Granite Harbor Capital, the private markets and alternative investments focus of Granite Harbor, launched Mariner Fund I, a new private markets opportunity fund designed to give qualified investors direct access to institutional-quality private equity, real estate and private credit opportunities. The fund will be led by Derek Taylor, who recently joined the firm as managing partner, to oversee Granite Harbor’s growing private markets vertical.
Granite Harbor’s leadership describes Mariner Fund I as the natural next step in the firm’s mission to bring high-quality, private market access to clients in a way that aligns with fiduciary planning, disciplined underwriting and deeply rooted operating experience.
“Clients are demanding better access, clearer oversight and more strategic integration of private markets into their broader wealth plans,” Brian Sak, managing partner of Granite Harbor, said. “Mariner Fund I reflects our commitment not only to sourcing compelling private opportunities, but to bringing the governance, transparency and alignment that investors expect from an RIA-led platform.”
Nicholas Brown, managing partner of Granite Harbor, added, “The Mariner Fund represents the next step for Granite Harbor — building on the work we’ve already done throughout the central United States. I really can’t think of a more exciting time to be affiliated with Granite Harbor.”
The fund focuses heavily on the Central U.S., which, Taylor notes, offers significant untapped opportunity: “There are a lot of operating companies in that $2 – $7 million EBITDA range that are overlooked because they’re ‘too small’ for coastal capital — but the growth potential is significant in industry sectors like differentiated manufacturing, infrastructure support and distribution. Similarly, we believe there are many value-add and core-plus commercial real estate opportunities for investment which offer both stability and growth potential across multifamily, industrial/logistics and other key asset classes.”
Taylor brings a background in transactional law, private equity real estate and independent sponsor sourcing and operations, and owner-operator manufacturing experience. He has led platform integrations, structured lower middle-market acquisitions and continues to operate a nationally recognized manufacturing brand — experience he says directly informs the fund’s investment philosophy.
“Private markets reward proximity — to operators, sourcing channels and the actual creation of value,” Taylor said. “Our goal with Mariner Fund I is to get investors as close as possible to the genesis of value creation while maintaining the due diligence, structure and advisory commitment clients expect from Granite Harbor.”
