Tower Partners Ranks First in Top 25 Investment Banks by Axial

Recognized as the Top Firm Among More Than 800 Advisory Firms for 2025

Columbia, MD (2/10/26) - Tower Partners, a leading private investment bank and advisory firm focusing on the middle market, is proud to announce it ranks as the top firm on Axial’s 2025 Top 25 Lower Middle Market Investment Banks list, the most respected ranking of dealmakers in the lower-middle market.

Axial, a premier deal sourcing and business development platform serving the lower-middle market, evaluated the deal-making activity of more than 800 investment banks and advisory firms, using criteria that includes client quality, buyer engagement, and transaction outcomes. Tower Partners achieved the top position, marking a significant recognition of its consistent leadership in executing complex transactions and delivering value for middle-market clients.

“We are honored to be ranked as the number one investment bank in the lower-middle market by Axial,” says Erv Terwilliger, CEO of Tower Partners. “This recognition reflects our team’s relentless commitment to strategic advisory excellence, deep industry expertise, and exceptional client outcomes.”

Adds Erik Endler, Managing Director and Head of M&A at Tower Partners, “This recognition is particularly meaningful when considering Axial’s annual league tables are widely regarded within the industry as a leading benchmark of performance in lower-middle-market M&A advisory.”

Axial’s league table methodology highlights the top 25 investment banks that demonstrate superior execution, feedback from buyers, and a strong track record of success in lower-middle-market dealmaking. According to Axial, these firms also work with the most in-demand clients, balance breadth, selectivity, and accuracy in the buyers they engage, and generate the largest number of positive outcomes for their clients.

Tower Partners has built its reputation on providing tailored advisory services, including sell-side and buy-side M&A, capital raising, and strategic financial guidance to privately held companies across a range of industries.

About Tower Partners

Founded in 2008, Tower Partners is a premier national investment bank servicing the lower middle market. The team at Tower Partners has completed engagements with more than $30 billion in transaction value. Tower Partners specialize in providing Wall Street level investment banking to Main Street, with a focus on family, founder, and entrepreneurial-led businesses. Tower Partners has established itself as the go-to advisor for middle-market clients seeking high-quality execution and strategic advisory. The firm is headquartered in Columbia, MD with offices in New York, NY, and Greenwich, Connecticut, and partners in Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma.

About Axial

Axial is the trusted deal platform serving the lower middle market ($2.5-$250M Total Enterprise Value). More than 3,500 advisory firms and 3,000 corporate and financial buyers have joined Axial to efficiently connect with relevant capital partners, source actionable deals, and build new relationships.