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Collaboration Ingenuity.

Private equity, evolved. Designed for you, from the ground up.
What do you want to build?
Meet Our Team

We Keep the World Moving.

Objective

We collaborate with our portfolio companies in an effort to responsibly build and scale industry-leading businesses. We invest in organizations that we believe are essential to building a future we can all look forward to while creating wealth and advancement opportunities for the employees.

Approach
Listen 1:02
Why You Should Partner with Cogenuity—

Next Generation Private Equity

Cogenuity is built for you. We’re dedicated to accelerating your firm’s long-term success; we don’t believe in putting short-term gains over sustainable growth decisions. Through significant experience, a tailored approach to value creation, and personalized support, we partner with you to build thriving businesses designed to endure and grow for years to come.
Advanced
Manufacturing
  • Advanced Materials
  • Aerospace & Defense Components & Materials
  • Analytical Instrumentation
  • Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, and Elastomers (CASE)
  • Engineered Components and Systems
  • Filtration
  • Fire & Life Safety
  • Flow & Process Control
  • Interconnect Solutions
  • Medical Devices & Components
  • Seals & Gaskets
  • Specialty Pumps & Valves
Infrastructure Solutions
  • Data Center Products & Services
  • Energy, Power, and Utility Products & Services
  • Infrastructure Maintenance Solutions
  • Transportation Products & Services
  • Water & Wastewater Products & Services
Industrial 

Technology
  • Automation, Conveyance, and Robotics
  • Process Control Solutions
  • Remote Monitoring Solutions
  • Sensors, Detectors, and Probes
  • Software-Enabled Critical Products & Services
Critical Industrial Services
  • Air Quality Testing & Permitting
  • Electrical & Mechanical
  • Environmental & Waste
  • Facility Services
  • Field Services
  • Infrastructure Rehabilitation & Life Extension Services
  • MRO Services
  • Quality Assurance & Control Services
  • Testing, Inspection, Certification & Compliance Services
  • Utility Services
Investment Criteria
Open to International Operations & Expansion
North America
Headquarters

Up to
$250m
Revenue
$5 to $35m
EBITDA for Platforms
$20 to $200m
Equity Investment
Open to International Operations & Expansion
North America
Headquarters
Up to
$250m
Revenue
$5-$35m
EBITDA for Platforms
$20-$200m
Equity Investment

We're not generalists; we are specialists in the industrial sector, with decades of experience focused on businesses that provide essential products and services to diverse end markets. We leverage our deep knowledge and experience in an effort to amplify your unique strengths and accelerate your trajectory.

Collaborations
Listen 0:55
Building Businesses that Make the World Better—

Partnership. Performance. Progress.

We strive not to operate like a traditional private equity firm. We hold ourselves accountable to be radically responsive, to bring ingenuity, and to collaborate closely with management teams from day one. While other firms may dictate actions, we focus on partnering with you to bring your strategies to life and help you “connect the dots” more quickly.
Learn More

Over the past decade, we’ve been shifting USSC’s focus, and when it was time to find a strategic partner to help us grow, Cogenuity was the only investment partner that truly understood where we could take the business next. They grasped our strategy, recognized where and why we needed resources, and from day one, they have been working alongside us to build a world class organization. Choosing them as our partner will make us stronger.

- Joe Mirabile, President & CEO
We believe that people are the critical heartbeat for everything that we do.
Listen 1:13
Collaborative Innovations - Bringing Resources to Build Dreams—

Value Added Partners With You.

Collaboration and Ingenuity aren’t just the roots of our name. It’s our ethos, or how we show up every day – for ourselves and for our management teams.

Our Collaborative Operations (CoOp) team works with management to execute growth strategies from the first day we begin working together.

Every business is unique, and we start by understanding yours. Together, we create a customized plan that aligns with your goals, bringing well established strategies, advanced tools, and tailored resources designed to help you and your team succeed. Sustainable growth is at the heart of everything we do. Our approach seeks to adapt to the distinct needs of every situation because no two businesses are ever the same.

Traditional

Private Equity
  • Mandate Makers
  • Generalists
  • Model Junkies and Buy Cheap Mentality
  • Driven by Short-Term Profits
  • Distant & Demanding

Cogenuity

Collaborative Capital
  • Collaborators Bringing Support
  • Specialists
  • Investment, Operations, & Functional Business Experience
  • Driven by People & Performance
  • Authentic & Human
Get Started
Investing in People.
At Cogenuity, we prioritize investing in people. Human growth, empowerment, employee opportunity, diversity, acceptance, and leadership development are part of our secret sauce (that isn’t so secret) but, from our perspective, are often overlooked by private equity firms and large corporations.
Dozens
Companies Worked With
Thousands
Jobs Created
Hundreds of Millions
Value Created for Limited Partners, Managers and Employees
Meet Our Team
We invest in people. We invest in communities. We are passionate about creating positive impact. ​

We believe social and environmental responsibility isn’t just good ethics – it’s good business. We integrate ESG principles into every aspect of our operations and investments, in an effort to drive value for our companies, employees, and the communities we serve. Our approach is clear and practical: track, report, and improve.

