A TALENT UTILITY FOR FINANCIAL SPONSORS
AND THEIR PORTFOLIO COMPANIES

/ak-me/ (n): the point at which something or someone is best, perfect, or most successful

When it comes to value creation, getting the right people, in the right seats, at the right time, is a force multiplier.

When it comes to value creation, getting the right people, in the right seats, at the right time, is a force multiplier.

We recruit CEOs, their direct reports, and their key lieutenants to private AI, B2B Software, Consumer, and Tech-Enabled Service companies nationwide.

Our three discrete pre- and post-investment talent services help Venture, Growth, and Lower Middle Market Private Equity sponsors win more of the investments they pursue and accelerate the value of their portfolio companies.

Whether pressure-testing a thesis, pursuing a new deal, or improving a current one, we are purpose-built to help you get the right people, in the right seats, at the right time.

Below are some of the companies we’ve partnered with previously.

Please get in touch for more information.

  • A green and black pixelated logo with the letter 'G' on it.

    Ad Verification + Measurement Platform

    Investors: August Capital, Vista Equity Partners

    IPO June 2021

  • The logo of invent.ai with the text 'invent' in black and '.ai' in red.

    AI Demand Planning + Inventory Management

    Investors: LFX Ventures, Counterpart.vc

  • KLAVIYO

    Marketing Automation Platform (NYSE: KVYO)

    Investors: Summit Partners, Lone Pine Capital, Owl Rock, Accel

    IPO September 2023

  • AI-Powered B2B Vendor Financing

    Investors: Mayfield, Activant Capital, Audacious Ventures

    Acquired by: Capchase

  • Metabase logo with a green background, featuring a cluster of blue and white dots to the left of the word 'Metabase'.

    Open Source AI Business Intelligence 

    Investors: NEA, Insight Partners, Expa

  • Stylized logo with the word 'touch' in lowercase and bold, featuring two green semi-circles partially surrounding the word.

    Insurtech for Startups

    Investors: Ribbit Capital, Redpoint, Y Combinator

  • Image of the MAGNITUDE ADVANTAGE logo with a globe-like icon and blue text.

    AI Radiology Solutions

    Investors: Goldman Sachs 

    Acquired by Envision Healthcare ($300M)

  • Foxen

    Insurance Compliance and Real Estate Management Software

    Investors: Summit Partners, LevelOne Equity

  • ReCharge

    Subscription Billing Management Software

    Investors: Summit Partners, ICONIQ, Bain Capital Ventures

  • Syndigo

    Product Information Management Software

    Investors: Summit Partners, The Jordan Company (TJC)

  • worksuite

    Workforce Management Software

    Investors: H.I.G. Growth

  • Proven Optics logo with stylized blue and dark blue swooshes encircling the name.

    IT Financial Management + Analytics Software

    Investors: Silversmith Capital

  • InMoment

    Customer Experience Software 

    Investors: Madison Dearborn

  • Logo of UnifyID, a black keyhole icon inside a red circle, with the text 'UNIFY' in gray and 'ID' in red.

    Sensor-Based Authentication Platform

    Investors: a16z, NEA 

    Acquired by Proove

  • Logitech logo with a circular yellow icon and black text

    Urban Planning + Transportation SaaS

    Investors: Osage University Partners, Macquarie Capital 

    Acquired by Jacobs ($240M)

  • SHEETS by quickbooks

    Workforce Management Software

    Investors: Summit Partners

    Acquired by Intuit ($340M)

  • Self-Driving Industrial Robots + Vehicles 

    Benchmark, a16z, Index Ventures

    IPO October 2021

  • Jungle Scout logo with the words 'Jungle Scout' in black and orange text on a white background.

    Ecommerce Software + Tools For Amazon Sellers 

    Investors: Summit Partners

  • Logo of ShipMonk featuring a smiling cartoon monk holding a package

    Third-Party Logistics For Ecommerce Merchants

    Investors: Summit Partners, Periphas Capital

  • Alogo of ACXIOM featuring the company name with stylized blue and dark blue geometric shapes.

    Data + Marketing Services

    Investors: NASDAQ: ACXM

    Acquired by Interpublic Group ($2.3B)

  • Logo with the text 'BDI' in black, a green arrow pointing to the right, and the tagline 'RAW DATA. REFINED RESULTS.' with 'RAW DATA.' in black and 'REFINED RESULTS.' in green.

    Nondestructive Civil Infrastructure Diagnostics + Analytics

    Investors: Carmelina Capital

  • The logo of Rival, featuring a hexagon with a stylized letter R inside, in pink and purple gradient, with the word Rival in bold black letters next to it.

    Identity-Based Live Event Ticketing Platform + Analytics

    Investors: Upfront, a16z 

    Acquired by Ticketmaster

  • A Cloud Guru

    Cloud Computing Skills Training Platform

    Investors: Summit Partners, Bain Capital Tech Opportunities

    Acquired by Pluralsight ($2B)

  • NOOM

    Consumer Wellness + Weight Management 

    Investors: Sequoia, Silver Lake, Temasek, RRE

  • GIVECAMPUS

    EdTech Fundraising Software Platform

    Investors: Silversmith Capital

  • Text reading 'ON' next to a black square with a white X in the center.

    GPS Hunting Maps

    Investors: Summit Partners

  • JetNet logo with stylized text and motion lines.

    Aviation Market Research + Data Services

    Investors: Silversmith Capital

  • A black rectangle with the word 'Keurig' in white letters and colorful oval shapes to the right.

