2027 cohort: executive in search

Welcome to NextGen Growth Partners’ 2027 Executive in Search (EIS) Application. Our firm brings together remarkable founders and owners ready for their next chapter with aspiring CEOs ready to acquire, operate, and grow thriving businesses across the lower-middle market. We support our EISs every step of the way with the capital, partnership, and resources to preserve what's been built and create what comes next.

Program Overview

Now in its second year, the EIS program is built for senior operators with deep industry experience in the sector they want to acquire who are eager to take the helm of a lower middle market business with EBITDA in the $1.5 to $7 million range.

The ideal EIS is looking to pursue business ownership with flexibility, strategic autonomy, and the backing of an institutional partner. Unlike our full-time CEO-in-Residence (CIR) program, EIS is part-time and can run alongside your current role, starting with an initial 12-month commitment. It’s often a strong fit for leaders focused on a specific region or a more niche thesis.

EIS participants lead their own deal sourcing with structured support from NGP, including outreach support, diligence, and capital formation. Once you acquire a business, you’ll step into the CEO seat and lead it for the long term.

Candidate Characteristics

• Demonstrates NGP’s three core values:
• Relationships: Care and communication over egos and siloes.
• Rigor: Experimentation and feedback over hesitation and defensiveness.
• Results: Value creation and winning outcomes over status quo and stagnation.

• 10+ years of operating experience in your target thesis area
• Proven success building teams, growing revenue, or managing large operations
• Strong ability to design and manage a creative, relationship-based sales approach
• Deep sense of integrity and strong personal ethics
• Passion for learning through self-directed efforts, peer-to-peer feedback, and coaching
• Bias toward action, independent work style, and long-term ownership mindset
• Thesis alignment with NGP: Outsourced B2B services providing a mission-critical service with recurring revenue in the mix