Company Overview
Top Tier Capital Partners, LLC (“TTCP” or “the Firm”) is an asset management firm offering niche-
focused funds of funds and co-investment opportunities, as well as separately managed
accounts. As of December 31, 2023, TTCP has $7,179,290,605 total regulatory assets under
management (“RAUM”), $6,646,361,999 of which is managed on a discretionary basis.
Company Evolution
TTCP’s history can be traced back to 1991, when Co-founder and Chairman Emeritus Philip S. Paul
founded what became Paul Capital Advisors. In 1999, Paul Capital Advisors launched its “Top
Tier” fund of funds business and this investment platform remained a part of Paul Capital
Advisors until mid-2006.
In June of 2006, Paul Capital Advisors entered into a joint venture with Bank of Ireland Group to
form Paul Capital Investments LLC, an independent management company for the fund of funds
business. In 2011, a management-led change in ownership resulted in the renaming of the
company as Top Tier Capital Partners. In this transaction, the Bank of Ireland and Paul Capital
Advisors sold their respective equity interests in the Firm. Today, TTCP is principally owned by its
General Partners.
Business Overview
TTCP is an investment manager with families of funds focused on primary commitments to
venture funds, limited partner and direct secondaries, and direct investments. TTCP provides
investment advice only with respect to the limited types of investments described in this section.
TTCP’s fund of funds business consists of private limited partnerships that invest primarily in
venture capital funds and private companies. With a focus on venture capital, the investment
team targets primary and secondary investments in funds that invest in high-growth technology
and healthcare-related companies. Furthermore, the fund of funds program focuses primarily on
early-stage venture capital funds but diversifies through commitments to late stage and venture
growth equity funds. In terms of geographic diversification, the fund of funds program seeks to
make primary and secondary investments in funds that invest primarily in the United States,
Europe and Israel, but also to a limited extent outside such jurisdictions, principally in Asia. The
fund of funds program will also make co-investments in private companies alongside select
venture capital managers.
The fund of funds program operates primarily as commingled funds of funds. Investors in TTCP’s
private investment funds are not able to impose restrictions on investing in certain securities or
types of securities, other than those restrictions contained in the Funds’ Governing Documents
(as defined below).
TTCP also manages a family of funds called Venture Velocity (“Velocity”). These funds’ strategies
continue a focus on venture capital; however, instead of primary commitments, the strategies
invest in fund secondaries, direct secondaries, co-investments, and direct investments. The
Velocity funds diversify
across early-stage venture, late-stage venture, and growth investments.
In terms of geographic diversification, the funds are primarily focused on US-based managers
and/or companies. The majority of the Velocity investments will be in technology or technology-
enabled opportunities; however, the investment managers have the ability to also invest in life
science, healthcare, biotechnology, biopharma opportunities and other areas as noted in
relevant accounts governing documents.
TTCP selectively works with institutional investors to form separate accounts and single-investor
funds (e.g., funds-of-one) that have been tailored to their specific needs. TTCP manages separate
accounts on both a discretionary and on a non-discretionary basis. The investment
recommendations for these accounts will generally be the same as the Client Funds, but with an
allocation ratio that aligns with the client’s agreed portfolio construction pursuant to the
accounts governing documents.
The Adviser, its Advisory Services, and its Clients
TTCP offers advisory services to two types of clients. The first client group includes private
investment funds (“Client Funds”). TTCP generally serves as the sole manager of each Client
Fund’s general partner and as the investment adviser for each Client Fund. The authority to
manage the business and affairs of each Client Fund is ultimately vested in TTCP. Each Client
Fund, which has a specific investment mandate and restrictions, is governed by organizational
documents that generally include the private placement memorandum, limited partnership
agreement, investment management agreement, and subscription agreement, Side Letters (as
defined below) or similar documents, as applicable (each a “Governing Document and,
collectively, the “Governing Documents”).
Advisory services for the Client Funds are detailed in the applicable private placement
memoranda, investment management agreements, and limited partnership agreements.
The second client group presently includes single-investor funds where TTCP provides
investment advice to sophisticated institutional investors on a discretionary or non-discretionary
basis (collectively, “SMA Clients”). These SMA Clients are generally structured like a Client Fund,
where an affiliate of TTCP serves as general partner, and TTCP serves as the investment adviser.
The separate account is governed by relevant Governing Documents that generally include a
limited partnership agreement and investment management agreement or similar documents.
TTCP also provides non-discretionary investment advice to sophisticated institutional investors
with respect to venture capital investments and related planning and diligence.
Where relevant, disclosures in this brochure will differentiate between Client Fund and SMA Clients,
otherwise readers may assume the response provided is applicable to both types of TTCP clients.
Wrap Fee Programs
TTCP does not offer wrap fee programs.