Seth Boro | $1B+
Get in touch with Seth Boro | Seth Boro, a Managing Partner at Thoma Bravo, is a key figure in the world of private equity, specifically within the software and technology sectors. Since joining the firm in 2005, he has played a leading role in many of Thoma Bravo’s most significant transactions, helping to pioneer the firm’s buy-and-build strategy in enterprise software. His expertise spans cybersecurity, infrastructure software, and business services, where he oversees a portfolio of market-leading companies. Under his leadership, the firm has solidified its reputation for transforming software companies through operational excellence and strategic acquisitions, making Boro a central architect of one of the most successful investment track records in modern finance.
Seth Boro is a managing partner of software-focused private-equity firm Thoma Bravo, which ranks among the world's top buyout investors.
The firm, with assets of $181 billion, was formed in 2008, when Orlando Bravo and Carl Thoma split from partner Brian Cressey, who was focused on healthcare deals.
Boro, a Stanford MBA with a track record of over 15 exits and key investments like AI security platform Dynatrace, leads the firm's infrastructure and cybersecurity strategy.
He joined Thoma Bravo in 2005 after stints at Summit Partners and Credit Suisse, and became a managing partner in 2013.
Boro, originally from Canada, is a minority owner of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, the Bay Area-based National Women's Soccer League team Bay FC, and the parent company of the Leeds United soccer team.
Seth Boro is a managing partner at Thoma Bravo. Since joining in 2005, he has been instrumental in managing the firm and supporting its growth and success across the software and technology space. Based in San Francisco, Seth leads Thoma Bravo’s infrastructure software and cybersecurity strategy. He currently sits on the boards of Calabrio, ConnectWise, Darktrace, Flexera, Hyland, LogRhythm, Ping Identity, Proofpoint, Qlik, SailPoint and Sophos.
During his time at Thoma Bravo, Seth has held more than 30 board seats, led more than 15 exits, and helped Thoma Bravo establish one of the largest cybersecurity portfolios in private equity, representing more than $60 billion in total enterprise value.1 Seth has also received industry recognition for the deals he has led, including the 2023 sale of Imperva to Thales (Private Equity Deal of the Year at the 2024 International M&A Awards2) and the 2019 sale of DigiCert (Private Equity Deal of the Year by The Deal3).
In addition to his contributions to the private equity sector, Seth, alongside his wife, Jen Hamilton, founded the Room to Breathe Project, which is committed to supporting and improving young people’s mental health and well-being, with a specific focus on under-resourced communities. Seth is also a board observer at Bay FC and the Northern Super League and serves on the boards of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, the Ottawa Rapid FC and the Canada Soccer Foundation.
Originally from Canada, Seth received his B.Comm. degree from Queen’s University School of Business, and later earned his MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Seth began his career as an analyst at First Marathon Securities (now National Bank Financial) before joining the investment bank Credit Suisse in Toronto. Prior to Thoma Bravo, Seth was part of the investment team at Summit Partners, where he focused on private equity investments in the technology and business services sectors. Given Seth’s deep expertise in the fields of technology and cybersecurity, he regularly provides insights on sector trends, opportunities and risks through media interviews and at global industry events, including the Milken Institute Global Conference.
