AI Agents for Independent Sponsors: How to Outcompete Funds 10x Your Size

The gap between independent sponsors and larger funds is narrowing- fast.

AI agents are starting to change how deals are sourced, evaluated, and executed. But what’s actually working today vs. what’s still hype?

In this session, Harry Ratcliff, Founder of DealSage, will break down how private equity firms are using agents in practice, with real examples from the lower middle market.

Drawing on hands-on experience, Harry will walk through where agents are driving real value across the deal lifecycle (and where they’re not) with a focus on practical application.

We’ll cover things like:

• How PE funds are deploying agents today (what’s working vs. what’s not)
• High-impact use cases for independent sponsors: deal screening, financial extraction, deal memory, IC prep, and portfolio monitoring
• What “good” looks like in each use case, and how to actually set it up
• How to get started today: build vs. buy, and where general tools fall short