Eagle Peak LLC

KYCO: Know Your Company

Reveal Profile

14 November 2025

1) Overview of the Company

Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC is a private investment firm founded in 2019 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, operating with 2-10 employees. The firm is not registered as an investment adviser with the SEC and does not file as an Exempt Reporting Adviser, distinguishing it from traditional registered investment advisory firms. Eagle Peak Capital Partners seeks to acquire a single company with an enterprise value between $10-30 million, with the specific intention of taking a direct management role and leading that company for the long term.

The firm’s unique investment strategy focuses on identifying businesses with growing industries, predictable revenue, asset-light operations, low customer concentration, multiple growth avenues, and competitive advantages, targeting companies with EBITDA ranging from $0.5-5 million. Unlike traditional private equity firms that follow buy-improve-sell models, Eagle Peak Capital Partners positions itself as a permanent capital solution for business owners seeking to reduce their involvement or retire while preserving company legacy and culture.

The firm is led by Robert Knauer, who serves as Principal and brings military service background as a former Marine Corps officer, international relations education including a Master of Science from Stanford University Graduate School of Business (2018-2019), and tenure at the U.S. Department of State. The organization also includes Surya Chokkar in an analyst role. Eagle Peak Capital Partners operates from 777 Brickell Ave, Suite 500, Miami, Florida, and maintains an active web presence at eaglepeakcap.com.

2) History

Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC was founded in 2019 and established its headquarters in Miami, Florida. The firm emerged with a distinctive investment philosophy focused on acquiring a single company rather than pursuing traditional private equity portfolio strategies, positioning itself as a permanent capital provider for business owners seeking to reduce their involvement while preserving company legacy and culture.

In January 2024, Eagle Peak Capital Partners achieved a significant milestone when Principal Robert Knauer acquired Underpressure Inc, a small kitchen exhaust cleaning business, marking the firm’s first successful acquisition and demonstrating the practical implementation of its stated investment strategy. This transaction represented the realization of the firm’s founding objective to identify and acquire a single company with an enterprise value between $10-30 million, with the specific intention of taking a direct management role for the long term.

The firm’s development has been closely tied to the background and vision of its Principal, Robert Knauer, who transitioned from military service as a Marine Corps officer during the Iraq War to international relations education, completing a Master of Science from Stanford University Graduate School of Business (2018-2019) and serving in a tenured position at the U.S. Department of State. Knauer’s conviction that a strong economy underpins national security drove his interest in continuing to serve the nation through private sector business ownership, leading to the formation of Eagle Peak Capital Partners in collaboration with a skilled group of investors.

The company operates from 777 Brickell Ave, Suite 500, Miami, Florida, maintaining an active online presence through its website eaglepeakcap.com where it publishes thought leadership content on small business ownership, labor market dynamics, and value creation strategies. Eagle Peak Capital Partners has maintained its focus on identifying businesses with growing industries, predictable revenue, asset-light operations, low customer concentration, multiple growth avenues, and competitive advantages, targeting companies with EBITDA ranging from $0.5-5 million.

3) Key Executives

Robert Knauer serves as Principal at Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC since October 2019. Knauer brings extensive military and international relations experience, having served as an Officer in the United States Marine Corps from January 1999 to present and held a tenured position as Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State from April 2011 to April 2018. He completed a Master of Science degree as a Sloan Fellow at Stanford University Graduate School of Business from January 2018 to January 2019, and previously earned a Master of Arts from The Johns Hopkins University – Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) from January 2006 to January 2008, along with a Bachelor of Arts from College of the Holy Cross from January 1995 to January 1999. Knauer’s international experience includes serving as a Fellow at Robert Bosch Stiftung (Robert Bosch Foundation) from January 2008 to January 2009.

Surya Chokkar holds the position of Analyst at Eagle Peak Capital Partners. The firm operates with a lean structure of 2-10 employees, reflecting its focused investment strategy of acquiring a single company rather than managing a traditional private equity portfolio. This organizational structure aligns with Eagle Peak Capital Partners’ distinctive approach of taking direct management roles in their target acquisition rather than maintaining arms-length investment relationships typical of larger private equity firms.

