In recent years, some PE funds that traditionally focused on large deals and control buyouts have moved down in deal size into the ambiguously named ‘growth capital’ sector – which also typically signifies a larger deal for a VC firm. In search of that elusive ‘unicorn’ jackpot, many PE firms are now starting to invest at an earlier stage in the development of an enterprise than would usually be the case. This represents a significant break with the norm - and one that may have future ramifications on a number of fronts.

Private equity firms traditionally identify and invest in established companies they believe are failing to reach their full potential, or that simply have scope for significant future growth. This will usually involve ‘buying them out’ and gaining control. Yet the advent of growth capital opportunities has started to influence a completely different approach - one that involves getting in on the ground floor, usually as a minority investor, hoping to achieve far greater potential returns.

This growing trend of investing in younger, less established startups is bringing PE firms into direct competition with the venture capitalists who typically target investments of this type. So, the rise of the late stage growth capital investment is starting to blur even further the already hazy lines between PE and VC. And it may even have a significant impact on the way private equity approaches hiring.

As PE teams intensify the search for the next Facebook, Uber or Amazon, they will in turn increase the demand for experienced investment professionals from the high growth and tech enabled communities. So the competition with VCs won’t simply be limited to high-growth investment opportunities. It may well also extend to the people with the backgrounds, skills and know-how to find and close them.

As we’ve already mentioned in our diversity blog, there’s already a war for talent amongst investment firms. If PE continues to move into the later-stage VC space, that shortage will only deepen. So where will private equity firms find the right people to head up and run these so called ‘growth capital’ investment teams in the brave new world of the unicorn? The most obvious place to start is, of course, the VC pool.

After all, PE firms typically hire from a small number of rigid backgrounds such as M&A. This approach sits in complete contrast to VC firms that generally take a far more flexible stance, seeking employees who offer commercial experience rather than numerical expertise.

Will PEs now start to recalibrate their hiring strategy towards more experienced and established experts in the field? In ten years, they may well be on the lookout for candidates with drastically different skill sets than is the case right now. If so, we are heading towards a scenario that puts them in direct competition with VCs for a finite supply of talent – a situation that has never really happened before.

This isn’t a short-term problem just yet, but it is one worth thinking about for the future. How often have we seen businesses unwilling to adapt to change being left behind? At the same time, who can say with any real assurance just how much of an impact the search for that next star deal will have on PE firms in the future? Time will tell.

If you prefer not to wait and see, you can rely on a tried and tested method of finding talent – contact Walker Hamill. We have access to the most talented candidates in the industry, with our teams taking particular care to ensure they select the best fit for the role you’re looking to fill. Click here if you’d like to register a vacancy with us. If you’d like to keep up to date with the latest developments, give us a follow on LinkedIn.