Investments
1Portfolio Exits
1About Onward Capital
Onward Capital is a private equity firm focused on investing in and growing lower middle-market industrial businesses. Onward partners with management teams to build value through operational improvements, professional management practices, and access to external relationships and growth capital. Onward invests in partnership with family offices, mezzanine funds, equity funds, industry executives, and high net-worth individuals.

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Latest Onward Capital News
Dec 3, 2021
Thompson Street Capital Partners Announces the Sale of Domaille Engineering to American Industrial Partners ST. LOUIS (December 3, 2021) – Thompson Street Capital Partners (TSCP), a private equity firm based in St. Louis, in partnership with Onward Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm, announced today the sale of its ownership stake in Domaille Engineering (Domaille) to ADDMAN Engineering. ADDMAN is a portfolio company of American Industrial Partners, a New York-based private equity firm. Domaille was advised in the transaction by Lincoln International. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Domaille is a provider of industry-leading polishing machines and fixtures, inspection equipment and associated engineered products for the rapidly growing fiber-optic cable market. The Company also engineers and manufactures complex, mission-critical products for the defense, aerospace, national security, telecommunications, energy and medical sectors. During its ownership of Domaille, TSCP supported the Company’s growth by investing in sales and marketing strategies, strengthening the executive management team, increasing operational efficiencies, and executing several strategic acquisitions including Maryland-based Stanley Engineering and Missouri-based TECH Manufacturing. Harry Holiday, Managing Director at TSCP, said, “Throughout our partnership with Domaille, we accelerated revenue growth and executed on a number of strategic initiatives. We are confident the Company is well positioned for continued growth with American Industrial Partners.” ###
Onward Capital Investments
1 Investments
Onward Capital has made 1 investments. Their latest investment was in Century Drill & Tool as part of their Other Investors on .

Onward Capital Investments Activity

Date | Round | Company | Amount | New? | Co-Investors | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Other Investors | Century Drill & Tool | Yes |
Date | |
---|---|
Round | Other Investors |
Company | Century Drill & Tool |
Amount | |
New? | Yes |
Co-Investors | |
Sources |
Onward Capital Portfolio Exits
1 Portfolio Exit
Onward Capital has 1 portfolio exit. Their latest portfolio exit was Domaille Engineering on December 01, 2021.
Date | Exit | Companies | Valuation Valuations are submitted by companies, mined from state filings or news, provided by VentureSource, or based on a comparables valuation model. | Acquirer | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
12/1/2021 | Acquired | 1 |
Date | 12/1/2021 |
---|---|
Exit | Acquired |
Companies | |
Valuation | |
Acquirer | |
Sources | 1 |
Onward Capital Acquisitions
3 Acquisitions
Onward Capital acquired 3 companies. Their latest acquisition was Stanley Engineering on February 08, 2019.
Date | Investment Stage | Companies | Valuation Valuations are submitted by companies, mined from state filings or news, provided by VentureSource, or based on a comparables valuation model. | Total Funding | Note | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2/8/2019 | Acq - Fin | 1 | ||||
10/2/2018 | ||||||
12/7/2016 | Other Venture Capital |
Date | 2/8/2019 | 10/2/2018 | 12/7/2016 |
---|---|---|---|
Investment Stage | Other Venture Capital | ||
Companies | |||
Valuation | |||
Total Funding | |||
Note | Acq - Fin | ||
Sources | 1 |
Onward Capital Team
2 Team Members
Onward Capital has 2 team members, including current Founding Partner, Laura Lester.
Name | Work History | Title | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Laura Lester | CHS Capital, and Lehman Brothers | Founding Partner | Current |
Name | Laura Lester | |
---|---|---|
Work History | CHS Capital, and Lehman Brothers | |
Title | Founding Partner | |
Status | Current |