The leadership team’s professional backgrounds demonstrate a combination of military service, international relations expertise, and business education that supports the firm’s mission-driven approach to business ownership and long-term value creation. Both executives are based at the company’s Miami headquarters at 777 Brickell Ave, Suite 500, reflecting the firm’s centralized operational structure.

4) Ownership

Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC operates as a Delaware limited liability company that was filed in Florida as a foreign LLC on December 10, 2019, with Federal EIN number 84-2266010. The company maintains active status in Florida with its principal address at 777 Brickell Avenue, Suite 500, Miami, Florida 33131. Robert Knauer serves as both the registered agent and authorized person for the entity, indicating his central role in the firm’s legal and operational structure.

The ownership structure of Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC reflects its status as a private investment firm focused on acquiring a single company rather than operating as a traditional fund structure. The firm is not registered as an investment adviser with the SEC and does not file as an Exempt Reporting Adviser, distinguishing it from conventional registered investment advisory firms that typically manage multiple client relationships. This registration approach aligns with the company’s unique investment strategy of seeking to acquire one business with an enterprise value between $10-30 million and taking direct management control for the long term.

Eagle Peak Capital Partners has maintained consistent annual report filings with the Florida Division of Corporations since its formation, with reports filed in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, demonstrating ongoing compliance with state regulatory requirements. The firm’s operational structure includes Principal Robert Knauer and Analyst Surya Chokkar, operating with a lean team of 2-10 employees that supports its focused acquisition strategy. The company’s website indicates that Knauer has “teamed up with a skilled group of investors to help him realize his dream of running a small business,” suggesting the presence of financial backing partners, though specific ownership percentages and investor identities are not publicly disclosed.

The firm’s Delaware incorporation combined with Florida foreign qualification provides operational flexibility while maintaining compliance in its primary business location of Miami, Florida, where it conducts its investment activities and maintains its headquarters.

5) Financial Position

Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC operates as a private investment firm with a lean financial structure reflecting its unique strategy of seeking to acquire a single company rather than managing traditional private equity funds. The firm’s financial position is characterized by minimal regulatory assets under management, as evidenced by its status as neither a registered investment adviser nor an exempt reporting adviser with the SEC. This registration approach aligns with the company’s distinctive business model of acquiring one business with an enterprise value between $10-30 million and taking direct management control for the long term.

The firm’s operational scale remains modest, with 2-10 employees and headquarters at 777 Brickell Avenue, Suite 500, Miami, Florida, indicating a cost-conscious approach to overhead management. Eagle Peak Capital Partners maintains active corporate compliance in Florida, with consistent annual report filings from 2020 through 2025, demonstrating ongoing administrative and regulatory adherence that supports operational continuity. The company’s Delaware LLC structure with Florida foreign qualification provides operational flexibility while maintaining compliance in its primary business location, suggesting prudent legal and tax structuring.

The firm achieved a significant operational milestone in January 2024 when Principal Robert Knauer acquired Underpressure Inc, a small kitchen exhaust cleaning business, marking the first successful implementation of its stated investment strategy. This transaction demonstrates the firm’s ability to execute on its founding objective and validates its operational approach, though specific financial details of the acquisition or the firm’s capital deployment capacity are not publicly disclosed. The acquisition represents the practical realization of Eagle Peak Capital Partners’ unique value proposition as a permanent capital provider for business owners seeking to reduce their involvement while preserving company legacy and culture.

The firm’s financial stability appears supported by its founding structure, which includes Principal Robert Knauer working with “a skilled group of investors” to realize the business acquisition strategy, though specific details about capital commitments, fund size, or investor composition remain private. Eagle Peak Capital Partners’ focus on businesses with EBITDA ranging from $0.5-5 million and enterprise values between $10-30 million suggests a targeted approach to capital deployment that matches the firm’s operational capacity and investment thesis.

6) Market Position

Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC operates within the specialized search fund segment of the private capital markets, distinguished by its focus on acquiring and directly operating a single company rather than managing a diversified portfolio. This positioning differentiates the firm from traditional private equity firms that typically pursue multiple investments and shorter holding periods with defined exit strategies.

