Malana VanTyler
 |  Contributor

The marine and maritime industry is rich with history, yet many companies struggle to keep up with changing industry demands and technologies. Modernizing this sector requires people who understand the operations behind these companies as well as the long-term stewardship that sustains local businesses.

Yuval Kadmon, founder and CEO of Blue Haven Equity, is one of those people. Based in Boston and drawing on his background as a tactical navy officer, he’s currently building a search fund dedicated to acquiring and growing a single business within this space. His mission is to strengthen the industry from within, preserving its core legacy while equipping it for the future through thoughtful guiding and investing, modern management, and people-first leadership.

Foundations Built At Sea

Long before he became an entrepreneur, Kadmon’s leadership was forged in the Israeli Navy, where he served as a tactical officer for eight years.

During his tenure, he directed the integration of advanced navigation and autonomous control systems across the Navy’s fleet, an initiative that improved its operational precision. The experience taught him how to guide teams made up of people with distinct yet equally important roles, a lesson that would shape his philosophy as a leader.

“Leading teams in unpredictable and high-pressure environments taught me how much I value responsibility, teamwork, and building something that lasts,” Kadmon shares.

The lessons learned around this time would eventually guide him to an entirely different kind of vessel: one built on entrepreneurship and long-term ownership.

Discovering A New Model of Leadership

Kadmon’s transition to business ownership began at Harvard Business School, where he earned his master’s in business administration and discovered the growing field of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). The concept centers on entrepreneurs who seek to acquire and operate existing businesses, combining the independence of entrepreneurship with the stability of established operations.

The pivotal moment, he recalls, came during a class taught by Harvard Business School professors Rick Ruback and Royce Yudkoff, two of the most influential figures in the ETA space and the main pioneers behind what’s known as the search fund model. This approach gives aspiring business owners the resources to buy and operate an existing company rather than starting one from the ground up. Entrepreneurs raise initial capital from investors to search for the right business to acquire, then take on the role of CEO to lead its next phase of growth.

Kadmon found these models to be strongly appealing, as they offered the chance to build something meaningful while working with a company that already had solid foundations. “The ETA model combined everything I loved (entrepreneurship, leadership, and investing) into one mission: finding one great company and dedicating myself to scaling it sustainably,” Kadmon shares.

Building Blue Haven Equity

Inspired by the ETA model, Kadmon launched Blue Haven Equity with a clear vision: to acquire and lead a single enduring company in the marine and maritime sector, one that would benefit from modernizing its operations.

Blue Haven targets small to mid-sized American businesses (marinas, shipyards, and marine services) that form the backbone of coastal communities and have been led for years by experienced owners approaching a natural transition point. Many of these businesses are steady, well-run, and built on sustainable principles, but now face the question of who will guide them into their next phase of growth.

Kadmon’s approach centers on partnering with such founders, bringing renewed energy, strategic support, and long-term vision to help their companies evolve while preserving what has made them successful.

When first setting up to bring this project to life, Kadmon raised funding from a group of former search-fund entrepreneurs and professors who believed in both his thesis and his leadership. He positioned himself as a coachable, accountability-driven operator, emphasizing how he prioritizes full transparency when it comes to dealing with businesses, as well as his focus on long-term value creation over short-term profit.

His focus on championing operational excellence resonated with investors, especially those who shared his conviction that business success begins with people and purpose. “I’m very coachable, and I’m looking to be coached,” Kadmon said. “Those two things made investors take a chance on me, and I really hope to prove them right.”

With their support, he’s begun a nationwide search for the right acquisition. He looks for companies with strong fundamentals: consistent recurring revenue, low customer concentration, and a presence in industries with steady, long-term growth. He also prioritizes businesses that require relatively low capital expenditures and have clear opportunities for operational improvement.

A Focus On Legacy

At the core of Kadmon’s work is a philosophy rooted in establishing mutual empathy and respect. He describes his approach as “people-first”, a continuation of the same principles that guided him in the Navy. He believes that when employees feel properly supported, they bring greater dedication, as well as pride, to their craft and their work.

That mindset also shapes how he approaches business owners considering succession. Many are founders who have spent decades building their companies and care deeply about who will take the helm next — concerns that Kadmon takes into great consideration. “I care about the owner’s legacy,” he says. “I’m trying to buy their company because I love what they’ve built, not because I think I can do it better.” 

This respect and focus on heritage distinguishes Blue Haven Equity from traditional investment firms. It’s less about flipping assets and more about stewardship: continuing a story that began long before the acquisition.

Reviving America’s Blue Economy

Kadmon envisions a new era for the blue economy, one that treats technology and tradition as equals. Currently in its search stage, the next phase for Blue Haven Equity, once Kadmon finds the right business, would consist of modernizing its operations, strengthening its workforce, and establishing practices that would elevate its performance without losing sight of the communities these companies serve.

“My goal is to acquire and lead a strong, enduring business,” Kadmon said, “creating a company that sets new standards for operational excellence, innovation, and sustainability.”Yuval Kadmon’s approach to investing aims to show how entrepreneurs can strengthen both businesses and the people who power them. Through Blue Haven Equity, he’s working to set a new standard for how entrepreneurial leadership can serve industry and community alike.

Investing involves risk and your investment may lose value. Past performance gives no indication of future results. These statements do not constitute and cannot replace investment advice.