Thoma Bravo is a leading private equity firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, specializing in investments in software and technology companies.[1][2] Founded in 2008 by Orlando Bravo and Carl Thoma following their split from the broader Thoma Cressey Bravo firm, it draws on over 40 years of history in software and technology investing through its predecessor entities.[3][1] As of June 30, 2025, Thoma Bravo manages more than $181 billion in assets under management across a series of private equity, growth, and credit funds.[4]
The firm employs a partnership-oriented approach, collaborating with management teams to foster innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable growth in portfolio companies.[4] Its investment strategy emphasizes buyouts and minority stakes in growth-oriented businesses within key subsectors including applications software, infrastructure, and cybersecurity, where it maintains one of the largest dedicated portfolios in private equity, exceeding $60 billion in enterprise value.[5][4] Thoma Bravo has completed investments in approximately 555 companies, collectively representing over $285 billion in enterprise value, including both control and non-control positions.[1]
Notable for its focus on responsible growth and governance, the firm integrates frameworks addressing cybersecurity, artificial intelligence adoption, human capital development, and sustainability to enhance long-term value creation.[4] Thoma Bravo has faced criticism and legal challenges related to certain portfolio companies, including antitrust allegations against RealPage regarding its rent-setting software, leading to multiple lawsuits and regulatory actions in 2025.[6][7] Thoma Bravo operates flagship funds for large-scale software and technology deals, alongside targeted vehicles like Discover and Explore funds for middle- and lower-middle-market opportunities, and a dedicated growth fund for minority investments.[4] In 2025, the firm continued its acquisition activity, including the $10.55 billion purchase of Boeing's Digital Aviation Solutions business in November.[8] With offices across the United States and in London, it continues to expand its global footprint while prioritizing sector-specific expertise to support portfolio company expansion.[1]
History
Origins and early development (1980–2007)
Thoma Bravo traces its origins to 1980, when Carl Thoma co-founded Golder Thoma & Co. with Stanley Golder in Chicago, establishing one of the earliest buyout firms in the United States.[9][10] Drawing from their experience at First Chicago Equity Group, the partners pioneered the "buy-and-build" investment strategy, which involved acquiring fragmented industry platforms and consolidating them through add-on acquisitions to create scaled leaders.[9][11] This approach contrasted with traditional venture capital by emphasizing operational synergies and market dominance in sectors like healthcare and business services. Early successes included building Paging Network into the world's largest paging company during the 1980s, demonstrating the strategy's potential for value creation.[12]
By the mid-1980s, the firm expanded with the addition of partners such as Bryan Cressey, renaming to Golder Thoma Cressey and later Golder Thoma Cressey Rauner (GTCR) as it raised successive funds targeting mid-market buyouts.[13] The firm managed over $500 million in assets by the early 1990s, focusing on roll-up opportunities in healthcare services and telecommunications.[14] In 1998, internal disagreements led to an amicable split: Golder and Bruce Rauner retained the GTCR name, while Thoma and Cressey formed Thoma Cressey Equity Partners to pursue similar buy-and-build tactics with a renewed emphasis on growth sectors.[13][12] That same year, Orlando Bravo joined as a partner, bringing expertise from Morgan Stanley and Stanford's Graduate School of Business to bolster the firm's deal execution capabilities.[11][15]
Under Thoma Cressey, the firm began shifting toward technology and software investments in the early 2000s, recognizing the sector's potential for recurring revenue and scalability. A pivotal move came in 2000 with the take-private acquisition of Prophet 21, a supply chain management software provider, marking one of the first software-focused buyouts by a private equity firm and setting the stage for deeper specialization.[9] Subsequent deals, such as the 2002 investment in Attachmate (enterprise software) and healthcare platforms like Select Medical Holdings, illustrated the firm's evolving portfolio while maintaining the buy-and-build core.[16] By 2006, Thoma Cressey had raised its eighth fund at $765 million, primarily targeting software and services, though it continued balancing with healthcare opportunities.[17] In 2007, the firm renamed to Thoma Cressey Bravo to honor Orlando Bravo's contributions, amid preparations for a structural split that would formalize its software focus in the following year.[18][17]
Establishment and expansion (2008–present)
