capital Partners

Jonathan founded Ilion Capital Partners with the goal of providing capital and expertise to the companies that need it. It takes an investor with strong operating capabilities to partner with companies in the lower middle market, and that is exactly what Jonathan brings. Prior to founding Ilion, Jonathan spent nearly seven years at McKinsey & Company, where he focused on finance, investing, and operational transformations. In addition to strategy and investment decision-making, he has experience leading Lean operating transformations, training sales teams to accelerate growth, and digitizing back office processes. Jonathan grew up in Indiana and received his BA in Economics and History from Hillsdale College in Michigan. He now lives in New York City with his wife and two young daughters, where they are active members of their church. When not investing or supervising playground time, Jonathan likes to read fiction, philosophy, and biographies.

Table 6: Winners and Watchlists: What’s Hot, What’s Cooled, and Why

As we head into 2026, this session dives deep into how capital flows and valuations are shifting across key sectors — from industrial services to healthcare and consumer markets. We’ll unpack emerging deal dynamics, uncover new risk factors, and spotlight sectors heating up or cooling off. Sponsors need sharp insight to navigate these changes and position for the next wave of opportunity.

How are valuation multiples diverging across industrial services, healthcare, and consumer sectors — and what’s driving these differences?
What emerging sector risks are changing how sponsors approach due diligence and value creation?
Where are new sector “hot spots” forming, and how can sponsors best position for growth or consolidation?
How are shifting customer demands and regulatory trends reshaping capital allocation across sectors?

Kurt Smentek

Principal

Align Collaborate

Kurt is a Principal at Align Collaborate. Prior to joining Align Collaborate, he spent 7 years on the investment team at Align Capital Partners (“ACP”), where he was responsible for sourcing, executing, and monitoring the firm’s investments. During Kurt’s tenure at ACP, he served on three company boards and received direct operating experience by serving as the Vice President of Finance at Action Elevator from March 2021 — December 2021.

Prior to joining ACP, Kurt was an investment banking professional at Wells Fargo Securities where he focused on mergers and acquisitions for healthcare services companies and at KPMG where he provided advisory services to lower-middle market technology companies.

Kurt received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics from The University of Iowa.

2:00 PM – 4:30 PM Business-Building 1:1 Meetings (Session 2)
Continue strategic conversations with independent sponsors and capital providers based on your preferences and shared deal interests.

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM Cocktail Reception

Connect With Leading

Independent Sponsors
Private Equity Firms
Family Offices
Mezzanine Lenders
Hedge Funds
Institutional Investors
HNWIs (High Net Worth Individuals)
M&A Intermediaries/Advisors

Location

The Independent Sponsors & Capital Providers Dealmakers Meeting will be held CohnReznick, 1301 6th Ave, 10th floor, New York, NY 10019.

ACCOMODATION

Discounted room blocks are available at the Marriott Courtyard Central Park.

PRICING

	Standard Price	Premium Add-On
Independent Sponsors	$699	$100
Capital Providers	$799	$100
Placement Agents & Service Providers	$2,499	Not Applicable
ISCP Club Members	Included	Included

Hear from the attendees

"I wanted to thank you and the iGlobal team - feedback has been fantastic - and I met many new people. This was an extremely successful event and looking forward to many more."

Claudine M. Cohen, Managing Principal, Value360

CohnReznick LLP

"All-in-all a very positive experience. It was extremely efficient."

Al Bhakta
CMG Companies

"We've met some interesting people who we hope to transact with, and we have also met some potential investors."

Ahmed Fattouh

Interprivate

"Knowing who's in the industry and who's available for transactions is very valuable for us."

Chase Stuart

Ice Miller

Join the Independent Sponsor & Capital Provider (ISCP) Club today

Building on iGlobal Forum’s long-standing success of connecting and matching over 1,000+ Independent Sponsors & Capital Providers since 2015, the mission of the ISCP Club is to unite all independent sponsors and capital providers into an exclusive community with access to industry content, an Independent Sponsor & Capital Provider Directory and live senior-level deal-making events.

Terms and Conditions - Payment Policy

Payment is due in full at the time of registration and includes lunches, refreshments and detailed conference materials. Your registration will not be confirmed until payment is received and may be subject to cancellation.

iGlobal Forum Cancellation, Postponement and Substitution Policy

You may substitute delegates at any time. iGlobal Forum does not provide refunds for cancellations.

For cancellations received in writing more than seven (7) days prior to the conference you will receive a 100% credit to be used at another iGlobal Forum conference for up to one year from the date of issuance.

For cancellations received seven (7) days or less prior to an event (including day 7), no credit will be issued. In the event that iGlobal Forum cancels an event, delegate payments at the date of cancellation will be credited to a future iGlobal Forum event. This credit will be available for up to one year from the date of issuance.

In the event that iGlobal Forum postpones an event, delegate payments at the postponement date will be credited towards the rescheduled date. If the delegate is unable to attend the rescheduled event, the delegate will receive a 100% credit representing payments made towards a future iGlobal Forum event. This credit will be available for up to one year from the date of issuance. No refunds will be available for cancellations or postponements.

iGlobal Forum is not responsible for any loss or damage as a result of a substitution, alteration or cancellation/postponement of an event. iGlobal Forum shall assume no liability whatsoever in the event this conference is cancelled, rescheduled or postponed due to a fortuitous event, Act of God, unforeseen occurrence or any other event that renders performance of this conference impracticable or impossible. For purposes of this clause, a fortuitous event shall include, but not be limited to war, fire, labor strike, extreme weather or another emergency.

Please note that speakers and topics were confirmed at the time of publishing, however, circumstances beyond the control of the organizers may necessitate substitutions, alterations or cancellations of the speakers and/or topics. As such, iGlobal Forum reserves the right to alter or modify the advertised speakers and/or topics if necessary. Any substitutions or alterations will be updated on our web page as soon as possible.

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Discounts

To ensure that participants receive any available discounts, payment must be made at the time of registration and prior to the designated cut-off date. This requirement applies to all discounts. Please note that discounts cannot be combined with any other offers.