The firm targets a specific market segment of small to mid-sized businesses with enterprise values between $10-30 million and EBITDA ranging from $0.5-5 million, competing primarily with other search funds, strategic buyers, and smaller private equity funds for acquisition opportunities. Eagle Peak Capital Partners’ emphasis on permanent capital and long-term operational stewardship provides a distinct value proposition for business owners concerned about preserving company culture and employee welfare beyond the transaction.

The search fund model has gained traction among entrepreneurially-minded individuals seeking to acquire and operate established businesses, creating both competition and validation for Eagle Peak Capital Partners’ approach. The firm’s geographic focus on U.S.-based companies and operational headquarters in Miami positions it to evaluate opportunities across domestic markets while maintaining proximity to Latin American business networks.

Eagle Peak Capital Partners’ successful completion of its first acquisition in January 2024 with Underpressure Inc demonstrates market validation of its investment thesis and execution capabilities. This transaction establishes the firm’s credibility as an active acquirer and provides operational experience that strengthens its positioning for future opportunities within its target market segment.

7) Legal Claims and Actions

Based on a comprehensive review of available regulatory, legal, and enforcement records, Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC appears to maintain a clean legal and regulatory profile with no identified legal claims, actions, enforcement proceedings, or disciplinary measures against the firm or its principals during the past 10 years. The firm operates as neither a registered investment adviser nor an exempt reporting adviser with the SEC, which exempts it from many traditional investment adviser regulatory oversight requirements that typically generate enforcement actions within the industry.

Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC was incorporated as a Delaware limited liability company and filed in Florida as a foreign LLC on December 10, 2019, maintaining active corporate status with consistent annual report filings through 2025, demonstrating ongoing compliance with state corporate registration requirements. The firm’s operational approach of seeking to acquire a single company rather than managing traditional investment funds or client assets reduces its exposure to many regulatory frameworks that commonly result in enforcement actions for investment management firms.

Principal Robert Knauer brings extensive government service background, having served as an Officer in the United States Marine Corps from January 1999 to present and holding a tenured position as Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State from April 2011 to April 2018, suggesting a strong foundation in regulatory compliance and ethical conduct. His educational credentials include advanced degrees from Stanford University Graduate School of Business and The Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, indicating sophisticated understanding of regulatory environments and risk management principles.

The firm’s unique investment strategy of acquiring and directly managing a single company with enterprise values between $10-30 million distinguishes it from traditional private equity or investment advisory models that typically face greater regulatory scrutiny and potential enforcement actions. Eagle Peak Capital Partners achieved its first acquisition milestone in January 2024 when Knauer acquired Underpressure Inc, demonstrating successful execution of its stated business model without apparent regulatory complications.

A systematic review of major regulatory enforcement databases, including SEC enforcement actions, FINRA disciplinary proceedings, state securities regulator actions, and federal court records, reveals no citations, fines, sanctions, or legal proceedings involving Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC, its subsidiaries, or its identified personnel during the past decade. The firm’s operational structure and limited regulatory footprint appear to have shielded it from the types of compliance issues that commonly affect larger investment management organizations subject to comprehensive regulatory oversight.

8) Recent Media

Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC operates with a notably limited public media presence, reflecting its boutique structure and focused investment strategy of acquiring a single company rather than pursuing traditional private equity portfolio approaches. The firm’s media coverage consists primarily of its own content publication through its website eaglepeakcap.com, where Principal Robert Knauer publishes thought leadership articles on small business ownership, labor market dynamics, and value creation strategies.

In January 2024, Eagle Peak Capital Partners achieved its first significant milestone when Principal Robert Knauer successfully acquired Underpressure Inc, a small kitchen exhaust cleaning business, marking the practical implementation of the firm’s founding investment strategy. This acquisition represented the realization of the company’s stated objective to identify and acquire a single business with an enterprise value between $10-30 million while taking direct management control for the long term, though specific financial details of the transaction were not publicly disclosed.

The firm maintains an active online presence through professional networking platforms and its corporate website, where it publishes educational content including articles such as “If You Own a Profitable Small Business, You’ll Make More Money by Not Selling” and “Our Dynamic Labor Force,” demonstrating Knauer’s commitment to educating business owners about alternatives to traditional private equity exits. These publications reflect the firm’s positioning as a permanent capital provider for business owners seeking to reduce their involvement while preserving company legacy and culture.

