Deal Sourcing & Value Creation for Private Equity and Family Offices
Proprietary deals with substantial value creation potential in listed small- and mid-caps in the DACH region
AVE Capital Advisers supports private equity investors and family offices with deal sourcing, transaction structuring, and operational management of investments in publicly listed small- and mid-caps – from PIPEs to growth capital to succession solutions. With 20+ years of established relationships and proven track record for substantial value creation.
Schedule Initial ConversationWho We Work With
Our clients are sophisticated investors seeking a specialized partner for the DACH mid-market.
Single & Multi Family Offices
With private equity activities or ambitions to professionalize their investment structure.
Small & Mid-Cap Funds
Seeking more efficient access to deal flow and research capabilities.
Succession Solutions
Seeking experienced sparring partners for strategic decisions.
Insurance & Pension Funds
With co-investment interest in the DACH mid-market.
Your Challenges
The central challenges in the DACH small/mid-cap environment.
Access to Deal Flow
In the fragmented market of listed small- and mid-caps, the best deals are off-market. Network access to CEOs and founding families is essential.
InformationAsymmetry
Opaque market information and limited research depth in small & mid-caps.
Industry Expertise
Lack of operational expertise complicates value creation post-closing.
StructuringCompetence
Many deals require customized solutions for entrepreneurial families.
ResourceConstraints
Limited internal research capacity for rigorous sourcing and due diligence processes.
Our Approach
AVE Capital Advisers serves as a strategic partner and execution specialist for private equity investors and family offices in identifying, structuring, and managing deals in publicly listed small- and mid-caps with substantial value creation potential.
Proprietary Deal Flow: More than 20 years of established relationships with CEOs, CFOs, and entrepreneurs in the DACH region. Access to transactions that are rarely available through traditional M&A channels.
Research Excellence Meets Investment Management Experience: 15 years of sell-side research combined with 5 years of practical PIPE investment experience and documented value creation.
Comprehensive Deal Origination and Transaction Experience: More than 20 years of proven success in generating, structuring, and executing equity transactions.
100% Independence: No proprietary fund, no product distribution. We earn exclusively on the quality of our advice.
Customized Structuring: PIPE, growth, and succession transactions tailored precisely to each situation.
Track Record
Service Modules
Our modular service offering allows investors to selectively utilize the building blocks that complement their internal teams.
Deal Sourcing & Market Screening
Systematic identification of attractive PIPE candidates. Development of a focused target universe. Identification of trigger situations through proprietary network.
Company Analysis & Due Diligence
Comprehensive business model analysis, financial modeling, DCF valuation, and peer-group analysis. Result: Due diligence memo in IC-ready format. The investment decision remains with the client.
Deal Structuring
PIPE transaction structuring. Instruments, terms, governance rights. Negotiation strategy with management, major shareholders, and consortium banks.
Equity Story & Value Creation
Refinement of the equity story. Derivation of concrete value creation initiatives: governance, strategy, operating excellence, financing, capital markets communication.
Portfolio Monitoring & Board Support
Quarterly company reviews. Peer and multiple benchmarking. Preparation of supervisory board and advisory board meetings. Ad-hoc analyses for special situations.
Exit Strategy
Evaluation of exit options after successful value creation. Sale to strategic or financial investors. Re-IPO possibilities. Support with implementation.
Investment Focus
Our clearly defined investment focus enables deep sector understanding and efficient transaction processes.
DACH Region
Germany, Austria, Switzerland – with established network and local market expertise.
Focused Industries
Industrials, tech-enabled services, industrial tech, specialized machinery, sustainability/green tech.
Flexible Structures
Buyouts, growth capital, PIPEs, succession solutions – adapted to each situation.
EUR 50M – EUR 1B
Enterprise Value – from upper mid-market to larger mid-cap transactions.
Team
AVE Capital Advisers' complementary team brings together more than 45 years of combined experience in research, investment management, and direct investment structuring.
Thomas Rau
Partner
Diplom-Kaufmann and Certified European Financial Analyst (CEFA) with a 15-year career in equity research as Head of Industrial Research and Head of Equities at mid-market-focused banks. Recognized as one of Europe's most renowned machinery analysts with multiple awards. Subsequently Co-Head PIPE Investments at a leading European family office: responsible for screening, sourcing, and active investment management of a concentrated portfolio of small- and mid-sized companies from the DACH region and Scandinavia. Achieved 57% p.a. IRR on EUR 200 million invested capital through consistent value creation (governance, strategy, operating excellence, financing, capital markets communication). Founding partner and CEO of AVE Capital since 2020, and of AVE Capital Advisers since late 2025.
Florian Grabner
Partner
Attorney at law with extensive experience in deal origination, off-market sourcing, and development of proprietary equity and corporate financing solutions for national and international investors. Started his professional career in 1998 as an attorney and was appointed economic advisor to the Fürth district in the same year. In this role, together with the then district administrator Dr. Gabriele Pauli, he worked to increase the attractiveness of Fürth district as a business and investment location. Self-employed since 2001 as trustee and transaction advisor focusing on private equity and family office structures. Established and managed two entrepreneurially-focused family offices and initiated, structured, and executed equity and corporate financing transactions with cumulative transaction volume exceeding EUR 2 billion. Focus on deal origination and proprietary deal flow with particular emphasis on mutual value creation for all stakeholders as the foundation for transaction motivation and constructive value creation.
How We Work
Transparent processes and fair terms.
Transaction Process
Our proven process follows a methodology developed over 20 years.
Screening
200+ companies evaluated. Long-list prioritized.
Short-List
10-15 targets with transaction potential.
Due Diligence
1-3 months of intensive analysis and structuring.
Value Creation
3-5 years of active portfolio management.
Exit
Evaluation and structuring of exit options.
Frequently Asked Questions
PIPE stands for "Private Investment in Public Equity". In a PIPE investment, an investor acquires a substantial minority stake in a publicly listed company – typically between 5% and 15% of shares. Unlike traditional stock purchases on the exchange, entry is often through capital increases or block transactions, combined with governance rights such as board seats.
We support a broad spectrum: PIPE investments in publicly listed companies, growth capital for expansion financing, buyouts in the mid-market, and succession solutions for entrepreneurial families. We tailor structuring individually to each situation.
The focus is on small- and mid-caps in the DACH region with an enterprise value between EUR 50 million and EUR 1 billion. Target sectors are industrials, tech-enabled services, industrial tech, specialized machinery, and green tech. Prerequisites are situations where an active investor can add substantial value.
Investment banks optimize for transaction volume and advisory fees. AVE Capital Advisers optimizes for sustainable value creation. Banks manage transactions. AVE Capital Advisers develops comprehensive analyses, value creation plans, and manages investments throughout the entire holding period. As an independent advisor with no proprietary fund, our focus is 100% on client interests.
After an initial non-binding consultation, we jointly define the scope of collaboration. You can book individual modules or engage us as a comprehensive sparring partner. Typical mandates run for 12-36 months – from opportunity identification to exit.
Contact
Do you have questions or want to schedule an initial consultation?