In 2008, Thoma Bravo was established in its current form following the departure of co-founder Bryan Cressey from Thoma Cressey Bravo, with the firm rebranding to focus exclusively on software and technology investments under the leadership of Carl Thoma and Orlando Bravo.[19][20] This pivot marked a strategic shift toward buyout opportunities in the software sector, launching the firm's flagship fund at approximately $800 million, which capitalized on the post-financial crisis environment to build a portfolio of high-growth technology companies.[20][21]
The firm's expansion accelerated through a series of increasingly larger fundraises, reflecting strong investor confidence in its software-centric approach. By 2016, Thoma Bravo closed its 12th fund at $7.6 billion, followed by the 13th fund in 2019 at $12.6 billion, enabling a broader range of control and non-control investments.[22] In 2022, it achieved a landmark $32.4 billion raise across multiple vehicles, including the $24.3 billion Fund XV—the largest tech-focused buyout fund at the time—and the $6.2 billion Discover Fund IV for mid-market deals.[23] This momentum continued into 2025, with a record $34.4 billion fundraise encompassing the $24.3 billion Fund XVI, $8.1 billion Discover Fund V, and a €1.8 billion Europe-focused fund, bringing assets under management to over $181 billion as of June 30, 2025.[24][1]
Thoma Bravo's growth extended beyond fundraising to strategic expansions in investment strategies and geographic reach. The firm introduced complementary funds like the Discover series for mid-market opportunities and the Explore series for lower-middle-market investments, alongside a private credit platform that raised $750 million in 2018 and $3.3 billion in 2022.[20] In 2023, it bolstered its European presence by appointing Irina Hemmers as a partner to lead regional expansion, resulting in four of its six 2024 platform investments being in Europe, including the $5.3 billion take-private of cybersecurity firm Darktrace and the $1.8 billion acquisition of Everbridge.[20] Overall, since 2008, Thoma Bravo has completed approximately 555 investments representing $285 billion in value, with around 160 platform deals and 340 add-ons, generating $25 billion from nine exits in 2023–2024 alone.[1][25] This scale underscores its evolution into the world's largest software-focused private equity firm.[26]
In late 2025, Thoma Bravo continued its expansion with key appointments to its private credit platform, including Jeff Levin as Head of Credit and Kunal Soni as Partner on October 21, enhancing its credit capabilities. On November 10, it announced a strategic investment in Trading Technologies, joining existing investor 7RIDGE to support growth in the fintech sector.[27][28]
Leadership and organization
Founders and key figures
Thoma Bravo was co-founded in 2008 by Carl D. Thoma and Orlando Bravo, who serve as Managing Partners and have shaped the firm's focus on software and technology investments.[9][29]
Carl D. Thoma, a pioneer in private equity, co-founded Golder Thoma & Co. in 1980 with Stanley Golder, marking one of the earliest venture capital firms dedicated to buyout strategies.[30][31] He later co-founded Thoma Cressey in 1992 and its successor, Thoma Cressey Bravo, before partnering with Orlando Bravo to establish Thoma Bravo as a software-specialized buyout firm. Thoma, a graduate of Oklahoma State University and Stanford Graduate School of Business, is recognized for developing the "buy-and-build" investment approach that emphasizes operational improvements and strategic acquisitions in portfolio companies.[30][32][10]
Orlando Bravo, who led Thoma Bravo's initial foray into software buyouts, has driven the firm's expansion into one of the largest technology-focused private equity managers globally.[33] A native of Puerto Rico and the first Puerto Rican-born billionaire, Bravo holds a JD/MBA from Stanford University and previously practiced law before entering private equity. Under his leadership, Thoma Bravo has executed approximately 555 investments, prioritizing cybersecurity, infrastructure, and enterprise software sectors.[3][34][33][1]
Among other key figures, Seth Boro and Holden Spaht serve as Managing Partners, contributing to the firm's investment strategy and operations since joining in 2005. Boro, based in Chicago, has been instrumental in deal sourcing and portfolio management, helping scale Thoma Bravo's assets under management to over $181 billion as of June 30, 2025.[35][29][1] Spaht, located in San Francisco, focuses on technology investments and has played a pivotal role in high-profile acquisitions, including those in cybersecurity and fintech.[36][37]
Current management structure
Thoma Bravo's management structure is organized as a partnership model, with a leadership team of managing partners overseeing strategic investments, firm operations, and growth initiatives in the software and technology sectors. As of 2025, the managing partners include founders and long-tenured leaders such as Orlando Bravo, who co-founded the firm and directs its software buyout strategy; Carl D. Thoma, the original founder emphasizing disciplined value creation; Seth Boro, focused on firm expansion and key deals; Scott Crabill, leading application software investments; Holden Spaht, driving growth equity efforts from the San Francisco office; and Lee M. Mitchell, contributing to overall portfolio management from Chicago. These executives collectively guide the firm's $181 billion in assets under management and its focus on buy-and-build approaches.[38][29][1]
