Private Equity: Digitally-Mature Companies Grow Faster

Seven digital maturity questions to ask during operational assessments.

Digital technologies have become increasingly critical to achieving aggressive growth goals. Private equity firms should assess digital maturity in sales, engineering, and operations during the operations assessment and hone in on target companies that have an edge when it comes to identifying and capitalizing on growth. Digitally savvy manufacturing companies are better positioned to pinpoint growth opportunities and then, produce and deliver against them.

Specifically, digital capabilities across three areas of the business can help accelerate a PortCo’s growth trajectory and ensure your investments pay off faster:

Sales and marketing
Engineering
Operations

TBM Private Equity Practice team explains the advantages digitally-mature portfolio companies wield in today’s global environment. Then, they show you how and where to look for digital capabilities within a potential acquisition, outlining a list of seven critical questions to ask. Finally, they provide examples from our work with companies that have successfully used technologies to spur top-line growth.

In this article, you’ll discover:

How to check for sales and marketing technologies that help portfolio companies identify their best sales opportunities and expedite the sales process.
Where to look for digital engineering capabilities that help reduce lead times, eliminate errors, and ultimately drive more sales.
Why operations technologies are a must for consistently delivering on promises and keeping the orders coming in.

Complete the form below to download “Manufacturing Portfolio Companies Grow Faster with the Right Digital Technologies” and learn the seven digital maturity questions every private equity firm should ask during operational assessments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do digitally mature companies grow faster than their peers?

Digitally mature companies grow faster because they use technology to identify growth opportunities earlier and execute against them more effectively. Strong digital capabilities across sales, engineering, and operations allow these companies to accelerate decision‑making, reduce errors and lead times, and consistently deliver on customer promises, creating a measurable advantage in competitive markets.

Which digital capabilities matter most for accelerating growth?

Digital maturity in sales and marketing helps companies prioritize the right opportunities and shorten the sales cycle, while digital engineering capabilities reduce lead times and eliminate design and handoff errors that slow revenue generation. Operations technology is equally critical, enabling reliable execution, performance visibility, and on‑time delivery, all of which support sustained top‑line growth.

How should private equity firms evaluate digital maturity during operational assessments?

Private equity firms should evaluate how effectively a portfolio company uses digital tools across sales, engineering, and operations to support growth. Assessing digital maturity during operational due diligence helps identify whether a company can scale quickly, capitalize on demand, and convert strategic plans into execution. Firms that prioritize digitally mature portfolio companies are better positioned to achieve value creation targets faster.