Menlo Park, California – November 1, 2023 – Runway Growth Capital LLC (“Runway”), a leading provider of growth loans to both venture and non-venture-backed companies seeking an alternative to raising equity, announced today that Inc. Magazine named Runway in its prestigious Founder-Friendly Investors list. The list honors leaders in finance – including debt providers such as Runway – who have maintained a stellar track record of success and consistent support for entrepreneurs.
The final list recognizes 218 firms that remain actively involved with the businesses they invest in, and that have earned the trust of the entrepreneurs they support to help drive growth.
“Now more than ever, founder-led companies need financing partners that offer guidance, expertise, and understanding—not just capital,” said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Business Media. “These are the private equity, venture capital, and debt firms that have founders’ backs when it comes to accelerating growth.”
“We are honored that Inc. recognized Runway for our dedication to our borrowers in good times and bad, providing the capital, knowledge, and network they need for success,” said Greg Greifeld, Acting CEO of Runway Growth Capital LLC. “As a provider of venture debt, the primary value proposition of our capital solution is to allow entrepreneurs to own more of their companies, and by doing more work upfront to develop a thorough understanding of our clients’ businesses, we are well prepared to help with any current or future challenges.”
Runway has shown prowess in working closely with the founders of its portfolio companies to help them grow while meeting the goals of its strategic investments. Runway invests in varied companies, focusing on technology, life sciences, and select consumer services and products. Since its inception in 2015, the firm has partnered with 72 companies to provide minimally dilutive growth capital that enables founders and early investors to retain more ownership in their business, amounting to over $2.4 billion in total loan commitments.
In December of 2022, Runway reengaged with the management team of SetPoint Medical, a clinical-stage healthcare company dedicated to patients with chronic autoimmune diseases, with an expanded $65M credit facility. SetPoint Medical had an existing credit facility with Runway, and this expansion further reinforced Runway’s dedication to maintaining tight-knit relationships based on trust, transparency, and communication with their portfolio companies.
Also in December of 2022, Runway closed on a senior secured term loan of $50M to Madison Reed, a digitally enabled omnichannel prestige hair color company predominantly focused on women. Runway’s non-dilutive growth loan provided Madison Reed with needed late-stage growth capital. With this flexible working capital, Madison Reed grew customer acquisition, broadened retail channels, and expanded its more than eighty hair color bars nationally.
Most recently, the firm provided a $40M senior secured term loan to Elevate Services, Inc. (“Elevate”), a global law company providing software and services to law departments of over ten percent of the Global 1000 and more than half of the Global 100 law firms. Thanks to Runway’s supportive partnership and non-dilutive capital, Elevate was able to refinance existing debt and provide additional working capital for its expert-led, software-powered solutions.
Introduced in 2019, the Founder-Friendly Investors 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 November 2023 issue of Inc. magazine is available online now at https://www.inc.com/magazine and will be on newsstands beginning October 31.
Legal Disclosure
The award for Runway’s advisory services has been given by a non-advisory client. A cash compensation entry fee was given in association with the award. Any compensation may create a conflict of interest. For more information on Inc.’s award selection process click here.
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. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
About Runway Growth Capital LLC
Runway Growth Capital LLC is the investment advisor to investment funds, including Runway Growth Finance Corp. (Nasdaq: RWAY), a business development company, and other private funds, which are lenders of growth capital to companies seeking an alternative to raising equity. Led by industry veteran David Spreng, these funds provide senior term loans of $10 million to $100 million to fast-growing companies based in the United States and Canada. For more information on Runway Growth Capital LLC and its platform, please visit our website at www.runwaygrowth.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements included herein may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance, condition, or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in Runway Growth’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Runway Growth undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.