ELOS Environmental

ELOS Environmental

Lucas Watkins and James 'Jay' Prather, III established ELOS Environmental in 2006 to deliver interdisciplinary environmental consulting, permitting, and regulatory compliance services. The firm supports private businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government entities navigating environmental obligations. Since its founding, ELOS has been acquired into the Aventia platform, which is backed by private equity firm Bernhard Capital Partners, linking the consultancy to broader infrastructure investment activity. ELOS's service mix spans environmental permitting applications, program and project management, and regulatory compliance. Its deployment model centers on consultative engagement rather than direct investment, though its positioning inside a private-equity-backed platform suggests it functions as both a service provider and a portfolio asset within Bernhard Capital's infrastructure strategy. The firm operates an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fleet to support environmental monitoring, and it maintains a commercial office at 607 West Morris Avenue in Hammond, Louisiana. Its activity concentrates on the US Gulf Coast, with a particular focus on coastal restoration and industrial permitting. The team is led by Watkins as President alongside Prather as Vice President. The firm participates in industry groups including the Louisiana Engineering Society, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Louisiana, and the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana as a corporate supporter. ELOS also maintains a community support initiative for local philanthropic efforts. Recent operational visibility is limited, with no public AUM or deployment figures available. ELOS's structural distinction lies in its dual identity: a standalone environmental consultancy that is simultaneously an operating asset inside an infrastructure-focused private equity platform. This architecture allows the firm to serve external clients including government entities and nonprofits while also providing captive compliance and monitoring capabilities to Bernhard Capital's broader portfolio.