Startups

Investment opportunities through innovation and growth

While our primary focus remains on strategic

M&A services, Camaya Partners selectively invests in startups when we identify exceptional early-stage and growth companies where our operational expertise can generate substantial value beyond traditional capital. This investment activity complements our deep market knowledge and transaction experience, enabling us to participate directly in value creation while maintaining our core service mission. We deploy our own proprietary capital, allowing better alignment with founders and swifter decision-making on high-potential opportunities. Our approach to startup investing is highly selective and targeted. We consider investments only when there are no conflicts of interest with our clients and when we can leverage our experience in building and scaling businesses to unlock remarkable value through strategic guidance and operational improvements. This expertise provides unique insights into growth opportunities that purely financial investors often overlook.

Beyond capital: Strategic growth acceleration

Our startup investment philosophy centers on identifying promising companies with solid fundamentals and exceptional growth potential. By systematically analyzing market dynamics, competitive positioning, and scalability factors, we target companies where our strategic guidance and operational expertise can boost sustainable growth. This proactive approach to value creation extends far beyond financial investment alone. We focus on strategic positioning, operational efficiency, and market expansion to turn promising startups into market leaders. Our investment criteria prioritize companies with solid business models, outstanding management teams, and clear routes to scaling, situations in which the proper strategic guidance can unlock significant growth opportunities.

What distinguishes our approach

Deep industry knowledge and cross-border expertise

Our extensive experience across various sectors provides unmatched insights into market dynamics, competitive landscapes, and growth strategies. This expertise enables us to quickly identify expansion opportunities that others may overlook and to implement proven methods to accelerate business growth.

Strategic rather than purely financial focus

Unlike traditional venture capital, our investment approach emphasizes strategic development and operational excellence over financial engineering. We seek opportunities where our operational skills, industry connections, and strategic advice can lead to significant business improvements and market expansion.

Integrated strategic and investment capability

Our dual role as strategic advisors and investors offers unique advantages in startup scenarios. Our transaction experience helps us efficiently evaluate growth potential and exit strategies, while our investment capacity allows us to act decisively on exceptional opportunities.

Selective investment approach

We follow strict investment criteria, focusing solely on opportunities that align with our risk and return objectives and where our expertise provides a clear competitive advantage. This selectiveness ensures we allocate our limited capital only to prospects with high potential for value creation.

Investment criteria

01. Our startup investments typically target companies with the following characteristics:

Annual revenues between $1-25 million in sectors where we possess strong expertise
Solid business fundamentals with scalable models and protected competitive advantages
Exceptional management teams with clear vision and execution capabilities
Clear opportunities for growth and acceleration where our knowledge can support ongoing expansion
No conflicts of interest with our current or future clients

02. Investment framework and expected Returns

Equity positions vary from minority to majority, based on growth phase and strategic objectives
Active involvement through regular strategic advice and operational oversight
Investment periods of 3-7 years, allowing sufficient time for comprehensive scaling
Although the typical horizon is 3–7 years, we are flexible on exit timing — and, in some cases, willing to stay invested indefinitely if aligned with long-term strategic goals
Multiple exit options include strategic sales, IPO readiness, or follow-on financing rounds

03. Expected investment outcomes

Based on our experience and market insights, our startup investments generally aim for:

IRR of 30-50%, depending on stage and growth complexity
Cash-on-cash returns of 5-15x during the investment period
Revenue growth of 100-300% throughout the investment timeframe
Successful exit within 5-7 years via a strategic sale or public listing

04. Investment decision criteria

Our decision process involves thorough evaluation, including:

Market and competitive analysis leveraging our deep sector knowledge
Business model review focusing on scalability and defensibility
Management team assessment and leadership evaluation
Financial modeling under various growth scenarios and market conditions
Technology and intellectual property review, including competitive positioning

Investment philosophy

Our startup investing philosophy is based on the belief that extraordinary growth requires more than capital — it requires strategic vision, operational expertise, and active management. By applying our proven strategic skills directly to investment opportunities, we create value for all stakeholders and achieve superior returns.

This activity complements and enhances our M&A practice by deepening our understanding of scaling challenges and growth strategies. The insights gained from our direct investment experience make us better consultants, and our strategic expertise increases our chances of success as investors.

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