GrowthPhases® Acquisitions Group

We Bring Operating CEO Leadership to Every Acquisition

Partnering with private equity firms and family offices to identify, acquire, and scale companies in energy technology, clean energy, and industrial automation — led by executives who have run these businesses.

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Our Differentiation

Why GrowthPhases®

Most acquisition groups bring capital. We bring capital and an operator at the table from day one — a combination that creates measurably better outcomes for sellers, partners, and portfolio companies alike.

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Operator-Led

Our founder and managing partner is a former President & CEO of five global companies — not a career investor. We have run P&Ls, restructured operations, entered new markets, and integrated acquisitions from the inside. That experience is our edge.

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PE Partnership Model

We do not compete with private equity — we partner with it. GrowthPhases sources, screens, and operates; our PE and family office partners provide capital. This alignment of incentives produces disciplined deal selection and faster value creation post-close.

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Sector-Deep Expertise

We invest exclusively in sectors we have led: energy management, clean energy, industrial automation, smart infrastructure, and AI-enabled technology. We recognize platform opportunities others miss because we have built them from the inside.

Our Founder

Proven Executive. Experienced Acquirer.

Terry H. O'Neal is the Founder & Managing Partner of GrowthPhases Acquisitions Group, LLC and President & COO of Good Earth Minerals, LLC. He took over GrowthPhases, LLC — originally founded in 2000 by Michael J. Harley and Leandro DeSa — transformed the organization, and established GrowthPhases Acquisitions Group, LLC to pursue operator-led M&A in energy technology, industrial automation, and smart infrastructure.

His career spans three decades and five continents — including leading The Sphere in Las Vegas as President & COO of SACO Technologies, landmark LED projects at Traxon Technologies | OSRAM, five CEO tenures at global technology companies, and 19 years at Schneider Electric culminating as President & COO of EFI Electronics and Kavlico Corporation.

President & COO — SACO Technologies (The Sphere, world's largest LED installation)
5 CEO / President tenures at global technology and energy companies
19 years at Schneider Electric, culminating as President & COO of two acquired companies
Currently leading Good Earth Minerals into the Essential Minerals market

Full Biography & Team

Terry H. O'Neal

Founder & Managing Partner

Where We Focus

Target Sectors

We invest in industries at the intersection of energy, technology, and the digitization of physical infrastructure — sectors undergoing structural transformation driven by AI, electrification, and decarbonization.

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Energy Management

Demand response, smart metering, and energy optimization platforms.

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Clean Energy

Solar, storage, and carbon-free generation technologies.

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Smart Buildings

Building automation, BAS, LED, HVAC controls, and IoT infrastructure.

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Industrial Automation

IIoT, Industry 4.0, and process control systems.

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AI & Machine Learning

Applied AI in energy, industrial, and infrastructure verticals.

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Smart Cities & Grids

Grid modernization, smart city infrastructure, and data centers.

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ESG & Carbon-Free

Emissions technology, sustainability platforms, and carbon reduction.

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Data Centers

Edge computing, hyperscale infrastructure, and colocation platforms.

Explore All Target Sectors

Investment Criteria

Disciplined. Focused. Operator-Guided.

We target established businesses with strong EBITDA generation, defensible market positions, and the potential for platform build-out — in sectors where our operating team can add immediate value post-acquisition.

Minimum $5M annual adjusted EBITDA (EBITDA margin >10%)
Preferred $15M–$20M EBITDA with >15% margin
Established product or technology with defensible position
Platform opportunity for buy-and-build strategy
North America and Europe geographies

Full Investment Criteria

Quick Reference

Metric	Threshold
Min. EBITDA	$5M / €5M
Min. EBITDA Margin	>10%
Preferred EBITDA	$15M–$20M
Preferred Margin	>15%
Geography	N. America & Europe

Partnership Announcement

GrowthPhases® & Saenger Associates — Strategic Alliance

Effective March 2024, GrowthPhases Acquisitions Group and Saenger Associates — a Los Angeles–based executive search firm — announced a strategic partnership expanding our client offering to include retained executive search, interim management, and business consulting. Together, we provide a fully integrated acquisition and leadership capability from day one.

Since

2024

Strategic Partners

Advisory Services

GrowthSpaces® Consulting

Beyond acquisitions, GrowthPhases offers strategic consulting through our proprietary GrowthSpaces® Strategy Development System — a structured framework developed over 25 years of operating experience across global technology and energy companies.

We work with boards, private equity sponsors, and executive teams to develop growth strategy, manage strategic transitions, and identify inorganic growth opportunities.

Learn About Our Consulting

Strategic Growth Planning

Market entry, organic and inorganic growth strategy, and competitive positioning.

M&A Advisory

Deal sourcing, target screening, due diligence support, and integration planning.

Board & Executive Advisory

Board director service, CEO coaching, and interim executive management.