Eagle Peak Capital Partners’ media strategy appears focused on establishing thought leadership in the small business acquisition space rather than pursuing traditional financial media coverage, consistent with its unique approach of seeking to acquire and operate a single business rather than managing multiple portfolio companies. The firm’s limited media footprint aligns with its operational scale of 2-10 employees and its status as neither a registered investment adviser nor an exempt reporting adviser with the SEC.

The company has maintained consistent regulatory compliance with annual report filings in Florida from 2020 through 2025, though these administrative filings have not generated media attention. Principal Robert Knauer’s background as a former Marine Corps officer and U.S. Department of State official occasionally surfaces in professional contexts, but the firm has not been subject to significant investigative reporting or regulatory scrutiny in public media.

9) Strengths

Unique Search Fund Investment Model

Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC employs a distinctive search fund-style investment approach that differentiates it from traditional private equity firms. The firm seeks to acquire a single company with an enterprise value of $10-30 million and intends to take direct management control for the long term, rather than pursuing buy-and-sell strategies typical of conventional private equity models. This permanent capital approach offers business owners a succession solution that preserves company legacy and culture while providing new leadership committed to long-term value creation.

Well-Defined Acquisition Criteria

The firm has established clear and disciplined acquisition parameters, targeting companies with EBITDA between $0.5-5 million that demonstrate growing industries, predictable revenue, asset-light operations, low customer concentration, multiple growth avenues, and competitive advantages. This focused approach enables systematic deal sourcing and evaluation, reducing execution risk and improving the probability of identifying businesses that align with the firm’s operational capabilities and strategic objectives.

Experienced Leadership with Diverse Background

Principal Robert Knauer brings substantial leadership experience from his military service as a Marine Corps officer and his tenure as a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State. His educational credentials include advanced degrees from Stanford University Graduate School of Business and The Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, providing sophisticated understanding of business strategy, international relations, and complex organizational management. This combination of operational leadership, government service, and advanced business education positions the firm to effectively manage acquired companies through various market conditions.

Lean Operational Structure

With 2-10 employees, Eagle Peak Capital Partners maintains a cost-effective operational model that avoids the significant overhead associated with larger investment firms. This lean structure enables agile decision-making, rapid response to market opportunities, and efficient capital deployment, while the focused single-company strategy eliminates the administrative complexity of managing multiple portfolio investments typical of traditional private equity funds.

Clean Regulatory and Legal Profile

The firm maintains an unblemished record with no identified legal claims, regulatory enforcement actions, or disciplinary measures since its 2019 founding. Eagle Peak Capital Partners operates with consistent corporate compliance, filing annual reports with Florida authorities from 2020 through 2025, demonstrating ongoing adherence to regulatory requirements. This clean regulatory profile enhances credibility with potential sellers, partners, and stakeholders throughout the acquisition process.

Mission-Driven Investment Philosophy

The firm’s investment approach is rooted in Principal Knauer’s conviction that a strong economy underpins national security, driving his interest in continuing to serve the nation through private sector business ownership. This mission-driven philosophy, combined with his background in public service, provides a values-based framework for business stewardship that can appeal to sellers concerned about preserving their company’s purpose and employee welfare beyond the transaction.

Established Operational Track Record

In January 2024, Eagle Peak Capital Partners successfully completed its first acquisition when Principal Robert Knauer acquired Underpressure Inc, a kitchen exhaust cleaning business, demonstrating the firm’s ability to execute its stated investment strategy. This transaction validates the operational feasibility of the firm’s search fund model and provides practical experience in business acquisition and management that strengthens its credibility for future opportunities.

10) Potential Risk Areas for Further Diligence

Key Person Dependency Risk

Eagle Peak Capital Partners LLC operates with extreme key person dependency, as Principal Robert Knauer appears to be the sole identified senior executive responsible for the firm’s operations, investment strategy execution, and business development. The firm’s unique search fund model, focused on acquiring and directly managing a single company with enterprise values between $10-30 million, requires sophisticated operational leadership, deal sourcing capabilities, and post-acquisition management expertise that currently reside primarily with one individual. Any disruption to Knauer’s availability due to health issues, personal circumstances, or competing priorities could severely impact the firm’s ability to execute its stated strategy, complete transactions, or manage acquired assets effectively.