Supporting the managing partners is a partners team of senior investment professionals who handle deal origination, due diligence, and execution across sectors like cybersecurity and fintech. Key members include Andrew Almeida, Ross Devor, Tara Gadgil, Irina Hemmers, and others, who collaborate on high-impact transactions and portfolio oversight. In October 2025, the firm appointed Jeff Levin as Head of Credit and Partner, and Kunal Soni as Partner on the credit platform, expanding its credit capabilities.[39] The investment team extends to managing directors, principals, and associates, forming a hierarchical structure that ensures specialized expertise in software-specific opportunities.[40][41]
The firm also maintains dedicated functional teams for operational efficiency, including finance (with roles in accounting, valuation, and controllership), investor relations and marketing, and information technology & security (led by a chief information security officer). These teams report into the leadership structure to support fundraising, compliance, and internal systems.[42][43][44]
A core element of Thoma Bravo's structure is its external network of operating partners and advisors, comprising over 25 independent contractors who provide hands-on guidance to portfolio companies on operational improvements, scaling, and innovation. Categorized into senior operating partners, operating partners, technology partners, and operating advisors, this group includes experts like Erik Akopiantz, Marcel Bernard, Mark Bishof, Pete Boyes, Tom Clark, Cynthia Crane, Tom Davis, and Gary Fry. Unlike internal staff, these advisors bridge the gap between the investment team and company management, enhancing value creation without formal affiliation to the firm.[45][46]
Investment approach
Buy-and-build strategy
Thoma Bravo's buy-and-build strategy, pioneered by co-founder Carl Thoma in the 1980s, involves acquiring a foundational "platform" company in fragmented industries—particularly software—and then expanding it through a series of complementary "add-on" acquisitions to consolidate market share, achieve operational synergies, and drive long-term value creation.[9] This approach originated with Thoma's early work at Golder Thoma & Cressey, where it was applied to consolidate slowing-growth sectors by focusing on free cash flow generation and superior management practices, later refined for the software industry starting around 2000.[9] Unlike traditional buyouts that emphasize financial engineering, Thoma Bravo's model prioritizes operational improvements and strategic growth, partnering closely with existing management teams to integrate acquisitions and enhance product offerings.[4]
The strategy operates across Thoma Bravo's fund structures, including Flagship funds for large-cap software firms, Discover funds for middle-market companies, and Explore funds for lower middle-market opportunities, enabling targeted consolidation in specialized markets with strong recurring revenue streams.[4] Key principles include selecting platform companies with at least $150 million in annual sales from repeat customers, developing pre-acquisition growth plans with management, and executing post-merger integrations to triple enterprise value through efficiency gains and expanded capabilities, often in fragmented sectors like cybersecurity and financial software.[19] This partnership-oriented method leverages the firm's deep sector expertise to foster product innovation and sustainable expansion, avoiding distressed turnarounds in favor of "good-but-not-yet-great" performers.[4]
Representative examples illustrate the strategy's impact. In 2000, Thoma Bravo acquired Prophet 21, a supply chain software provider, and completed six add-on acquisitions to consolidate operations, stabilize cash flows, and improve margins, ultimately building a more scalable franchise.[9] Another case is the 2014 acquisition of Compuware for approximately $2.4 billion, from which Thoma Bravo carved out and expanded Dynatrace through complementary deals, transforming it into a cloud observability leader with EBITDA margins exceeding 30% and achieving a successful IPO.[47] Similarly, the merger of Axiom and Calypso into Adenza in the financial services space capitalized on regulatory synergies, leading to a $10.5 billion sale to Nasdaq in 2023.[48] These efforts have contributed to Thoma Bravo managing over $181 billion in assets as of June 30, 2025, with a focus on software-driven consolidation.[4]
Sector specialization
Thoma Bravo specializes in software and technology companies, with a primary focus on sectors that deliver mission-critical, high-recurring-revenue solutions. This emphasis stems from the firm's deep operational expertise in product innovation, strategic acquisitions, and sustainable growth, enabling it to partner with management teams to scale businesses in competitive markets.[4]
