Granite Creek Capital Partners Selected for Inc.’s 2021 List of Founder-Friendly Investors

Annual roundup of founder-friendly investors includes venture capital and private equity


CHICAGO, Oct. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Granite Creek Capital Partners, a private investment firm based in Chicago, today announced that it was again named to the Inc.’s Founder-Friendly Investors list, honoring the private equity and venture capital firms with the best track record of success backing entrepreneurs. This is a shift from previous lists — which were called the Private Equity 50 — as this year’s list includes venture capital firms in addition to private equity firms, while maintaining its stringent criteria for recognition.

“This recognition by Inc. for the second year in a row further validates the outstanding support we provide our portfolio companies and our success working with them,” said Mark Radzik, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Granite Creek. “While 2021 was a challenging year for many businesses because of COVID, our team continued to collaborate with entrepreneurs to help them navigate their strategic opportunities and risks and support their success.”

Granite Creek provides its portfolio companies with a wide range of resources including strategy consultation, business development, market intelligence, acquisition support, banking relationships and operational best practices.

“Supporting an entrepreneur’s vision and driving growth is more than just a financial investment. It’s about building a relationship and supporting the founders beyond that initial year. These private equity and venture capital firms treat the founders like partners,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. media.

Inc’s final list distinguishes investment firms that entrepreneurs can trust and collaborate with while receiving the financial support they need to help accelerate growth. All recipients of this year’s recognition have a successful track record of remaining actively involved in the businesses after their investment.

To compile the list, Inc. went straight to the source: entrepreneurs who have sold to private equity. Founders filled out a questionnaire about their experiences partnering with private equity firms and shared data on how their portfolio companies have grown during these partnerships.

To see the complete list, go to: http://www.inc.com/private-equity

Introduced in 2019, the Founder-Friendly Private Equity Firms list quickly established itself as one of Inc.’s most resourceful franchises. It has become a go-to guide for entrepreneurs who want to grow their companies while retaining an ownership stake. 

The October 2021 issue of Inc. magazine is available online now at https://www.inc.com/magazine and will be on newsstands beginning October 5, 2021.

About Inc.
The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community they need to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc.

About Granite Creek Capital Partners, L.L.C.
Founded in 2005, Granite Creek Capital Partners, L.L.C. is a Chicago-based private investment firm focused on providing capital and operational resources to lower middle market companies engaged in manufacturing, business services, healthcare, and agribusiness. With an experienced team of investment professionals bringing expertise in banking, private equity, operations and business development, Granite Creek has a successful track record of investing in and supporting its portfolio companies. In addition to providing funding to lower middle market companies, in 2011 Granite Creek co-founded Renovo Financial, one of the largest regional private lenders serving real estate entrepreneurs. For more information on Granite Creek, visit www.granitecreek.com or call 312-895-4500.

For more media information, contact:

Lisa Hendrickson, LCH Communications for Granite Creek
516-643-1642
lisa@lchcommunications.com