Private Equity Deal Sourcing with Audax’s Dave Santoni
Dave Santoni, Managing Director at Audax Private Equity, joins Sean Mooney to discuss Audax's strategic approach to deal sourcing, add-on acquisitions, and vertical market mapping. He details how the firm integrates a 60-person Strategic Resources Group and proprietary AI tools across the entire investment lifecycle from pre-LOI diligence to portfolio operations and exits. Santoni also reflects on his career transition from law and investment banking to sponsor coverage, sharing lessons on the power of proactive curiosity and relationship building in modern private equity.
- Audax runs two distinct platform strategies: a lower middle market fund targeting $5 million to $20 million in EBITDA, and a middle market fund targeting $20 million to $75 million across five core verticals. Read →
- Audax Private Equity pairs a 10-person business development team with a 60-person Strategic Resources Group (SRG) to run diligence and operations simultaneously. Read →
- Dave Santoni spent nine years in legal training (three years in law school and six years as a corporate lawyer) before realizing his core interest sat in private market dealmaking. Read →
- Audax executes more than 100 add-on acquisitions per year across its middle-market private equity portfolio. Read →