Enhanced Capital Partners, established in 1999 and headquartered in New York City, is a national investment firm focused on providing tailored investment solutions to small and mid-size companies. The firm specializes in various sectors, including small businesses, renewable energy projects, historic real estate rehabilitation, and affordable housing, leveraging federal and state incentive programs. Enhanced Capital employs a versatile approach to investment, offering equity and debt financing options such as tax credit lending and impact lending, aimed at maximizing growth potential for businesses in the lower middle market. With over $400 million under management, the firm is committed to supporting the expansion and development of enterprises positioned for rapid growth.

Advantage Capital is a private equity firm founded in 1992 and headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, with additional offices across the United States. The firm specializes in growth equity, lending, and mezzanine debt capital investments, focusing on small businesses at various stages of development, excluding seed-stage companies. It aims to drive economic development in underserved communities, both urban and rural, by investing in sectors such as communication, information technology, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy. Advantage Capital seeks to make initial investments ranging from $0.5 million to $10 million in companies with sales under $5 million and also provides various forms of debt capital, including senior and subordinated loans. The firm has invested over $3.8 billion in more than 800 portfolio companies and projects, supporting over 66,000 jobs nationwide. Its geographic focus includes states like Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, and Texas, among others, with a commitment to enhancing local economies through targeted financial solutions.

Innovate Alabama is working to lead the way in innovation by making it easier for innovators and entrepreneurs to grow and plant roots.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is a United States government agency established in 1958, primarily in response to advancements in space exploration by the Soviet Union. Originating from the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, NASA has a long history of advancing aeronautics and astronautics. It gained prominence for its Apollo program, which successfully landed humans on the moon in 1969. NASA has since been instrumental in various space missions, including the development of the space shuttle, which provided regular access to space from 1981 until its retirement in 2011. The agency plays a key role in the International Space Station, furthering human presence in space through international collaboration. In addition to manned missions, NASA conducts extensive scientific research, exploring planets like Mars and monitoring Earth's climate through satellites. Its aeronautics teams continue to innovate in creating safer and more efficient aircraft. Overall, NASA's work aims to expand human knowledge and capabilities in space while contributing to advancements that benefit life on Earth.

Fenwick Brands is a private equity firm based in Birmingham, Alabama, founded in 1988. It specializes in middle market investments, focusing on emerging consumer brands across various sectors, including food and beverage, personal care, household products, pet products, health and wellness, and lawn and garden. The firm typically targets companies located in the Southeastern United States, investing in businesses with annual revenues ranging from $3 million to $25 million and EBITDA up to $10 million. Fenwick Brands aims to support companies that have strong potential but require capital, strategic guidance, or operational expertise to achieve growth. The firm is open to making co-investments and can act as either a minority or majority partner in its portfolio companies.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a leading biomedical research facility in the United States, operating under the Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1887 and based in Bethesda, Maryland, NIH is the primary agency responsible for biomedical and health-related research in the country. It comprises 27 separate institutes and centers, each focusing on different disciplines within biomedical science. NIH conducts its own scientific research through the Intramural Research Program and provides significant funding for research at external institutions via the Extramural Research Program. With a workforce that includes 1,200 principal investigators and over 4,000 postdoctoral fellows, NIH has been instrumental in major medical breakthroughs, such as the development of vaccines for hepatitis and human papillomavirus, as well as the discovery of treatments for various health conditions. As the world's largest source of medical research funding, NIH continues to advance scientific knowledge and contribute to public health improvements.

McKinney Capital LLC is a private equity firm based in Birmingham, Alabama, founded in 2010. The firm specializes in growth capital investments, focusing primarily on field services, particularly those that provide on-site solutions for residential and commercial clients. Its investment portfolio includes a diverse range of service sectors such as appliance and TV servicing, landscaping, janitorial and facilities maintenance, pest control, home computer repair, waste management, pool maintenance, utility inspection, equipment servicing, and traffic light repair. McKinney Capital targets companies operating in the Southern United States, seeking to invest in firms with revenues between $5 million and $30 million, or a minimum of $2 million for landscaping businesses. The firm typically aims for majority ownership in its portfolio companies, emphasizing control investments in the field services sector.

United Structural Systems is a provider of foundation repair services for residential and commercial properties, primarily serving Middle Tennessee, Southern Kentucky, and Northern Alabama. The company specializes in a variety of services that include basement waterproofing, crawl space encapsulation, concrete leveling, sinkhole repair, and brick repair. By addressing diverse construction needs, United Structural Systems aims to deliver effective solutions to its customers, ensuring the integrity and safety of their properties.