    K-12 Education Platform 

    NASDAQ: HMHC 

    Acquired by Veritas Capital ($2.8B) 

  • Bloom Energy logo with the word 'Bloom' in black and 'energy' in green.

    Distributed Energy Fuel Cells

    Investors: Kleiner Perkins, NEA

    IPO July 2018

  • SaaS

    Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS)

    Investors: Silversmith Capital

  • houzz

    Online Home Design Platform

    Investors: Sequoia, ICONIQ, KPCB, NEA, Zeev Ventures

  • Logo of the brand 'gotena' in black lowercase letters on a white background.

    Mobile Mesh Networks + Off-Grid Connectivity 

    Investors: Union Square Ventures, Founders Fund

  • PsiQuantum logo with the words PsiQuantum in black text on a green background

    Photonic-Based Quantum Computing

    Investors: Redpoint Ventures, Founders Fund, Blackrock, Atomico

  • Wealthfront logo with stylized purple bars and black company name

    Automated Investing + Savings Platform

    Investors: Tiger Global, Greylock, Index, Spark, DAG Ventures

  • MacStadium logo with black text and orange circular design element

    Enterprise-Class Apple O/S Private Clouds 

    Investors: Summit Partners

  • LifeLock

    Fraud Detection + Identity Verification Solutions

    Investors: KPCB, Battery Ventures 

    Acquired by Symantec ($2.3B)

  • Tastemade

    Food, Travel + Design-centric Content Network

    Investors: Goldman Sachs, Raine Ventures, Redpoint

    Acquired by Wonder

  • Dapper

    Web3 Flow Blockchain + NFT Collectibles

    Investors: Coatue, a16z, Union Square Ventures

  • KIAVI logo with the slogan "Speed to close. Power to scale."

    Fintech Mortgage Platform

    Investors: Ribbit Capital, First Round Capital, Foundation Capital

  • The text "curious cardinals" written in dark blue, playful font on a black background.

    Edtech Mentoring Network

    Investors: Audacious Ventures, Anthos Capital

  • TurningPoint logo with a blue dot and concentric circles in the background.

    Healthcare Condition Management Solutions

    Investors: Summit Partners

  • SimplePractice logo with blue and gray text and an abstract logo symbol.

    Practice Management For Mental Health Industry

    Investors: Summit Partners, General Atlantic

  • Solutionreach logo featuring stylized letters SR and the company name

    Practice Management For Dental Industry

    Investors: Summit Partners 

  • VuMedi logo with stylized 'V' and the company name in black text.

    YouTube For Physicians

    Investors: Bootstrapped

  • MEDISPEND

    Life Sciences Compliance Software

    Investors: Susquehana Growth Equity

  • The Key

    Elder Home Healthcare Services

    Investors: Summit Partners

  • EHE Health

    Preventive Health Services For Employees

    Investors: Summit Partners, Consello Capital 

  • Health pay24

    Medical Payments Solutions

    Investors: Summit Partners, General Atlantic

    Acquired by Waystar

Team

John is a Partner focused on supporting fast-growing AI and enterprise SaaS companies.

JOHN ALLAN -
PARTNER

LinkedIn John Allan

  • John is a Partner focused on supporting fast-growing AI and enterprise SaaS companies.

    He spent the last two years as Co-Founder & COO of a stealth-mode AI security startup in Silicon Valley.

    Earlier, John spent almost twenty years in executive search at Kindred Partners, where he led their SaaS, DeepTech, Consumer, and early AI work.

    Raised in Cincinnati, John loves everything physics and graduated from Butler University, where he was a two-sport athlete.

Tom is the Founder of Acme Talent. Prior he helped build both Signal Partners and Fortis Partners.

TOM NIEMAN -
MANAGING PARTNER

LinkedIn TOM NIEMAN

  • Tom is the Founder of Acme Talent. Prior he helped build both Signal Partners and Fortis Partners.

    Earlier he was a Partner at Ramsey/Beirne Associates, an early tech industry search firm that recruited CEOs for Netscape, eBay, E*Trade, and Priceline. He began his career at DHR International.

    Originally from Chicago, Tom graduated from Dartmouth College and now lives in Los Angeles. He was a (very) late-round draft pick of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and clings to a few memories of being good at hockey.

Josh is a Co-Founder and leads C-Level and VP searches across Finance, Sales, Marketing, and Success functions.

JOSH UEBERROTH -
PARTNER

LinkedIn logo with white lettering on a black background

  • Josh is a Co-Founder and leads C-Level and VP searches across Finance, Sales, Marketing, and Success functions. 

    Prior, Josh was at Signal Partners and its predecessor, Fortis Partners. 

    Earlier, Josh was at Robert Half Technology recruiting software devs for high-growth tech companies and he began his career in sales at Mobile Mini (NASDAQ: WSC).

    Based in Philadelphia, Josh earned dual degrees from Arizona State University - a BA in Political Science and a BA in History. 

A Co-Founder, Elihu is responsible for optimizing the firm’s execution capabilities across research, talent mapping, and data collection and synthesis.

ELIHU WHITNEY -
HEAD OF OPERATIONS

LinkedIn ELIHU WHITNEY

  • A Co-Founder, Elihu is responsible for optimizing the firm’s execution capabilities across research, talent mapping, and data collection and synthesis. 

    Previously, he was a Director at Signal Partners and prior was an Equity Research Associate at ROTH Capital Partners, a boutique investment bank.

    A Los Angeles native, Elihu earned a BA of Economics from UCSB and a Master of Finance from USC. When he’s not recruiting you can find him in the ocean or at the gym.