The cybersecurity sector represents a cornerstone of Thoma Bravo's portfolio, where it has amassed one of the largest collections of investments in private equity, totaling over $60 billion in enterprise value as of June 30, 2025. The firm targets companies addressing evolving threats through advanced infrastructure and application security, such as Proofpoint, which provides email and cloud security platforms, and Sophos, specializing in endpoint detection and response technologies. This specialization allows Thoma Bravo to capitalize on the sector's rapid expansion driven by increasing digital vulnerabilities.[5]
In fintech and financial software, Thoma Bravo invests in platforms that streamline payments, compliance, and banking operations, reflecting the intersection of technology and financial services. A key example is the 2022 acquisition of Bottomline Technologies for $2.6 billion, a cloud-based provider of business payment and cash management solutions that supports global transaction efficiency. These investments highlight the firm's ability to enhance fintech scalability amid regulatory and digital transformation demands.[49]
Thoma Bravo's enterprise software focus encompasses tools for business planning, operations, and customer engagement, prioritizing platforms with strong market adoption and integration potential. Notable holdings include Coupa Software, a leader in business spend management, and Anaplan, which delivers connected planning and performance management solutions for enterprises. This area underscores the firm's strategy of backing software that drives operational excellence and long-term value in diverse industries.[5]
Overall, Thoma Bravo's sector specialization is integrated into its Responsible Growth and Governance framework, which incorporates priorities like AI adoption and cybersecurity resilience to foster innovation across investments. By concentrating on these high-impact software domains, the firm differentiates itself through targeted expertise rather than broad diversification.[4]
Portfolio companies
Cybersecurity investments
Thoma Bravo has established itself as a leading investor in the cybersecurity sector, with a portfolio comprising over a dozen companies focused on areas such as identity management, endpoint protection, threat detection, and compliance solutions. As of June 30, 2025, the firm's cybersecurity investments represent more than $60 billion in total enterprise value, underscoring its commitment to software-driven security technologies that address evolving digital threats.[5] This focus aligns with Thoma Bravo's broader strategy of targeting high-growth software firms, where cybersecurity has become a cornerstone due to increasing demand for robust defenses against ransomware, data breaches, and supply chain vulnerabilities.
Key acquisitions highlight the scale of Thoma Bravo's involvement. In 2021, the firm acquired Proofpoint, a provider of cybersecurity and compliance platforms, for approximately $12.3 billion in an all-cash deal, enabling enhanced capabilities in email security and data loss prevention for enterprise clients.[50] The following year, Thoma Bravo purchased SailPoint, a leader in identity governance and administration, for $6.9 billion, marking its second investment in the company after an initial stake in 2014 and supporting advancements in automated identity security for cloud environments.[51] These deals exemplify Thoma Bravo's approach to bolstering portfolio companies through operational improvements and strategic add-ons, such as Proofpoint's subsequent acquisition of Dathena for AI-driven data protection in 2022.[52]
More recent transactions demonstrate continued momentum. In 2020, Thoma Bravo acquired Sophos, an endpoint and network security specialist, for about $3.8 billion, integrating it into a ecosystem that emphasizes managed detection and response services.[53] The firm expanded its AI-centric holdings in 2024 by acquiring Darktrace, a pioneer in autonomous cybersecurity using machine learning for threat detection, in a $5.3 billion transaction that closed in October.[54] That same year, Thoma Bravo took Everbridge private for roughly $1.8 billion, enhancing its offerings in critical event management and public warning systems to mitigate physical and digital risks.[55] Additionally, the firm realized a significant exit by announcing the sale of Venafi, a machine identity management provider, to CyberArk for $1.54 billion in May 2024, which closed in October 2024, generating substantial returns on its 2019 investment.[56]
To support its cybersecurity portfolio, Thoma Bravo launched the Cyber Consortium in April 2023, a collaborative initiative sponsored by the firm to unite CEOs, CISOs, and industry experts from private and public sectors. The consortium facilitates knowledge sharing on emerging risks, trends, and opportunities, aiming to advance the overall cybersecurity ecosystem through dialogue and best practices rather than direct commercial activities.[57] Other notable holdings include Delinea for privileged access management, Exabeam for security analytics, and Imprivata for healthcare-specific identity solutions, each contributing to a diversified approach that prioritizes scalable, software-based defenses over hardware-centric models.[5] Through these investments, Thoma Bravo not only drives growth in individual companies but also fosters synergies across its portfolio to tackle complex, interconnected security challenges.
