Key Takeaways
- • Edison Partners Principal Ben Laufer was named to Private Equity International's (PEI) "40 under 40: Future Leaders of Private Equity" list in the Dealmakers category, the 2026 edition announced via Business Wire on May 1, 2026.
- • Since joining Edison in 2023, Laufer has led or co-led investments in AI-enabled, mission-critical software, including a $65M majority investment in KnowledgeLake and a $60M growth round in Recycle Track Systems (RTS).
- • Laufer founded Edison's Corporate Development and Exit Readiness Center of Excellence, a new arm of the firm's value creation platform focused on M&A and liquidity preparation for portfolio companies.
- • Edison Partners, a growth equity firm managing over $2.2 billion in assets, targets high-growth vertical SaaS, fintech, healthcare IT and marketplace companies outside Silicon Valley with $10M to $40M in revenue.
Summary
Edison Partners announced that Ben Laufer, Principal at the Nashville-based growth equity firm, was named to Private Equity International's 2026 "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, according to the company's Business Wire release.
Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners, said Laufer "stands out for his rare combination of analytical rigor and ability to relate to founders and management teams," adding that he has led some of the firm's most complex transactions and built new capabilities within the firm. Sugden said Laufer has grown "from a talented investor into a leader" in a short time.
Since joining Edison in 2023, Laufer has led or co-led investments in AI-enabled, mission-critical software embedded in regulated and operationally complex industries. Cited transactions include a $65 million majority investment in KnowledgeLake and a $60 million growth round in Recycle Track Systems (RTS). He currently serves on multiple portfolio company boards. Laufer also founded the firm's Corporate Development and Exit Readiness Center of Excellence, which helps portfolio companies prepare for M&A and liquidity events.
The release highlights Laufer's background before Edison: he 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 an investor. He also founded and led two companies, one while at Stanford and another at Wharton.
Edison Partners describes itself as a leading growth equity firm managing over $2.2 billion in assets, with more than 275 years of combined investing, operating and sector experience. The firm targets high-growth vertical SaaS, financial technology, healthcare IT and marketplace companies outside Silicon Valley with $10 million to $40 million in revenue, and states its active portfolio has created aggregated market value exceeding $10 billion. The full 2026 honoree list is available on Private Equity International's website.
Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners, said Laufer "stands out for his rare combination of analytical rigor and ability to relate to founders and management teams," adding that he has led some of the firm's most complex transactions and built new capabilities within the firm. Sugden said Laufer has grown "from a talented investor into a leader" in a short time.
Since joining Edison in 2023, Laufer has led or co-led investments in AI-enabled, mission-critical software embedded in regulated and operationally complex industries. Cited transactions include a $65 million majority investment in KnowledgeLake and a $60 million growth round in Recycle Track Systems (RTS). He currently serves on multiple portfolio company boards. Laufer also founded the firm's Corporate Development and Exit Readiness Center of Excellence, which helps portfolio companies prepare for M&A and liquidity events.
The release highlights Laufer's background before Edison: he 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 an investor. He also founded and led two companies, one while at Stanford and another at Wharton.
Edison Partners describes itself as a leading growth equity firm managing over $2.2 billion in assets, with more than 275 years of combined investing, operating and sector experience. The firm targets high-growth vertical SaaS, financial technology, healthcare IT and marketplace companies outside Silicon Valley with $10 million to $40 million in revenue, and states its active portfolio has created aggregated market value exceeding $10 billion. The full 2026 honoree list is available on Private Equity International's website.
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