Star Mountain Capital Closes Star Mountain CFO I, a Collateralized Fund Obligation Providing Rated Access to U.S. Lower Middle-Market Private Credit

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 13, 2026--

Star Mountain Capital, LLC ("Star Mountain"), a rapidly growing, employee-owned investment firm with ~$5 billion in assets under management (“AUM”), announced the final close of Star Mountain CFO I ("CFO I"), a collateralized fund obligation providing insurance companies and institutional investors with investment grade-rated access to Star Mountain's direct lending strategy. Star Mountain partnered with Evercore on the transaction.

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CFO I was structured to accommodate investors as both horizontal buyers and vertical strip investors. The vehicle provides exposure to a diversified, seasoned portfolio of U.S. lower middle-market investments across Star Mountain's direct lending funds, focused on established businesses in recession-resilient industries with robust covenant protections and zero direct exposure to software companies, real estate or energy.

"We are pleased to have partnered with Evercore to complete Star Mountain CFO I, which reflects growing institutional demand for rated, structured access to the U.S. lower middle-market," said Brett Hickey, Founder and CEO of Star Mountain Capital. "This transaction demonstrates our continued commitment to developing innovative solutions that meet investors where they are, and we are proud of the strong execution and institutional interest this offer has received."

CFO I has a diversified investor base across blue chip institutional investors and wealth management platforms. Star Mountain continues to develop rated structures for its direct lending and secondaries strategies.

About Star Mountain Capital

With ~$5 billion in AUM (committed capital including debt facilities as of 7/31/2026), Star Mountain specializes in providing scalable and data-driven investment solutions across two core strategies:

Star Mountain’s investors include public and private pensions, insurance companies, commercial banks, endowments, foundations, family offices and high-net-worth individuals. Employee-owned and sharing profits with 100% of its U.S. full-time employees, the firm prioritizes alignment of interests to maximize value for stakeholders.

Since 2010, Star Mountain has completed over 100 direct platform investments and 50 secondary / fund investments in the North American lower middle-market. The firm has been recognized as one of the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private companies and a Best Place to Work by Crain’s New York Business and Pensions & Investments.

For more information, visit www.starmountaincapital.com.

Legal Disclaimer:

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase interests in any investment product. Awards and recognitions by third-party rating agencies, companies or publications should not be interpreted as a guarantee of future results or performance. They should not be considered as an endorsement, recommendation or referral of Star Mountain Capital or its representatives by any client or third party. Rankings published by media and industry organizations are based on information provided by the recognized advisor. Additionally, readers should understand that past performance is not indicative of future results. Award descriptions and selection methodologies may vary.

Awards and Recognition Disclosure:

Star Mountain Capital’s awards and recognitions are based on third-party evaluations and criteria, which may be subjective. These honors do not imply a guarantee of future performance or an endorsement by current or past clients.

Ranking Methodologies:

 

Star Mountain Capital Closes Star Mountain CFO I, a Collateralized Fund Obligation Providing Rated Access to U.S. Lower Middle-Market Private Credit

HONOLULU (AP) — Tropical Storm Lala formed Thursday in the Pacific Ocean and a hurricane watch has been issued for the Big Island of Hawaii, forecasters said.

The storm could bring heavy rain, high winds and dangerous surf to the Hawaiian Islands starting late Friday, the National Hurricane Center said.

Lala was about 700 miles (1,127 kilometers) east-southeast of Hawaii with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (64 kph), the Miami-based center said. It's moving west.

Strengthening is forecast, and Lala could be near hurricane strength as it approaches the Big Island. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible, and it is typically issued 48 hours ahead of potential tropical-storm-force winds.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

HONOLULU (AP) — Tropical Storm Hernan formed Thursday in the Pacific Ocean and wasn't threatening land while a different storm system that could bring heavy rain and flooding this weekend moved toward Hawaii, forecasters said.

Hernan was about 1,460 miles (2,350 kilometers) west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said. Maximum sustained winds were around 40 mph (64 kph) and it was moving west.

Meanwhile, potential Tropical Cyclone One-C was about 775 miles (1,247 kilometers) east-southeast of Hawaii and was forecast to bring heavy rain, high winds and dangerous surf to the Hawaiian Islands starting late Friday.

Winds were around 40 mph, but it wasn't organized enough to be considered a tropical storm, the Miami-based center said.

It could make landfall on the southern part of the Big Island as a tropical storm on Saturday, forecasters said.

The system could bring rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) in the island chain, with up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) possible, forecasters said. That could produce flooding and mudslides, the center said.

In the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Cristobal weakened into a tropical depression and was expected to dissipate Thursday, the center said. It was about 610 miles (982 kilometers) west of the Azores and didn't threaten land.

This NOAA satellite image taken at 11:21 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, shows Tropical Storm Cristobal in the Atlantic Ocean. (NOAA via AP)

This NOAA satellite image taken at 11:38 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, shows a Potential Tropical Cyclone One-C, about 1,000-miles east-southeast of the Hawaiian Islands. (NOAA via AP)

This NOAA satellite image shows a tropical depression becoming Tropical Storm Hernan over the East Pacific, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (NOAA via AP)