Cadence is a regional banking company with more than $6.7 billion in assets. Through Cadence Bank, its operating subsidiary, Cadence operates a network of more than 95 branches in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas. By understanding what moves our customers and staying in lock step with them through all phases of their financial lives, Cadence Bank provides a unique and refreshing banking alternative to those who demand something dramatically better than what they’ve experienced in the past. Innovative new methods and products for both commercial and personal customers that add value to your lives. A hyper-focused customer service team that keeps the rhythm of our relationship running smoothly. Top-tier professionals on the front line that have a track record of success. And right in tune with you, a commitment to making the community in which we work and live a better place

BankFirst Financial Services, headquartered in Columbus, Mississippi, has been serving communities since its establishment in 1888. With 16 branch locations across Mississippi and Alabama, the institution operates as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) since 2010, reflecting its commitment to community-focused banking. The bank offers a wide range of services, including personal checking and savings accounts, debit and credit cards, home mortgages, personal and business loans. In addition, BankFirst provides online banking, mobile banking with remote deposit capabilities, online bill payment, and wealth management services. The board of directors and management team are dedicated to enhancing the bank's role as a leading independent financial institution in its service areas.

Retirement Systems of Alabama serve the interests of our members by preserving the excellent benefits and soundness of the Systems. We are the safe keepers of the pensions for thousands of Alabamians and we take our jobs seriously. It is our goal to seek and secure the best investments and services for our membership, and to ensure that we do everything possible to help our members prepare for and enjoy a successful retirement.

Winterpoint Capital is a venture capital firm established in 2017 and located in Birmingham, Alabama. The firm specializes in early-stage investments, primarily at the pre-seed and seed stages, targeting companies that are innovating in areas such as cleantech, fintech, ed tech, healthcare, sustainability, financial inclusion, and accessible education. Winterpoint Capital aims to partner with entrepreneurs to help scale their innovations and make a positive impact on society.

Encompass Health Corporation offers facility-based and home-based post-acute healthcare services across the United States, operating primarily through two segments: Inpatient Rehabilitation and Home Health and Hospice. The Inpatient Rehabilitation segment specializes in rehabilitative treatment for patients recovering from conditions such as strokes, neurological disorders, cardiac and pulmonary issues, and complex orthopedic conditions. The Home Health and Hospice segment provides a comprehensive range of Medicare-certified home health services, including skilled nursing and various therapies, primarily in the Southeast and Texas, alongside hospice services that support terminally ill patients and their families. As of November 2020, Encompass Health operated 137 hospitals, 242 home health locations, and 83 hospice locations in 39 states and Puerto Rico. Founded in 1983 and based in Birmingham, Alabama, the company was formerly known as HealthSouth Corporation and adopted its current name in January 2018.

Tullis Health Investors of Florida LLC is a private equity firm established in 1986, headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The firm specializes in growth capital investments, primarily within the healthcare sector, focusing on areas such as medical devices, healthcare services, biotechnology, and specialty pharmaceuticals. Tullis Health Investors targets small to mid-sized companies, providing equity and equity-related capital from seed through late-stage funding. The firm typically invests between $0.25 million and $10 million in companies that have established operations or are well into their product development processes. Its investment strategy includes a focus on healthcare infrastructure, distribution, and information technology, as well as therapeutic devices. Tullis Health Investors primarily invests in U.S. companies, particularly those located in the Midwest, Michigan, Connecticut, Alabama, Albuquerque, and New Mexico.

Harbert Growth Partners is a venture capital firm focused on investing in seed, startup, and emerging growth stage companies, primarily in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The firm targets sectors such as marketing technology, eCommerce enablement, information technology—including software and cybersecurity—healthcare IT, and medical devices. Harbert Growth Partners typically invests between $0.25 million and $7 million in companies with annual sales up to $100 million and enterprise values ranging from $2 million to $40 million. With a preference for board representation in its portfolio, the firm aims to partner with entrepreneurs and support high-growth ventures that are often overlooked by traditional investors. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Harbert Growth Partners also maintains offices in Birmingham, Alabama, and Gainesville, Florida, and operates as a subsidiary of Harbert Management Corporation.

New Capital Partners is a private equity firm located in Birmingham, Alabama, founded in 2001. The firm specializes in managing private equity and economic development funds, focusing on investments in the healthcare, financial technology, and business services sectors. New Capital Partners employs various investment strategies, including add-ons, buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, recapitalization, and growth capital. As a Registered Investment Adviser, the firm aims to enhance the value of its portfolio companies while contributing to economic development in its target markets.