Social and environmental responsibility isn’t just good ethics – it’s good business.

Our individual experiences create differentiated perspectives. We believe that successful organizations create performance-based cultures where employee diversity is embraced and celebrated.

Building value means that everyone – from machinists and engineers to CEOs and our Cogenuity team – contributes as their true, authentic selves each day. By embracing this approach, we create a culture of trust, collaboration, and innovation that drives success at every level.

Who We Are
Listen 1:15
Bringing Value with Background, Personality, and Diversity—

The Team Behind the Collaboration

Cogenuity is a tight-knit team of real people with deep experience in the investment community. Our team has faced and navigated real-world leadership and business challenges with decades of experience.
Dan Delaney
Managing Partner & Founder
Daniel Niccum
Managing Partner &
Operating Partner
Brett Johnson
Managing Partner & CFO
Kathryn Seni
Operating Partner
Sam Adler
Managing Director
Brian Rappl
Operating Principal
Graham Banks
Director, Business Development
Richard Cao
Senior Associate
Spencer Mueller
Associate
Andrea Frey
Executive Assistant
Sarah Sheeder
Executive Assistant
News

News and Updates

See More Articles

We’re real people, committed to partnering with businesses in a way that’s as honest as it is effective. We invest in our people, our vision is long-term, and we love what we do.

Collectively, we decided to approach business differently after being a part of the traditional PE experience for a combined 70+ years. We vowed to inject hard-won insights of challenges, opportunities, and experience in an unconventional way – driving lasting impact that goes beyond just the bottom line.

Ready to Collaborate?

© 2025 Cogenuity Partners, LLC All Rights Reserved

United Safety & Survivability Corporation

Active Investment
  • Location Exton, PA (with substantial global operations)
  • Year of Investment2024
  • Year Founded1984
  • Employees250-500

United Safety & Survivability Corporation delivers fire detection and suppression systems along with other innovative safety solutions to a global customer base that save lives and protect assets, and do so in an environmentally responsible manner.

Collaborate

Cogenuity Partners, LLC

Active Investment
  • Location A Pretty Cool Place, USA
  • Year of Investment2024
  • Employees1-10

Cogenuity is a private equity team breaking stereotypical PE norms. We operate with purpose, putting people first and delivering value from day one.

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Dan Delaney

Managing Partner & Founder

Education
California Polytechnic State University, BA, Business Administration 

University of Chicago Booth School of Business, MBA

Responsible for
Firm leadership and strategy, investment decisions & management, and investor relations

Prior Organizations
Industrial Growth Partners, Glencoe Capital, A.G Edwards

Personal Interests
Dan originally decided to skip college and chase his dream of becoming a professional tennis player. Armed with ambition (and his trusty 1986 navy blue 4Runner as a makeshift home), he hit the road. After a few months of competing, earning a whopping $750 in prize money (pre-tax, of course), and learning the true meaning of “living the dream,” Dan realized that maybe—just maybe—a college education could serve him well. A few phone calls later, Dan traded the pro tour for a spot as a student-athlete at Cal Poly, where his next chapter began.

Daniel Niccum

Managing Partner & Operating Partner

Education
Wake Forest University, BS, Finance

Responsible for
Overall firm strategy, investing in exceptional leadership teams, and leading the Collaborative Operations group in partnering with management to create value.

Prior Organizations
Voltyx, North American Substation Services, Stifel

Personal Interests
Daniel is a self-proclaimed swirling mix of contradictions – an executive with tattoo sleeves, a playlist of 90’s rap and showtunes, a homebody who has visited over 40 countries, and the social stamina of an introverted extrovert who still recovers from a big night by napping in his closet, despite being out of one since his 20s.

Fun Fact
Daniel’s snazzy-dressing labradoodle (who insists on always wearing a bandana) can trace his name, Link, to three different sources, each representing Daniel’s varied interests:

  1. Link from the Legend of Zelda (90’s era NES gold cartridge for the win!)
  2. Link Larkin – a character from Broadway’s Hairspray (he has seen well over 50 shows and invested in several)
  3. Linkin Park (one of Daniel’s favorite bands, not the Chicago suburb, which is far too cold for Daniel’s California sensibilities) – in fact, Link’s full name is “Linkin Bark”

Brett Johnson

Managing Partner & CFO

Education
Northwestern University, BA, Economics

University of Chicago Booth School of Business, MBA

Responsible for
Finance, investor relations, legal and compliance, as well as firm operations

Prior Organizations
Industrial Growth Partners, Pantheon Ventures, University of California Regents, and One Equity Partners

Personal Interests
Brett is an avid NBA fan and has been blessed to bear witness to the Jordan era and the Curry era while living in Chicago and the Bay Area, respectively. He is closing in on 20 national parks visited and is on a quest to see them all!

