Blackford Capital's Rishabh Mukherjee Honored at Crain's 2026 40 Under 40 Awards

Private equity executive recognized for leadership in mergers and acquisitions and his people-centered approach that has helped transform Blackford's investment operations

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackford Capital (Blackford), a leading lower-middle-market private equity firm, today announced that Rishabh Mukherjee, CFA, vice president of deals, was honored Thursday evening at the 2026 40 Under 40 awards ceremony hosted by Crain's Grand Rapids Business. The award recognizes his professional accomplishments and contributions to West Michigan's business community.

Mukherjee began his work with Blackford as a consultant based in Mumbai, India before relocating to Grand Rapids to join the firm full-time in 2022. Mukherjee has taken on increasingly complex transactions, progressing to oversight of the full deal lifecycle for companies with more than $100 million in annual revenue. His responsibilities include coordinating due diligence, financing and multidisciplinary advisory teams while working closely with business owners throughout the acquisition process.

"Rishabh moved halfway around the world to a new country, a new city and a new culture because he believed in Blackford and what we could build together," said Martin Stein, founder and managing director of Blackford Capital. "That commitment has shaped everything he has done since. He has helped transform how we source, evaluate, finance and close investments—and he has earned the trust of the people involved at every step."

During Mukherjee's tenure, Blackford's acquisition pace has grown fourfold, and its investment team has expanded from just a handful of managing directors and analysts to 12 full-time professionals sourcing and reviewing thousands of potential transactions annually. Mukherjee has played a central role in building the processes, relationships and execution capabilities supporting that growth.

"Rishabh has helped build what I believe is one of the most successful deal sourcing and execution operations in the lower middle market," Stein said. "The results reflect his discipline and judgment, but also his ability to bring people together to solve problems and deliver on commitments."

The recognition follows Mukherjee's recent selection as a 2026 Emerging Leader—North America by The M&A Advisor, a national honor recognizing professionals across the mergers and acquisition industry.

Within Blackford and its portfolio, Mukherjee is a trusted partner to CEOs, CFOs, and management teams. He has also mentored approximately 100 junior analysts through the firm's internship program, helping develop students from Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University, and the University of Michigan, as well as Harvard, Notre Dame, Northwestern, and Cornell.

About Blackford Capital
Blackford Capital is a private equity investment firm headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a focus on lower-middle-market manufacturing, industrial, distribution, and service businesses. Since its founding in 2010, Blackford has completed 57 acquisitions and deployed approximately $500 million in equity capital, building a growing investment platform through strategic acquisitions, operational improvement and long-term relationships with business owners and management teams. The firm has earned more than 50 industry awards, including multiple Private Equity Firms of the Year honors from The M&A Advisor and recognition among Grady Campell's 2026 Top 50 PE Firms in Middle Market. For more information, visit www.blackfordcapital.com.

SOURCE Blackford Capital