Fintech and financial software
Thoma Bravo has established a significant presence in the fintech sector through targeted investments in software providers that enhance financial operations, payments, and compliance for banks, corporations, and other institutions. The firm's approach emphasizes acquiring and scaling companies that deliver cloud-based solutions for complex financial processes, aligning with its broader specialization in enterprise software. This focus has enabled Thoma Bravo to capitalize on the digital transformation of financial services, supporting portfolio companies in expanding their market reach and integrating advanced technologies like AI and automation.[4]
A key aspect of Thoma Bravo's fintech strategy involves the buy-and-build model, where it acquires established players and facilitates mergers or add-on acquisitions to create comprehensive platforms. For instance, in 2021, Thoma Bravo acquired Calypso Technology, a provider of capital markets and investment management software, for approximately $3.7 billion, and subsequently merged it with AxiomSL to form Adenza, a unified platform for trading, risk management, and regulatory compliance. This combined entity served over 1,500 financial institutions globally before Thoma Bravo announced its divestiture to Nasdaq in June 2023 for $10.5 billion, which completed in November 2023, demonstrating the firm's ability to drive value through operational enhancements and strategic consolidation.[58][59]
In payments and cash management, Thoma Bravo has pursued high-profile deals to address inefficiencies in business transactions. The firm acquired Bottomline Technologies in 2022 for $2.6 billion, a provider of cloud-based solutions for secure payments, fraud prevention, and regulatory reporting used by thousands of banks and corporations worldwide. Similarly, the 2023 acquisition of Coupa Software for $8 billion bolstered its portfolio with a leading business spend management platform that incorporates invoice-to-pay automation and supplier payments, serving over 3,000 customers and generating more than $1 billion in annual billings by 2024. These investments highlight Thoma Bravo's emphasis on scalable SaaS models that reduce costs and improve compliance in financial workflows.[49][60][61]
Thoma Bravo also targets niche areas like insurance technology and personalized banking services. In 2020, it acquired Majesco, a cloud insurance software provider, for $729 million, enabling the company to accelerate product innovation and acquire complementary assets like Decision Research Corporation in 2024 to strengthen its offerings for managing general agents and insurers. In personalized finance, a $85 million growth investment in Personetics in 2021 supported the development of AI-driven engagement tools for over 150 million banking users across 40 countries, enhancing customer retention through data-driven insights. Additionally, Thoma Bravo maintains a stake in Solifi following its 2021 rebranding of IDS into a secured finance platform, which has pursued expansions like the 2025 acquisitions of DataScan and Leasepath to broaden asset finance capabilities. More recently, in July 2025, Thoma Bravo partnered with 7RIDGE to invest in Trading Technologies, a capital markets platform serving electronic trading across asset classes, which closed in November 2025, aiming to fuel further innovation in trading infrastructure.[62][63][64][65][66][28]
Through these investments, Thoma Bravo has contributed to the evolution of fintech by prioritizing software that integrates seamlessly with legacy financial systems while driving efficiency and regulatory adherence. The firm's portfolio in this sector reflects a commitment to long-term growth, with ongoing support for product development and market expansion amid rising demand for digital financial tools.[1]
Enterprise software and other sectors
Thoma Bravo has made significant investments in enterprise software companies, emphasizing platforms that support business operations, data management, and customer engagement. A cornerstone of this focus is Hyland, a provider of enterprise content services software, which Thoma Bravo acquired a majority stake in for approximately $265 million in 2007, enabling the company to expand its document management and process automation solutions for industries including financial services and healthcare.[67][68] Similarly, in 2022, Thoma Bravo completed a $10.4 billion acquisition of Anaplan, a cloud-based business planning platform that facilitates connected planning across sales, finance, and supply chain functions, marking one of the firm's largest deals in the sector.[69]
