NEW YORK & CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Brightstar Capital Partners (“Brightstar”), a private equity firm focused on investing in business services, industrials, consumer, and government services and technology companies, announced today that it has acquired KZF Design (“KZF” or the “Company”), a multidisciplinary architecture, engineering, and design firm. Mike Burke, former Chairman and CEO of AECOM, serves as an advisor to Brightstar and will serve as Chair of KZF’s Board of Directors.

KZF has built a nearly 70-year legacy of delivering high-quality, client-focused design solutions across sectors including education, public safety, transportation, and corporate facilities. The Company’s team of architects, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects and urban planners have created regional landmarks across the country and around the world, with active projects in more than 40 states. KZF has built its reputation on award-winning designs and technical expertise that help clients design better futures.

“This is an exciting new chapter for KZF,” said Doug Marsh, President & CEO of KZF. “We believe that partnering with Brightstar positions us to accelerate our strategic initiatives while preserving the values that define who we are. We are actively pursuing acquisitions of complementary firms to expand our platform and deliver even greater impact to our clients and communities.”

“KZF is a firm with a strong culture, deep talent, and a reputation for excellence,” said Mike Burke. “We see significant opportunity to build upon this foundation—expanding into new markets, attracting additional talent, and scaling through organic growth and a disciplined M&A strategy. In a fragmented industry like this, we believe that uniting aligned firms can drive substantial value and innovation.”

“We are thrilled to welcome KZF to the Brightstar portfolio,” said Sam Totusek, Managing Director at Brightstar Capital Partners. “We believe that the architecture sector plays a vital role across many industries and is ripe for a platform focused on integration, growth, and providing customer-centric solutions at scale. KZF is exactly the type of high quality, customer-first firm we want to build around.”

About KZF Design

KZF Design is a full-service architecture, engineering, and design firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. With nearly 70 years of history, KZF provides innovative and sustainable solutions to public and private sector clients. The firm is known for its client-first approach, technical excellence, and commitment to fostering strong communities through design. For more information, please visit www.kzf.com.

About Brightstar Capital Partners

Brightstar Capital Partners is a middle market private equity firm with $5bn AUM that is focused on investing in business services, industrials, consumer, and government services and technology companies, where Brightstar believes it can drive significant value with respect to the management, operations, and strategic direction of the business. Since its founding in 2015, Brightstar has accumulated extensive experience partnering with family, founder, or entrepreneur-led businesses. Brightstar employs an operationally intensive “Us & Us” approach that leverages its considerable hands-on operational expertise and deep relationship network to help companies reach their full potential. For more information, please visit www.brightstarcp.com.