Kathryn Seni *

Operating Partner

Education
Wake Forest University, BA in Psychology, MAEd in Counseling

Responsible for
Overseeing human capital across the Cogenuity ecosystem and driving talent value creation initiatives in the portfolio.

Prior Organizations
Consulting with multiple PE firms; Vista Equity Partners; Keystone Partners; Fidelity Investments/J. Robert Scott

Fun Fact
In addition to being an active aunt, godmother, and dog-mom, Kathryn is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with extensive training in energy and consciousness. After all, quantum transformation is the ultimate value creator and growth accelerator.

*Operating Partners are either employees or independent contractors that provide services to Cogenuity and portfolio companies of Cogenuity.

Sam Adler

Managing Director

Education
University of Wisconsin-Madison, BBA (Finance & Accounting)

Responsible for
Sourcing, underwriting, and monitoring prospective and current portfolio companies.

Prior organizations
Industrial Growth Partners, Robert W. Baird

Fun Fact
If you’re reading this then Sam is definitely taller than you which makes his dreadful fear of heights terribly ironic.  His passions include skiing, hiking, and conquering his fears to take pictures with his fiancé on top of really tall things.

Brian Rappl *

Principal, Portfolio Operations

Education
University of Minnesota, Bachelors Mechanical Engineering, MBA

Responsible for
Collaborating with management teams on revenue and profitability growth initiatives.

Prior Organizations
Arcline Investment Management, Boston Consulting Group, Ingersoll Rand

Fun Fact
In 7th grade Brian was the runner up in his middle school spelling bee after using a K instead of a C in Bicuspid.  The winner got to advance to a regional competition for spelling Banana correctly and all these years later that still just doesn’t seem fair.

*Operating Partners are either employees or independent contractors that provide services to Cogenuity and portfolio companies of Cogenuity.

Andrea Frey

Executive Assistant

Education
University of Amsterdam, BA, Organizational Sociology and Human Resources

Responsible For
Ensuring the seamless operations of all activities and personnel in the SF Office.

Prior Organizations
Event Producer / Project Manager for the Hakkasan Group and Angel Music Group

Fun Fact
Andrea created the reveal for the flashy overhead lighting vizualization at the Hakkasan Nightclub in Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Hotel when it debuted with Tiesto.  Not to worry though we’ve now got her as excited about critical products and services businesses as she once was about nightclubs.

Richard Cao

Senior Associate

Education
Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, B.S.B. Finance and Accounting

Responsible for
Evaluating, executing and supporting platform and add-on investments from acquisition to exit.

Prior Organizations
Industrial Growth Partners, HSBC Securities

Personal Interests
An avid learner, outside of work you will find Richard playing guitar covers at small gatherings, shooting travel photography, taking calculated risks at the poker table, or searching for the next travel destination.

Spencer Mueller

Associate

Education
University of Washington’s Foster School of Business, Bachelor of Business Administration

Responsible for
As a member of the investment team, Spencer supports the evaluation and execution of acquisitions from inception to exit.

Prior Organizations
Cascadia Capital

Fun Fact
When he’s not working, Spencer enjoys devouring sushi, pretending his golf game is getting better, and purportedly skiing which you might guess by the picture he provided which he claims is actually him and not literally any other person on a mountain.

Sarah Sheeder

Executive Assistant & Deal Coordinator

Education
Louisiana State University, BA, Geography

Responsible for
Ensuring the seamless operation of all activities, personnel, and deal coordination.

Prior Organizations
i80 Group, AIMPERA Capital Partners, Vertex Ventures HC, FEMA

Personal Interests
Outside of work, Sarah can usually be found exploring the redwoods or strolling along Ocean Beach with her dog, Fred—who has strong opinions against frisbees but will happily chase the occasional stick. A proud LSU Tiger fan, Sarah never misses a chance to cheer on her alma mater. She’s especially passionate about Women’s Gymnastics (the Uneven Bars and Vault are her personal favorites) and Football—strictly in that order.

Fun Fact
Growing up in New Orleans, Sarah played the clarinet in her high school band and marched in over two dozen Mardi Gras parades.

Graham Banks

Director, Business Development

Education
Westminster University, BS, Business Management
University of San Diego, Knauss School of Business, MBA, Finance

Responsible for
Sourcing new investment opportunities and cultivating intermediary relationships

Prior Organizations
Head, Silicon Valley Bank, Tide Rock

Personal Interests
Graham has reconnected with snowboarding now that it’s just for fun again, but also spends his free time surfing, fishing, spearfishing and boxing.

Fun Fact
In Graham’s previous career he was a professional snowboarder – and while many of his friends went on to win Olympic and XGames gold medals, he was able to walk (limp) away with the record for the most blown knees. 6 ACLs – and that’s just the left!