We buy, grow, and hold on to small businesses long term.
Your growth partner
We partner with founders without compromising the business values and culture that got them there in the first place.
MISSION
Millions of small businesses will transition over the next few decades. At the same time, they'll need to navigate radical changes in the face of AI disruption. Apala Capital is looking to acquire a commercial or industrial services company from a Founder without compromising the business values and culture that got them there in the first place. We aim to buy, scale, and hold these cash flowing businesses over decades.
OUR WHY
It all starts with a conversation. Selling your business is a big decision. We are not PE guys and we hate what PE is doing to the trades. Running companies from an Excel spreadsheet to maximize profits, providing subpar service, and killing employee engagement along the way does not align with our values. We believe that treating hard working employees with respect and providing great jobs are a springboard to meaningful lives.
Apala means humble in Basque
The Basque Country consists of provinces in northern Spain and southwest France. Both ancient traditions and modern influences influence Basque culture, which reflects the Basques' resilience and enduring commitment to their unique cultural identity.Humility means being honest about your strengths and weaknesses, appreciating others, and expressing gratitude. It’s about learning from mistakes and avoiding arrogance. Humble people value kindness, generosity, and a desire to grow.
Partner
Mario Montag
Mario started investing in small business M&A when he joined Fruition Capital as a Partner. His operating background led him to start Apala Capital to move back towards small company operations and growth. Prior to investing, Mario led Turntide's Building Automation & HVAC business unit until 2024 when Brainbox AI acquired it.Mario also was founder and CEO of Predikto, a predictive maintenance software company, acquired by a Fortune 50 company in 2018. Predikto technology was used to predict failures in industrial assets, trains, and aircraft turbines using machine learning and AI software.Mario spent 12 years leading ERP implementations and analytics projects for large consulting companies like PwC and McKinsey. Mario is also an experienced Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) coach for CEOs and their team.Mario has an Industrial Engineering degree from the University of Florida and an MBA from Georgia State University.
Partner
Michael Bonanni
Michael is also a Partner at Fruition Capital, who heads the due diligence function and leads the Investment Committee.Prior to Fruition, he successfully operated and scaled Fireguard to become one of the largest fire and life safety service providers in the Mid-Atlantic region. Michael transformed a project-based business to a service-driven platform with 7,500+ properties under PM contracts across five states before exiting to PE. During this successful growth, Michael built proprietary field services software integrated with a cloud-based ERP, enabling real-time workflows and operational efficiency.Michael is also a former investment banker with an MBA from the University of Maryland.
Thank you
Looking forward to starting a conversation