The firm has also targeted analytics and experience management tools, exemplified by its 2016 purchase of Qlik for $3 billion, a leader in data visualization and business intelligence software that integrates AI-driven insights for enterprise decision-making; Thoma Bravo later reinforced its commitment with an additional equity investment in 2025 while retaining majority ownership.[70][71] In experience management, Thoma Bravo took Medallia private in 2021 for $6.4 billion, supporting the company's AI-powered platform for customer and employee feedback analysis used by global enterprises.[72] These investments underscore Thoma Bravo's strategy of backing scalable, subscription-based software with high recurring revenue, contributing to a portfolio segment that generates substantial annual revenue—approximately $29 billion across about 75 companies as of mid-2025.[5]
Beyond core enterprise software, Thoma Bravo has diversified into vertical-specific applications across sectors like construction, healthcare, and education. In construction, the firm acquired Command Alkon in 2020, a provider of cloud-based solutions for ready-mix concrete and heavy building materials management, which has since pursued add-on acquisitions like Marcotte Systems in 2024 to enhance dispatch and service capabilities.[73][74] For healthcare, investments include Alma, a platform streamlining mental health practice management with scheduling and billing tools, and Vivian Health, which connects traveling nurses to facilities via a staffing marketplace.[5] In education and public safety, Thoma Bravo backed Raptor Technologies in 2023, offering software for school threat assessment and visitor management to improve campus security.[75] These targeted bets leverage Thoma Bravo's software expertise to address niche operational challenges, often through buy-and-build approaches that integrate complementary technologies for market leadership.[4]
Performance and recent activities
Fund performance
Thoma Bravo's fund performance has been robust, driven by its focus on software and technology investments, with flagship buyout funds consistently delivering net internal rates of return (IRRs) that outperform many peers in the private equity sector. The firm's strategy of operational improvements and strategic add-ons has contributed to strong realizations and distributions, enabling rapid capital recycling and investor confidence, as evidenced by successive oversubscribed fundraises. Since early 2023, Thoma Bravo has distributed over $30 billion to limited partners, highlighting its ability to generate liquidity even in challenging markets.[76]
Performance metrics vary by fund vintage and measurement date, with earlier funds benefiting from favorable exit environments in the mid-2010s and early 2020s. For example, Thoma Bravo Fund XIII, a $12.6 billion vehicle closed in 2019, achieved a net IRR of approximately 42% as of March 2022, reflecting early successes in cybersecurity and software deals.[77] By December 2023, this fund's net IRR stood at 28.60% with a total value to paid-in capital (TVPI) multiple of 1.84x, as interim valuations adjusted with market conditions.[78]
More recent funds have shown solid but maturing returns amid higher interest rates and slower exits. As of March 31, 2025, per California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) data, Thoma Bravo Fund XV (closed at $24.3 billion in 2022) reported a net IRR of 12.5%, while Fund XIV ($17.8 billion closed in 2020) reached 7.4%. These figures underscore the firm's resilience, with Fund XV already generating meaningful distributions relative to commitments.[79]
The table below summarizes net IRR and TVPI for select flagship funds, based on publicly disclosed limited partner reports (note: metrics are interim and subject to change upon full realizations):
Fund Vintage Size ($B) Net IRR (%) TVPI (x) As of Date Source
Fund XI 2014 3.7 25.90 2.94 Dec 2023 Buyouts Insider
Fund XII 2016 7.6 16.30 2.04 Dec 2023 Buyouts Insider
Fund XIII 2018 12.6 28.60 1.84 Dec 2023 Buyouts Insider
Fund XIV 2020 17.8 7.4 N/A Mar 2025 CalPERS
Fund XV 2022 24.3 12.5 N/A Mar 2025 CalPERS
Notable exits, such as the $10.5 billion sale of portfolio company Adenza to Nasdaq in 2023, have bolstered overall returns, delivering a 35% annualized IRR on that investment and contributing significantly to recent distributions.[76] Thoma Bravo's specialized approach continues to attract commitments from public pensions and institutions, supporting its track record of above-average performance in the software private equity niche.