Brinker International, Inc. operates casual dining restaurants, primarily under the brands Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy. Chili's is known for its bar and grill offerings, featuring a menu that includes signature items such as slow-smoked baby back ribs, craft burgers, fajitas, and tableside guacamole. Maggiano's specializes in Italian cuisine, offering a diverse menu that includes appetizers, chicken, seafood, veal, prime steaks, and desserts. As of June 2013, Brinker International's system included 1,591 restaurants across 50 states and Washington, D.C., as well as locations in various countries including Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. The company generates the majority of its revenue from the Chili's segment, reflecting its strong presence in the casual dining market.

Postmates Inc. operates an on-demand food and grocery delivery platform that connects customers with local couriers to deliver products from various restaurants and stores across the United States. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, the platform features a wide selection of over 600,000 restaurants and retailers, many of which are exclusive to Postmates. The service covers approximately 80% of U.S. households, reaching all 50 states, with a strong presence in Los Angeles and other southwestern markets. Customers can enjoy free delivery from all merchants by subscribing to Postmates Unlimited, the industry’s first subscription service. In addition to food delivery, Postmates also offers gift card services, enhancing the user experience and encouraging local shopping without delays.

Landscape Workshop LLC is a full-service grounds maintenance company based in Birmingham, Alabama, with branch locations across the Southeast, including Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida. Established in 1984, the company specializes in providing landscaping services for a diverse range of clients, including healthcare facilities, educational institutions, municipalities, and commercial properties. Its offerings encompass landscape construction and installation, maintenance and design, irrigation services, and seasonal color programs. Additionally, Landscape Workshop provides services such as weed and insect control, arbor care, snow and ice removal, power sweeping, and pressure washing. Through its comprehensive services, the company aims to help clients enhance property value, maintain outdoor spaces, and attract new customers and tenants.

The Southern Appalachian Fund is a venture capital investment firm headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with an additional office in London, Kentucky. The firm specializes in providing growth capital and early-stage financing, focusing on small businesses in the interactive home entertainment, manufacturing, technology, and software sectors within southern Appalachia, particularly in Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Appalachian counties of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. The firm typically invests between $200,000 and $600,000, often in multiple rounds, and aims to take an equity stake by acquiring preferred stock. Its investment strategy includes working closely with portfolio companies, offering operational assistance and mentoring to enhance their growth potential. The Southern Appalachian Fund generally looks to exit its investments within four to seven years, primarily through external sales, mergers, or management buyouts, while remaining open to other exit options such as initial public offerings.

Paychex, Inc., founded in 1971 and headquartered in Rochester, New York, is a prominent provider of payroll and human capital management solutions, primarily serving small to medium-sized businesses in the United States and Germany. The company offers a comprehensive range of services, including payroll processing, payroll tax administration, employee payment services, and regulatory compliance. In addition to these payroll-focused solutions, Paychex provides human resource outsourcing services, benefits administration, and risk management, along with time and attendance software. The company also operates as a professional employer organization and offers retirement services, workers' compensation insurance, and health benefits management. As of its latest reporting, Paychex serves over 745,000 clients and plays a crucial role in payroll for a significant portion of the U.S. workforce.

ProAssurance Corporation is a holding company that specializes in property and casualty insurance, primarily focusing on professional liability insurance in the United States. Founded in 1976, the company operates several wholly-owned subsidiaries located in Alabama, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, and Vermont. These subsidiaries provide various insurance products, including professional liability coverage for healthcare professionals and facilities, as well as for attorneys, in addition to offering workers' compensation insurance. ProAssurance categorizes its operations into five segments: Specialty Property and Casualty, Workers' Compensation, Segregated Portfolio Cell Reinsurance, Lloyd's Syndicate, and Corporate. The majority of the company's revenue is derived from its Specialty Property and Casualty segment, with Workers' Compensation contributing as a significant secondary source of income.

Acacia Partners, LLC is a private equity firm founded in 2011 and based in Austin, Texas, with additional offices in Chicago and Birmingham. The firm specializes in growth equity, minority and majority recapitalizations, and leveraged buyouts within the lower middle market, focusing on family-owned and owner-operated companies. Acacia Partners invests primarily in the United States, targeting sectors such as consumer products and services, healthcare, information technology, industrial products and services, and business services. Typically, the firm commits equity capital ranging from $15 million to $75 million in companies with sales exceeding $25 million and EBITDA greater than $5 million. Acacia Partners distinguishes itself by having an indefinite investment horizon and maintaining flexibility in both investment structure and time frame, allowing it to hold investments as long as necessary to achieve desired outcomes. The firm's capital is sourced mainly from four family offices, enabling it to operate without a fixed investment mandate.

Marketron is the media industry's leading provider of business software solutions and services. The Marketron Mediascape Platform, Traffic and Services drive innovation to create new growth opportunities that produce the maximum value for our clients. With more than 7,000 media organizations served, Marketron solutions are the most widely used in the world and manage an estimated $15 billion in annual advertising revenue in the United States alone.

