Annual list recognizes private equity and venture capital firms with a proven record of supporting founder-led businesses

Leading growth equity firm Edison Partners announced today that it was named to Inc.’s annual Founder-Friendly Investors list, marking its fifth consecutive year of recognition for the firm’s continued commitment to uniquely helping founder-led companies scale and succeed.

The Inc. Founder-Friendly Investors list spotlights firms that go beyond providing capital—those that serve as trusted partners to founders, offering guidance, operational support, and strategic insight to help businesses achieve sustainable growth. The list is determined by an Inc. survey of founders who have sold stakes in their businesses to private equity and venture capital firms, and gathering firsthand insights into their experiences and how their companies grew as a result of these partnerships.

“Being recognized for the fifth year in a row reflects the deep relationships we build with founders and our commitment to helping to grow their vision,” said Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners. “We see ourselves as true partners in growth, providing right-sized capital and stage and sector specific operating expertise tailored to the needs of the team, business model, and strategy to help founders scale.”

As a leading growth equity firm, Edison Partners has backed more than 220 founders over the last 39 years. Edison’s people-first approach combines strategic capital investment with deep operational expertise. Founder-led companies are supported throughout the investment lifecycle by Edison Edge, a robust platform that equips portfolio companies with the resources and operator guidance necessary to drive solid, long term growth.

“Raising capital is no small feat for today’s entrepreneurs. That’s why discovering investors who offer more than just financial backing—those who bring mentorship, resources, and a true spirit of partnership to your growth journey—is both rare and invaluable,” says Bonny Ghosh, editorial director at Inc. “The 2025 Founder-Friendly Investors are collaborators and dedicated to helping their portfolio companies succeed.”

Edison has proudly backed several founders more than once, with its commitment to founder-led businesses underscored by a best-in-class Net Promoter (NPS) score of 77, ranking well above the financial services industry average of 34.

For more information or to view the complete list of honorees, visit inc.com/founder-friendly-investors.

About Edison Partners

Edison Partners is a leading growth equity firm providing the financial and intellectual capital that CEOs and their executive teams need to grow and scale their companies. The firm’s team brings more than 275 years of combined investing, operating and sector experience to each investment, accessible via the Edison Edge value creation platform, which is tailored to each business’ strategy, stage and operating needs. Edison targets high-growth vertical SaaS, financial technology, healthcare IT and marketplace companies located outside Silicon Valley with $15 million to $50 million in revenue. Investments also include buyouts, recapitalizations, spinouts, and secondary stock purchases. Named as a Top Growth Investment Firm by GrowthCap for multiple years running, Edison’s active portfolio has created aggregated market value exceeding $10 billion. Edison Partners manages $2.2 billion in assets. For more information on Edison Partners, please visit edisonpartners.com and follow on LinkedIn.

About Inc.

Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251029453940/en/

“Being recognized for the fifth year in a row reflects the deep relationships we build with founders and our commitment to helping to grow their vision," - Chris Sugden, Managing Partner, Edison Partners