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Brand Velocity Group is a New York, New York-based private equity firm that acquires lower-middle market consumer and information service businesses to increase their enterprise value through operational support and marketing execution. The firm operates specialized investment verticals focused on specific target industries, which currently include consumer products, fashion and apparel, and sports and entertainment. Operating with a core team of six executives, the firm manages a portfolio of five companies and utilizes specialty brand marketing agencies to execute strategic plans across its investments. The organization leverages notable industry advisors and partners, including former NFL quarterback Eli Manning, Hilldun Corporation CEO Gary Wassner, Overtime co-founder Dan Porter, and executive Joe Cohen, who chairs an 11-member advisory board. Brand Velocity Group was founded in 2019 by Steve Lebowitz, Drew Sheinman, and Austin Ramos.
Key people at Brand Velocity Group.
Brand Velocity Group was founded in 2019 by Austin Ramos (Co-Founder & Partner) and Ian Schafer (CEO and Co-Founder).
Brand Velocity Group was founded in 2019 by Austin Ramos (Co-Founder & Partner) and Ian Schafer (CEO and Co-Founder).
Key people at Brand Velocity Group.
Brand Velocity Group (BVG) is a private equity firm founded in 2019, headquartered in New York, that acquires lower-middle market consumer and information service businesses, emphasizing in-house marketing resources to drive top-line growth and brand value.[1][2][3] Its mission disrupts the traditional PE model by providing robust marketing support, deep industry relationships, and a "heart"-infused approach to benefit all stakeholders, including a unique "Share the Gains" program allocating 10% of carried interest to non-management portfolio employees.[1][4] BVG targets consumer products/services in the US and Canada, with a dedicated sports investment platform (BVG Sports) focusing on sports and adjacent sectors like women's footwear via investments such as Jaya Apparel Group.[1][3][5] This operating playbook has positioned BVG to accelerate growth in evolving ecosystems, though specific AUM or total portfolio size remains undisclosed in available data.[2]
BVG emerged in 2019 when founders identified a gap in private equity: traditional models underinvest in marketing to supercharge portfolio growth.[1][2][4] Rather than a traditional fund, BVG raises capital deal-by-deal, pairing financial expertise with brand-building via strategic agency partnerships.[3][4] Key figures include experienced operators from sports, communications, and consulting; for instance, team members like Tom Ryan (ICR founder/CEO) bring capital markets and sector expertise, while others hail from elite sports business roles.[1] In 2022, BVG launched its sports vertical (BVGS), targeting legacy and emerging sub-verticals with decades-refined playbooks for innovation and economic impact.[1][5] Early moves include two known investments, notably Jaya Apparel Group in 2023, signaling focus evolution toward high-growth consumer niches.[3]
BVG rides the wave of consumer brand resurgence in a post-pandemic economy, where marketing firepower differentiates lower-middle market firms amid rising e-commerce and direct-to-consumer trends.[1][2] Timing aligns with PE's shift toward operational value-add, as firms face pressure to deliver growth beyond cost-cutting in high-interest environments.[4] Market forces like fragmented sports ecosystems (legacy vs. emerging, including women's sports) favor BVG's specialized playbook, enabling bets on adjacencies like apparel amid surging investments in women's athletics.[1][3][5] By humanizing PE through employee incentives and marketing infusion, BVG influences the ecosystem toward stakeholder capitalism, potentially inspiring copycats while supporting startups via flexible capital in underserved consumer verticals.[4]
BVG's marketing-PE hybrid positions it for outsized returns as consumer spending rebounds and sports media rights explode, with BVGS likely expanding into Web3-enabled fan engagement or global women's sports infrastructure.[1][5] Trends like AI-driven personalization and ESG-aligned incentives (e.g., "Share the Gains") will shape its path, amplifying influence in a crowded lower-middle market.[4] Expect more deal-by-deal sports/consumer plays, evolving BVG from disruptor to category leader—reinforcing its core thesis that heart plus horsepower changes the private equity game.[1]