Major deals and fundraises (2020–2025)
During the period from 2020 to 2025, Thoma Bravo executed several significant fundraises that underscored its position as a leading software-focused private equity firm, raising capital to support its buyout strategy in technology sectors. In October 2020, the firm closed fundraising totaling $22.8 billion across three vehicles: Thoma Bravo Fund XIV at $17.8 billion, Thoma Bravo Discover Fund III at $3.9 billion, and Thoma Bravo Explore Fund at $1.1 billion, marking its largest fundraising at the time and enabling investments in large- and middle-market software companies.[80] By December 2022, Thoma Bravo raised $32.4 billion through another trio of funds: Thoma Bravo Fund XV at $24.3 billion—the largest technology buyout fund ever raised at that point—Thoma Bravo Discover Fund IV at $6.2 billion, and Thoma Bravo Explore Fund II at $1.8 billion, reflecting strong limited partner confidence amid market volatility.[23] The firm's fundraising momentum continued into 2025, culminating in June with $34.4 billion across Thoma Bravo Fund XVI at $24.3 billion, Thoma Bravo Discover Fund V at $8.1 billion, and its inaugural Europe Fund at €1.8 billion (approximately $1.95 billion), surpassing previous records and expanding its European presence.[24]
Thoma Bravo's deal activity during this timeframe emphasized its specialization in cybersecurity and enterprise software, with over 50 acquisitions completed between 2020 and 2025, peaking at 12 in 2021. A landmark transaction was the March 2020 completion of its $3.9 billion take-private acquisition of Sophos, a cybersecurity provider, which strengthened Thoma Bravo's portfolio in endpoint and network protection solutions.[81] In 2021, the firm pursued high-profile cybersecurity investments, including the August completion of its $12.3 billion all-cash acquisition of Proofpoint, a leader in email security and compliance, valued at approximately 9.5 times projected 2021 revenue and highlighting Thoma Bravo's appetite for mature SaaS platforms.[50]
Subsequent years saw continued focus on strategic software buys. In 2022, Thoma Bravo acquired Bottomline Technologies, a payments and banking software firm, for $2.6 billion, enhancing its fintech holdings. By 2023, the firm divested Adenza—a financial software business previously acquired from Nasdaq in 2021—to Nasdaq for about $10.5 billion in a cash-and-stock deal, generating a reported $3.4 billion windfall and demonstrating successful value creation through operational improvements. In 2024, Thoma Bravo expanded its cybersecurity footprint with the October $5.3 billion acquisition of Darktrace, an AI-driven threat detection company, at $7.75 per share, positioning it to leverage Darktrace's machine learning capabilities amid rising cyber threats. The firm also completed its acquisition of Everbridge, an emergency communications platform, for $1.8 billion in July 2024, following an amended merger agreement in March 2024.[82]
In 2025, Thoma Bravo accelerated large-scale deals, including an April agreement to purchase portions of Boeing's Digital Aviation Solutions business for $10.55 billion, which was completed in November 2025, marking entry into aerospace software and services. August brought two major transactions: a $12.3 billion takeover of Dayforce, a human capital management provider, which received shareholder approval in November 2025 and is expected to close in late 2025 or early 2026, and a $2 billion acquisition of Verint Systems, focused on customer engagement automation. Later that year, in September, Thoma Bravo agreed to acquire PROS Holdings, a revenue management software firm, for $1.4 billion, which remains pending as of November 2025, while making a strategic growth investment exceeding $100 million in HubSync, a sales operations platform, in May. These deals, often financed through the firm's recently closed funds, collectively represented over $35 billion in enterprise value and reinforced Thoma Bravo's buy-and-build approach in high-growth software verticals.[83]
Disclaimer: This profile is based on publicly available information. No endorsement or affiliation is implied.
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