The verdict in three sentences
A Washington DC private equity firm's website exists first to convince founders and intermediaries that your thesis, check size and team fit their company, then to reassure LPs and recruits. A firm in the region commonly charges USD 25,000 to 80,000 for this kind of site (2026 ballpark), while Kolonell's fixed grid is USD 2,900 (Starter), USD 4,900 (Growth) and USD 8,900 (Premium). The real budget depends mostly on compliance review, partner time and the LP portal, which is priced on quote.
Who reads your site, and what are they checking?
In Washington, many funds focus on federal contractors, defense, cybersecurity, healthcare or business services. The founder of a federal subcontractor weighing a sale does not read your site the way a Tysons investment banker or an institutional LP does.
| Reader | The question on their mind | Page that must answer |
|---|---|---|
| SME founder (deal flow) | "Does this fund understand my sector and my government contracts?" | Strategy and sectors, with concrete criteria |
| Banker or sell-side adviser | "Check size, target revenue and EBITDA?" | Investment criteria, quantified and current |
| Target management team | "How does this fund work with executives?" | Value creation approach, with no invented outcomes |
| LP | "Who are the partners and how is the firm structured?" | Team, governance, portal access on quote |
| Analyst or associate candidate | "Culture, career paths, hiring?" | Careers and team pages |
| Journalist or partner | "Which deals, published with whose consent?" | Real portfolio, shown with company consent |
Three rules frame this content. The portfolio shows only real holdings, with the companies' consent. For an SEC-registered adviser, the SEC Marketing Rule governs how performance and testimonials are presented, and private fund offerings are subject to limits on general solicitation: any mention of returns or fundraising is cleared with your counsel. And accessibility matters, because ADA Title III suits regularly target business websites; aiming for WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA reduces that exposure. This is not legal advice.
The quote, line by line
| Item | Regional freelancer | Washington agency | Premium finance agency | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design | adapted template | custom | custom, art direction | polished templates specific to the tier |
| Copywriting | supplied by the firm | partial, from interviews | full, partner interviews | native English or French copywriting |
| Typical pages | 5 to 8 | 10 to 20 | 15 to 30 | depends on the tier, set in the quote |
| Timeline | 6 to 10 weeks | 10 to 16 weeks | 4 to 6 months | 3 to 4 weeks (Premium 4 to 6) |
| Post-launch support | ad hoc | monthly retainer | monthly retainer | 3 months of support included |
| 2026 price | USD 6,000 to 15,000 | USD 25,000 to 80,000 | USD 80,000 to 200,000 | USD 2,900, 4,900 or 8,900 |
Local ranges: typical Washington-area agency quotes and public rate pages. At Kolonell, a project manager stays reachable in your time zone. Premium is the multilingual tier, with languages set in the quote, useful if you raise from European investors. A secure LP portal, integration with your deal-flow CRM and any custom application are on quote. See the international offer.
Three-year total cost, with assumptions stated
| Item | Washington agency (market assumption) | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Build | USD 55,000 | USD 4,900 |
| Team photography | USD 3,500 | USD 3,500, market assumption |
| Compliance review by your counsel | USD 5,000 | USD 5,000, market assumption |
| Support over 33 months | USD 1,000 a month, or USD 33,000 | USD 400 a month, or USD 13,200 (market assumption, maintenance on quote) |
| LP portal | on quote | on quote |
| Indicative total excluding portal | USD 96,500 | USD 26,600 |
The calculation leaves out partner time, often the most expensive line, and portfolio updates after each deal.
When the local agency wins
A Washington agency is justified if you need an entirely new brand with art direction, regular video shoots with your partners, or a complex LP portal wired into your reporting tools from day one. It is also justified if your committee expects in-person workshops every week. For a firm that wants a clear site, delivered fast and faithful to its thesis, a fixed grid is usually enough.
Questions to ask before signing: have you worked for a registered adviser, and how do you handle compliance review? Who writes the copy, and how many interview hours do you expect from the partners? Who owns the domain and the accounts? How is the portfolio updated after an exit?
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Calvert Lane Capital, a lower middle market fund in Washington, compares two options. With a local agency at USD 55,000, the four partners spend 4 hours each in interviews, valued at USD 600 an hour, or USD 9,600, plus USD 5,000 of compliance review (market assumption): USD 69,600. With Kolonell Growth at USD 4,900, they plan 6 hours each to supply more material, or USD 14,400, plus the same review: USD 24,300. The USD 45,300 difference comfortably covers a presence at the sector conferences where intermediary relationships are built.
FAQ
Can we show past performance?
If you are a registered adviser, the SEC Marketing Rule sets strict conditions on how performance is presented. Many firms stick to strategy and criteria on the public site. Budget USD 3,000 to 8,000 for counsel review (market assumption).
Is the LP portal included?
No, a secure LP area is priced on quote based on users, documents and integrations. The public site is still delivered in 3 to 4 weeks.
Should we publish quantified investment criteria?
Yes, if you want better-targeted intermediaries: a range such as USD 3 to 15 million of EBITDA filters out off-target deals. Update it with each new fund.
What happens after the 3 months of support?
Maintenance is offered on quote based on your deal cadence. The USD 400 a month in the table is a market assumption, not a Kolonell rate.
Which tier fits a two-partner firm?
Starter at USD 2,900 is often enough for a first fund with a simple thesis. Growth at USD 4,900 fits better once you present several sectors and a portfolio.
Let's scope your project. A site that sets out your thesis, criteria and team clearly, in Growth at USD 4,900 delivered in 3 to 4 weeks, LP portal on quote. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.