Key Takeaways
- • Borgman Capital launched Pass the Hat, an online platform providing accredited U.S. investors direct access to pre-vetted private equity and real estate investment opportunities previously limited to institutional investors, with minimum investments starting at approximately $50,000.
- • The firm has completed 18 transactions since its 2017 founding in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, targeting companies with $10–$100 million in annual revenue across food, pet treats, manufacturing, chemical distribution, infrastructure, and Midwest real estate sectors.
- • Pass the Hat operates on a control-oriented private equity model where each investment vehicle acquires operating companies or real estate properties outright rather than purchasing passive or minority stakes, enabling investor selectivity across deal flow.
- • The platform democratizes alternative investment access for high-net-worth individuals, family offices, endowments, and foundations by eliminating institutional-only barriers to middle-market deal participation and portfolio diversification.
Summary
Borgman Capital has announced the launch of Pass the Hat, a digital investment platform designed to connect accredited U.S. investors with alternative investment opportunities in private equity and real estate. The platform addresses a structural gap in capital markets by extending access to private market deals that have historically been reserved for large institutional investors and ultra-high-net-worth networks.
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with additional operations in Indianapolis, Portland, and the Twin Cities, Borgman Capital specializes in acquiring established middle-market companies with annual revenues between $10 million and $100 million. The firm's diversified portfolio spans food production, pet treats, manufacturing, chemical distribution, infrastructure assets, and industrial and mixed-use real estate properties concentrated in the Midwest region. To date, the firm has closed 18 transactions and maintains an investor base comprising high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional entities.
Pass the Hat follows Borgman Capital's core investment thesis centered on control acquisitions rather than passive or minority interests. Each investment vehicle on the platform purchases operating companies or real estate properties outright, providing investors with direct exposure to managed operational assets. The platform employs a flexible architecture allowing investors to select individual deals aligned with their portfolio objectives and risk tolerance. Most opportunities carry minimum investment thresholds of approximately $50,000, and participation is restricted to accredited investors as defined under Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933.
The launch represents a strategic pivot toward retail distribution of alternative investments within the accredited investor segment. According to Borgman Capital's statement, the platform aims to "eliminate barriers to quality alternative investments by making it easy for accredited high-net-worth individuals, family offices, endowments and foundations to invest and achieve portfolio diversification." This positioning targets the substantial market opportunity among qualified investors seeking exposure to middle-market private equity and real estate assets traditionally accessible only through institutional channels or direct relationships with established private equity sponsors.
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with additional operations in Indianapolis, Portland, and the Twin Cities, Borgman Capital specializes in acquiring established middle-market companies with annual revenues between $10 million and $100 million. The firm's diversified portfolio spans food production, pet treats, manufacturing, chemical distribution, infrastructure assets, and industrial and mixed-use real estate properties concentrated in the Midwest region. To date, the firm has closed 18 transactions and maintains an investor base comprising high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional entities.
Pass the Hat follows Borgman Capital's core investment thesis centered on control acquisitions rather than passive or minority interests. Each investment vehicle on the platform purchases operating companies or real estate properties outright, providing investors with direct exposure to managed operational assets. The platform employs a flexible architecture allowing investors to select individual deals aligned with their portfolio objectives and risk tolerance. Most opportunities carry minimum investment thresholds of approximately $50,000, and participation is restricted to accredited investors as defined under Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933.
The launch represents a strategic pivot toward retail distribution of alternative investments within the accredited investor segment. According to Borgman Capital's statement, the platform aims to "eliminate barriers to quality alternative investments by making it easy for accredited high-net-worth individuals, family offices, endowments and foundations to invest and achieve portfolio diversification." This positioning targets the substantial market opportunity among qualified investors seeking exposure to middle-market private equity and real estate assets traditionally accessible only through institutional channels or direct relationships with established private equity sponsors.
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