Dante Investments is a long-term holding company dedicated to buying and building family owned businesses that are the backbone of the UK's manufacturing, engineering, distribution and service industries.

Our investment philosophy is based on supporting companies that can be developed and grown for the long term in partnership with the incumbent management team.

Our Approach

Our objective is to establish relationships built on trust, integrity and respect. We believe in full transparency and straightforward communication. We seek to understand and appreciate the business owner’s point of view and strive to structure transactions that find common ground.

We have started and grown our own businesses and can appreciate the significant work and entrepreneurial spirit that goes into building a company from the ground up. We feel a tremendous responsibility not just to remember a business’s founding story, but to honour it by ensuring success moving forward.

We care deeply about preserving the legacy of the companies we acquire.

We play long term games, with long term people. We are committed to backing companies that we believe will stand the test of time. The majority of companies that we engage have been in the hands of management for decades. We are investing our capital and those of patient investors which means that we are under no pressure to adhere to predetermined time horizons, which differentiates us from a traditional private equity fund.

We have sat on both sides of the table as buyers and sellers of our own companies. We recognise it takes a lot of time, energy and money to get a deal across the finish line. You want to work with a partner who is fair, thorough and committed. When we make a commitment to transact, we mean it and have the track record to back it up.

Our Team

Ollie Horsnall founded Dante Investments to provide retiring business owners and current entrepreneurs with liquidity and an aligned succession plan.

He applies an "old lock, new key" way of thinking to help management teams generate additional value from their business development and strategic initiatives.

His background is in venture capital and company creation. Past experiences includes; implementing a buy/build/invest strategy for a value-based single family office. Founding Member & Vice-President at The Venture Collective LLC, a New-York venture capital fund, investing in US & UK early-stage tech businesses.

Jonathan Prutton started his career at Deloitte in Corporate Finance, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Over the last 30 years, he has held a variety of senior leadership roles in public and privately held companies and transacted in over 50 takeovers as deal principal. Transactions include: designer and manufacturer of medical laser equipment, speciality rubber sheeting, a buy & build in the construction sector.

What we look for?

• Durable demand for the product or service

• Track record of consistent cash flow

• Strong local or regional market position

• £1-3m EBITDA

• Committed team with aspirations for the future