Mercato Named to Inc.’s 2024 List of Founder-Friendly Investors

We couldn’t be prouder of our team today as Inc. named Mercato to its 2024 Founder-Friendly Investors list.

Inc., the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future, introduced the Founder-Friendly Investors list in 2019. Now in its sixth year, the list has established itself as one of the company’s most resourceful franchises, and has become a go-to guide for entrepreneurs who want to grow their companies while retaining an ownership stake.

"It has been a complicated few years for growth companies and the companies that fund them,” said Mike Hofman, editor-in-chief of Inc. “So we are happy to share with our readers the best, latest guidance on which venture capital firms, private equity firms, and growth-capital lenders have the track record and reputation of being especially good partners to founders and CEOs."
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We are happy to share with our readers the best, latest guidance on which investors have the track record and reputation of being especially good partners to founders and CEOs.

– Mike Hofman

To compile the list, Inc. went straight to the source—investor-backed entrepreneurs. The Inc. team spent months talking to dozens of founders of past portfolio companies about their experiences partnering with private equity, venture capital, and debt firms and how their portfolio companies grew during these partnerships.  This year, Mercato was recognized alongside 268 other investors that have proven they go the extra mile for their founders.

“Mercato has been an instrumental partner, helping me navigate business challenges and consistently supporting our pursuit of market leadership at every critical step,” said Brian Mandelbaum, CEO and Founder of Attain.

Bill Snyder, CEO and Founder of Cylinder Health added, “We partnered with Mercato because—in addition to the experience and value they bring to our business—we knew that the relationship would be deep and sincere. Mercato quickly built trust with me and the senior leadership team, and I know that I can call for guidance and support on any issue.”

Founded in 2007, Mercato is an established, founder-friendly leader in growth equity, dedicated to driving industry-leading results by partnering with entrepreneurs building category-leading companies outside of the traditional venture-rich technology hubs. With a mission to be a founder’s first call, our investment approach is enriched by our team’s focused efforts on providing portfolio companies access to a highly curated network of world-class service advisors, independent board members, and corporate development leaders.

To view the complete list of 2024 Inc. Founder-Friendly Investors, visit the full directory here.