Frequently Asked Questions

What does Lieef do?

Lieef is a private investment firm focused on emerging infrastructure. We deploy capital and operational expertise in business platforms centered on real assets and infrastructure projects, and we also invest directly into infrastructure projects themselves. Our investments support energy, water, waste, and other critical sectors aligned with essential services and natural resources.

What is “emerging infrastructure”?

Emerging infrastructure refers to real assets or infrastructure projects that utilize proven technologies but have not yet been institutionalized for scaled deployment. These investments often:

  • Fall below the typical size threshold of large funds

  • Require operational support—not just capital—to crystallize a scalable deployment process

  • Have the potential to scale through repeatable execution

  • Exhibit enough customer demand, based on their value proposition, to warrant the upfront work required to create that scalable deployment process

What types of companies and projects does Lieef invest in?

We make project-level and corporate investments into:

  • Infrastructure platforms (companies that develop or own real assets)

  • Distributed infrastructure project portfolios (such as solar, energy storage, water treatment)

  • Essential service providers in the infrastructure economy

  • Opportunities with contractual revenue streams, or situations where there is potential to create them

We typically target $25 million to $100 million+ in initial equity or structured capital commitments, with the ability to scale over time.

What is Lieef’s investment strategy?

Lieef's approach centers on:

  • Proven technologies

  • Existing or potential contractual revenue streams

  • Creating scalable partnerships with companies or project developers

  • A core belief that value is best created through risk reduction

  • A willingness to do the work on something small, based on the premise that it will scale

Who leads Lieef?

Lieef is led by founder Brad Kavin, a private equity investor and platform builder with a track record of reshaping how institutional capital engages with real-world infrastructure. Brad was a founding member of BlackRock’s Global Sustainable Infrastructure team, where he helped deploy over $1.5 billion in fund capital across 19 control investments representing more than $10 billion in enterprise value. He later joined Cowen Sustainable Investments as a founding team member, helping raise the platform’s $300 million first close and build its investment strategy from the ground up. Brad has led multiple industry-first transactions — including, as the borrower, securing the first non-recourse debt financing in North America for wind and solar projects with tenors exceeding technical useful life, a structure that has since become industry standard. He also helped shape the commercial model for fleet EV charging, unlocking new ways for utilities to integrate distributed energy assets into the grid. Brad founded Lieef to back and build the next generation of infrastructure platforms — those using proven technologies and engineered systems to solve physical problems at scale. Lieef was created to help build the utilities of the future.

How does Lieef support its partners?

Capital is only part of what we provide. Lieef brings:

  • In-house engineering and underwriting to reduce execution risk

  • Expertise in commercial contracting and bankability

  • Strategic alignment through flexible structuring and hands-on partnership

  • Support in institutionalizing business operations and infrastructure project implementation to enable scalable models and long-term franchise value

We aim to be the most valuable partner on the cap table.

How is Lieef different from other infrastructure funds?

Lieef is intentionally different:

  • We don’t rely on exits — we underwrite to own indefinitely. This isn’t because we don’t intend to exit, but because we recognize the best business is the one you want to own forever

  • We prioritize alignment over control

  • We structure transactions to build durable trust with our partners

  • We focus on the overlooked middle — smaller transactions with large long-term impact

Is Lieef hiring?

Yes. Lieef hires high-agency, low-politics professionals who think like owners. Our team is built around independent thinkers who:

  • Take initiative without waiting for direction

  • Prioritize truth and clarity

  • Seek asymmetric outcomes over comfort or consensus

We use a custom screening framework to assess alignment with our values.

To inquire about open roles, email us at contact@lieef.com.

How can I contact Lieef?

If you’re an operator, developer, co-investor, or simply want to learn more about how we work:

We welcome inquiries from partners aligned with our long-term, impact-driven approach.

Does Lieef have an investment mandate or fund structure?

Yes. Lieef manages capital through a fully discretionary, closed-end fund that allows us to pursue opportunities creatively. This structure enables us to utilize:

  • Equity and structured credit

  • Corporate and project-level capital

  • Platform investments and follow-on funding

Our fund is designed to match long-dated capital with scalable infrastructure opportunities, enabling durable returns through precise execution.