NEW YORK and BOCA RATON, Fla., Jul. 29, 2026 /citybiz/ — Lafayette Instrument LLC, a portfolio company of private equity firm Branford Castle Partners, has acquired Avisoft Bioacoustics, adding a leading provider of ultrasonic vocalization research technology to its growing life sciences instrumentation business. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The acquisition marks the sixth add-on investment completed by Lafayette since Branford Castle acquired the company through its Fund II in 2021, underscoring the firm’s strategy of building a broader scientific instrumentation platform through targeted acquisitions that expand product capabilities and strengthen its position in specialized research markets.
Avisoft Bioacoustics is recognized for its ultrasonic vocalization (USV) research systems, offering an integrated suite of hardware and software centered on high-performance ultrasonic microphones. Its technology is widely used by universities, pharmaceutical companies and research institutions worldwide to study animal communication and behavior, and its products have been cited in thousands of peer-reviewed scientific publications.
The addition broadens Lafayette’s portfolio with complementary products that support neuroscience, behavioral science and biomedical research. By integrating Avisoft’s software and instrumentation into its existing offerings, Lafayette aims to provide researchers with a more comprehensive set of tools spanning experimental design, data collection and analysis.
Benjamin Mangrich, chief executive officer of Lafayette Instrument, said the acquisition enhances the company’s life sciences portfolio while adding technical expertise that strengthens its position in scientific research. He said Avisoft’s products align closely with Lafayette’s focus on delivering specialized instrumentation and experiment-focused software to researchers.
For Branford Castle, the transaction represents another step in a long-term platform expansion strategy centered on serving the growing demand for advanced research technologies. The private equity firm has supported Lafayette’s acquisition program since 2021, using targeted bolt-on investments to broaden the company’s product portfolio and deepen its presence across multiple life sciences disciplines.
Ceon Francis, managing director at Branford Castle, said the acquisition expands Lafayette’s ability to serve researchers seeking increasingly sophisticated scientific tools. He added that the firm plans to continue working with management to build the company’s capabilities, enhance its product offering and support long-term growth.
The transaction also reflects continued consolidation within the scientific instrumentation industry, where manufacturers are expanding through acquisitions to offer more integrated technology platforms for academic, pharmaceutical and biomedical research customers. Combining specialized hardware with proprietary software has become an increasingly important competitive advantage as research institutions seek streamlined workflows and higher-quality data collection.
Founded more than 75 years ago, Lafayette Instrument develops and manufactures scientific instrumentation and data acquisition systems used across biology, neuroscience, pharmaceutical and medical research, physical therapy, rehabilitation, security and law enforcement. The company has established a strong position in neuroscience research and human evaluation technologies, serving customers in academic, government and commercial laboratories worldwide.
Branford Castle Partners focuses on control investments in lower middle-market businesses, typically targeting companies with up to $15 million in EBITDA that hold leadership positions in niche industries. The firm’s investment strategy emphasizes partnering with management teams to accelerate growth through operational improvements and strategic acquisitions across industrial, manufacturing, business services and specialty sectors.
Branford Castle was advised on the transaction by legal counsel Vedder, while RSM served as accounting and tax advisor. Loy & Co Corporate Finance acted as financial advisor to Avisoft Bioacoustics. The acquisition further expands Lafayette’s scientific instrumentation platform, positioning the company to address a broader range of life sciences research applications while strengthening its competitive position in the global laboratory technology market.