Private Equity International Names Edison Partners’ Ben Laufer to Future 40 Leaders of Private Equity List

Recognition reflects Laufer’s dealmaking and value creation leadership

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Growth equity firm Edison Partners today announced that Ben Laufer, Principal, was named to Private Equity International’s (PEI) “40 under 40: Future Leaders of Private Equity” list in the Dealmakers category. The annual list recognizes 40 emerging leaders under the age of 40 shaping the future of the private equity industry.

“Ben stands out for his rare combination of analytical rigor and ability to relate to founders and management teams,” said Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners. "He's led some of our most complex transactions, built new capabilities within the firm, and earned the trust of his peers and the management teams he works with. In a short time, he’s grown from a talented investor into a leader, and this recognition from PEI reflects what we see every day working alongside him.”

Since joining the firm in 2023, Laufer has led or co-led significant investments in AI-enabled, mission-critical software embedded in regulated and operationally complex industries, including a $65M majority investment in KnowledgeLake and a $60M growth round in Recycle Track Systems (RTS). He currently serves on multiple portfolio company boards and partners closely with leadership teams.

Beyond investment leadership, Laufer founded the firm’s Corporate Development and Exit Readiness Center of Excellence, a new arm of Edison Partners’ value creation platform that helps portfolio companies prepare for M&A and liquidity events.

Laufer brings an unconventional background to dealmaking. As a former chess champion in the state of California and internationally touring classical musician, he developed early fluency in pattern recognition, strategic thinking, and performing under pressure — skills that translate directly to complex deal environments. He later went on to found and lead two companies, one while at Stanford and another at Wharton, shaping how he works with founders and his empathy for their journeys. Laufer began his career at Proskauer Rose and Arbor Advisors, where he worked on transactions totaling more than $200 billion, before becoming a private equity operating executive and then investor.

The full list of 2026 honorees is available on Private Equity International’s website.

About Edison Partners

Edison Partners is a leading growth equity firm providing the financial and intellectual capital that CEOs and their executive teams need to grow and scale their companies. The firm’s team brings more than 275 years of combined investing, operating and sector experience to each investment, accessible via the Edison Edge value creation platform, which is tailored to each business’ strategy, stage and operating needs. Edison targets high-growth vertical SaaS, financial technology, healthcare IT and marketplace companies located outside Silicon Valley with $10 million to $40 million in revenue. Investments also include buyouts, recapitalizations, spinouts, and secondary stock purchases. Named as a Top Growth Investment Firm by GrowthCap for two years running, Edison’s active portfolio has created aggregated market value exceeding $10 billion. Edison Partners manages over $2.2 billion in assets. For more information on Edison Partners, please visit edisonpartners.com and follow on LinkedIn.