Limited Operating History and Track Record Risk

Founded in 2019, Eagle Peak Capital Partners has a relatively brief operational history with limited publicly disclosed transaction experience to demonstrate execution capabilities. While the firm successfully completed its first acquisition of Underpressure Inc in January 2024, this single transaction provides insufficient evidence of the firm’s ability to consistently identify suitable targets, negotiate favorable terms, or generate sustainable value creation across different market conditions and industry sectors. The absence of a diversified track record creates uncertainty regarding the firm’s investment judgment, operational capabilities, and ability to navigate complex business challenges that may arise during the ownership and management of acquired companies.

Single Asset Concentration Risk

The firm’s explicitly stated strategy of acquiring and operating a single business creates unprecedented concentration risk, as the entire success of Eagle Peak Capital Partners depends on the performance of one portfolio company. Unlike traditional private equity or investment management firms that diversify risk across multiple investments, this model provides no opportunity to offset potential losses from poor performance, adverse market conditions, or operational difficulties affecting the acquired business. The concentration risk is further amplified by the firm’s intention to take direct management control, meaning both investment and operational risks are concentrated in a single entity without diversification benefits.

Unverified Capital Structure and Financial Backing

While Principal Robert Knauer indicates he has “teamed up with a skilled group of investors” to execute the acquisition strategy, the firm provides no public disclosure regarding the size, structure, or commitment level of its available capital. The ability to complete transactions within the stated enterprise value range of $10-30 million requires substantial financial resources, including acquisition funding, working capital for operations, and reserves for unexpected challenges. Without transparency into the firm’s capital base, investor commitments, or financing arrangements, potential counterparties and stakeholders cannot assess the firm’s financial capacity to complete transactions or sustain operations through various business cycles.

Regulatory and Compliance Oversight Gaps

Eagle Peak Capital Partners operates as neither a registered investment adviser nor an exempt reporting adviser with the SEC, which exempts the firm from many traditional regulatory oversight requirements that typically govern investment management activities. While this status aligns with the firm’s unique business model, it also means the firm operates with minimal external regulatory supervision, compliance monitoring, or reporting requirements that could provide early warning signals for operational issues, conflicts of interest, or risk management deficiencies. The absence of formal regulatory oversight creates potential blind spots in governance, risk management, and fiduciary standards that could impact stakeholder protection.

Operational Infrastructure and Scalability Limitations

The firm’s lean structure with 2-10 employees may lack the operational infrastructure necessary to effectively manage post-acquisition integration, ongoing business operations, and growth initiatives for a company with enterprise values up to $30 million. Managing a business of this scale typically requires diverse expertise in finance, operations, legal compliance, human resources, and strategic planning that may exceed the capabilities of a small team. The potential mismatch between organizational capacity and operational requirements could result in inadequate oversight, delayed decision-making, or insufficient attention to critical business functions.

Market Timing and Economic Sensitivity Risks

Eagle Peak Capital Partners’ investment strategy depends on identifying attractively priced acquisition opportunities in a competitive market environment where strategic buyers, private equity firms, and other capital sources actively compete for quality small businesses. Economic downturns, rising interest rates, or credit market disruptions could significantly impact the firm’s ability to source suitable targets, secure favorable financing terms, or maintain the financial health of acquired businesses. The timing-dependent nature of the search fund model creates vulnerability to macroeconomic conditions beyond the firm’s control.

Exit Strategy and Liquidity Constraints

The firm’s stated intention to operate acquired businesses “for the long-term” suggests minimal consideration of exit strategies or liquidity options for investors, creating potential challenges for capital recovery or returns realization. Unlike traditional investment structures with defined holding periods and exit mechanisms, the permanent capital model may limit flexibility to respond to changing market conditions, strategic opportunities, or investor needs. The absence of clear exit planning could result in capital being indefinitely tied to a single investment without mechanisms for value realization or portfolio rebalancing.

Sources

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