BDT & MSD Partners

Private Equity·Chicago, USA / New York, USA·~$50B AUM; Fund 4 $14B (2024); $31B+ proprietary capital

Formed in January 2023 from the merger of Byron Trott's BDT & Company and Michael Dell's MSD Partners, BDT & MSD Partners is a merchant bank co-headquartered in Chicago and New York. The firm combines an advisory platform with a long duration investment platform focused on family and founder led businesses, deploying over $50B since 2010. Its proprietary capital exceeds $31B AUM, primarily from the Dell family fortune. Fund 4 closed at $14B (54% larger than predecessor). The portfolio of 52+ companies includes Skims, EquipmentShare, and IMA Group. Hold periods extend well beyond typical PE horizons at 8 to 13 years, reflecting its patient capital philosophy.

Focus Areas

Family & Founder-Led BusinessesPrivate CreditReal EstateConsumerIndustrials

Visit website LinkedIn

Portfolio

1 company in our directory

Helsing

Hiring

Defence Tech·Series D

Helsing is a Munich-based defence technology company focused on building AI-powered software and autonomous systems for military applications across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains. The company has rapidly scaled from its 2021 founding to become one of Europe's most valuable defence tech startups, valued at €12B following a €600M Series D led by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek's Prima Materia. Helsing has delivered thousands of strike drones to Ukraine, acquired aircraft manufacturer Grob Aircraft, and unveiled the CA-1 Europa autonomous combat aerial vehicle. It is a key player in European technological sovereignty and defence AI.