Daley Smith

Daley Smith is a private equity investment professional based in New York. Publicly available employment records indicate he currently works in private equity at SSW Partners, a New York firm founded in 2021 by former senior Lazard bankers Eric Schwartz, Joshua Steiner and Antonio Weiss. Before SSW, he spent roughly three years (2018–2021) as an Associate at KPS Capital Partners, the ~$19B-AUM private equity firm known for control investments in manufacturing and industrial businesses. His still-listed KPS email address ([hidden]) and the KPS main phone line are the "known stub" contact points, but his current affiliation is SSW.

His earlier career was in investment banking. Records show an analyst/associate role at Greenhill & Co. (2017–2018/2019) and time at FBR & Co. (roughly 2014/2015–2017/2018) before he moved into buyout private equity. This is a fairly standard sell-side-to-buyout path for a mid-level PE professional.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Willamette University (Salem, Oregon), where he was also a varsity football player (cornerback for the Willamette Bearcats). His profile is that of an execution-focused deal professional rather than a named partner or fund principal.

Important correction: The seed-data description of Daley Smith as an "Angel Investor" writing "Seed Round" checks is not supported by any source found. Every verifiable record places him at large-cap control-buyout private equity firms (KPS and SSW). He should be treated as an institutional PE professional, not an early-stage/angel investor. Founders seeking seed capital are almost certainly not a fit for his firms.

• Works within control-oriented private equity, not minority/venture/seed investing. SSW Partners "invests in high-quality businesses and collaborates with partners to create enduring value for all stakeholders," pursuing whole-company control buyouts.
• SSW is structured around permanent / long-duration capital, allowing indefinite ownership rather than the typical 3–7 year PE hold — a thesis of buying good businesses and holding them.
• His former firm, KPS Capital Partners, targets manufacturing and industrial companies that need "structural improvement to their business and operations," bringing operational/turnaround expertise and a global network.
• Practical takeaway: the "yes" here is about established companies, control stakes, and operational value creation — scaled equity checks into mature businesses, not early-stage bets.