First Bridge

Overview

First Bridge is an independent placement agent and fundraising advisory firm based in New York. The firm advises alternative asset managers on primary fundraising, providing strategic counsel and LP introductions across private equity, private credit, real estate, and infrastructure strategies.

The firm was established by experienced fundraising professionals who built their careers at established placement agents and financial institutions. First Bridge’s founding team brings deep LP relationships developed over decades of institutional fundraising, combined with practical understanding of how allocators evaluate and select fund managers.

First Bridge operates with an independent structure, free from bank affiliations, asset management operations, or proprietary investing activities. This independence is a core element of the firm’s value proposition, ensuring that LP introductions and fundraising advice are free from the conflicts that can accompany affiliated platforms.

The firm maintains a selective approach to mandates, working with a limited number of managers at any given time. This selectivity ensures that each GP receives dedicated senior attention and that LP relationships are not diluted by overlapping or competing strategies. First Bridge’s principals are directly involved in every aspect of the engagement, from initial strategy assessment through final closing.

Fundraising Capabilities

First Bridge provides comprehensive fundraising advisory services that span the full lifecycle of a capital raise. The firm’s engagement begins with pre-marketing activities, including strategy positioning, terms benchmarking, competitive analysis, and materials review. This preparation phase ensures that the GP’s story is refined and compelling before LP outreach begins.

The firm’s LP targeting process is both data-driven and relationship-informed. First Bridge identifies institutional investors with demonstrated appetite for the specific strategy, fund size, and vintage, then prioritizes based on relationship quality, current allocation capacity, and likely decision timeline. This targeted approach is designed to maximize conversion rates and minimize the elapsed time of the fundraise.

First Bridge’s LP network includes institutional investors across North America, with relationships spanning public pension plans, corporate pensions, endowments, foundations, insurance companies, and family offices. The firm also maintains select international LP relationships, particularly with European and Asian investors who allocate to US-managed alternative strategies.

In private equity, First Bridge covers buyout, growth equity, and sector-focused strategies across the mid-market. In private credit, the firm works with direct lending, mezzanine, and specialty finance managers. Real estate coverage includes equity and debt strategies across the risk spectrum. The firm also handles select infrastructure mandates.

First Bridge’s approach to GP engagement emphasizes partnership and transparency. The firm provides regular reporting on LP outreach activity, feedback from meetings, and market intelligence on competitive dynamics. This transparency allows GPs to make informed decisions about fundraising strategy and timing throughout the process.