Who Should Reach Out
Dakota works with a deliberately small and carefully selected group of investment managers. We are not the right partner for everyone — and we'll tell you that honestly from the very first conversation. Here is who we most commonly speak with.
Capital raised & retained since 2006
Senior team response — never an automated reply
Senior capital raising professionals on our team
You have a differentiated strategy, a proven track record, and the operational foundation to handle institutional capital — but you need a systematic distribution program to reach the right investors, in the right channels, at the right time. That's where Dakota comes in.
Primary Inquiry
First and second-time fund managers who have performed but lack the institutional relationships and distribution infrastructure to break through. Dakota specializes in helping emerging managers build the investor base that transforms promising funds into established platforms.
Emerging Manager
With 7,000+ RIAs fully profiled in our proprietary database and $20B+ raised in the wealth channel, Dakota has unmatched infrastructure for managers whose distribution opportunity lives in the RIA, family office, or broker-dealer space.
Wealth Channel
You have a strong but concentrated LP or RIA base and need to reduce key-person or key-institution risk, enter new channels, or grow AUM beyond your existing relationships — without disrupting what you've already built.
Base Diversification
Non-US investment managers looking to build a credible, systematic institutional presence in North America. Dakota provides an on-the-ground team, a proprietary US investor database, and the market intelligence to navigate the US institutional landscape from day one.
US Market Entry
Dakota's most valuable relationships span multiple fund cycles. If you've closed a fund and are thinking about the next one — or want to begin building investor relationships 18 months before your next raise — this is exactly the right conversation to start now.
Multi-Cycle Partner
What Happens Next
We follow The Dakota Way in everything we do — including how we handle our own business development. Here is exactly what happens after you contact us.
01
You will hear from a senior member of the Dakota team — not an automated sequence, not a junior coordinator — within one business day of your inquiry. We respect your time from the very first interaction.
02
We schedule a 30-minute introductory call to learn about your strategy, your current distribution, and your goals. We ask direct questions and give direct answers. If we don't think we're the right fit, we'll tell you — and often suggest who might be.
03
If there's mutual interest, we conduct a deeper analysis of your Total Addressable Market using our proprietary database — identifying which channels, investor types, and geographies represent the most compelling opportunity for your strategy.
04
If we decide to move forward together, you receive a written engagement proposal and a detailed growth plan — with AUM targets, activity benchmarks, channel priorities, and a clear statement of What Success Looks Like. No ambiguity. No vague promises.
Submit An Inquiry
Fill out the form below and a senior member of the Dakota team will be in touch within one business day. The more context you can share, the more productive our first conversation will be.
Direct Contact
Gui Costin - Founder & CEO
gcostin@dakotafunds.com
Author of The Dakota Way · General inquiries & partnerships
Dan DiDomenico - President
ddidomenico@dakotafunds.com
Partner strategy & engagement structure
Eliza Breed - Head of Private Funds
ebreed@dakotafunds.com
PE, VC, private credit & real estate inquiries
Main Office
(610) 642-1481
Mon–Fri · 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM ET
925 West Lancaster Avenue, Suite 220
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
What Makes Firms Choose Dakota
A codified, documented sales process — The Dakota Way — not a rolodex and instinct
7,000+ RIAs and thousands of institutional LPs in our proprietary daily-refreshed database
$40B+ raised and retained across all partner managers since 2006
$20B+ raised specifically in the RIA and wealth channel
Leads are fully qualified before they ever reach your calendar
Monthly reporting against a written growth plan — no black boxes
We become an extension of your team, not a vendor on the outside
Prefer to Talk First?
If you'd rather skip the form and go straight to a conversation, we respect that. The Dakota Way is built on direct communication. Reach out to the right person for your inquiry and we'll get something on the calendar. For investment manager partnerships, the best first call is usually with Gui Costin or Dan DiDomenico. For private alternatives, reach out directly to Eliza Breed. For RIA and wealth channel questions, any member of our investment sales team can help.