Central Conveyor Company, Inc. designs and manufactures customized material handling systems, storage retrieval systems, and automated conveyance solutions, primarily serving the automotive industry in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Established in 1993 and headquartered in Brighton, Michigan, with an additional facility in Bessemer, Alabama, the company offers a range of products, including various types of conveyors such as belt, CDLR, and electrified monorail systems. Additionally, Central Conveyor provides engineering, equipment sustainment, fabrication, machining, welding, field installation, and project management services. The company specializes in creating systems that can function as standalone units or be integrated into existing manufacturing lines, ensuring comprehensive support with custom controls, integration services, and electrical field wiring. Central Conveyor operates as a subsidiary of U.S. Tsubaki Holdings, Inc.

Regions Bank is a financial institution that offers a wide range of personal, small business, commercial banking, and wealth management services. Its personal banking services encompass checking and savings accounts, cash solutions, protection services, and various financial products such as money market accounts and IRAs. For small businesses, Regions provides checking accounts, cash management, merchant processing, and payroll services. In the commercial banking sector, it offers asset-based lending, equipment financing, and government financing solutions. The bank also specializes in wealth management, including private wealth management, estate planning, and trust services. Regions Bank operates branches across multiple states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, and Texas, and was founded in 1928 in Birmingham, Alabama. Originally known as First Alabama Bank, it adopted the name Regions Bank in 1996 and operates as a subsidiary of Regions Financial Corporation.

Renasant Corporation is a bank holding company. The Company owns and operates Renasant Bank (the Bank), a Mississippi banking association with operations in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia, and Renasant Insurance, Inc., a Mississippi corporation with operations in Mississippi. Renasant Insurance, Inc. (Renasant Insurance) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank. It operates in three segments: Community Banks segment, Insurance segment and Wealth Management segment. These services include checking and savings accounts, business and personal loans, interim construction loans, equipment leasing, as well as safe deposit and night depository facilities. Automated teller machines are located throughout its market area. The Company’s Online and Mobile Banking products and its call center also provide around-the-clock banking services. In September 2013, Renasant Corporation completed its merger with First M&F Corporation.

Targeted Technology is a venture capital firm established in 2009 and located in San Antonio, Texas. The firm focuses on early-stage investments in startups that are developing medical devices, biotechnology, life science tools, diagnostics, specialty pharmaceuticals, and personalized medicine. Targeted Technology aims to identify companies with groundbreaking or disruptive technologies that can enhance medical practices and improve patient outcomes. Additionally, the firm seeks innovations that can increase efficiency, reduce costs, or enhance the functionality of life science product development and manufacturing. Its investment preference is primarily directed towards companies based in the Southeastern and Southwestern United States, including regions such as Texas, Birmingham, Alabama, Georgia, Alamo City, and San Antonio.

WestWater Research is a company that specializes in advisory services for the water rights industry. It provides a range of services, including water transaction advisory, valuations of water rights, appraisals, marketing services, and insights into water resource economics. This expertise enables clients to stay informed about current trends and trading activities in water resources. Additionally, WestWater is engaged in the development of energy-related materials, particularly focusing on battery-grade natural graphite. The company's key project is the Coosa Graphite Project, located in east-central Alabama, which involves the mining and extraction of graphite. Furthermore, WestWater has interests in lithium mineral properties across several basins in Nevada and Utah, as well as uranium projects in Texas, New Mexico, and Turkey.

The Doctors Company is a medical malpractice insurance provider based in Napa, California. The company specializes in offering a range of services, including malpractice insurance, risk management, and claims management. By focusing on the needs of healthcare professionals, The Doctors Company aims to provide comprehensive insurance solutions and support to mitigate risks associated with medical practice.

Optum is a health services and innovation company dedicated to improving healthcare delivery and helping individuals live healthier lives. It provides a comprehensive range of medical services, including family, adult, and pediatric medicine, as well as specialized care in women's health, mental health, and substance abuse. Optum also focuses on rare diseases through a new care model that simplifies access to advanced treatments, including cell and gene therapies. The company operates a boutique pharmacy and offers ultra-specialized distribution services for patients with unique healthcare needs. Additionally, Optum delivers healthcare financial services and technology solutions to health plan providers and employers, enabling them to enhance care quality and efficiency while supporting informed decision-making in the medical field.

Techstars Alabama Power EnergyTech Accelerator focuses on innovation in energy technology and utility solution. The program builds technologies and business models to enhance the future of energy. The focus areas will include smart cities, the “internet of things,” industrial electrification, connectivity, and electric transportation.

Lakeland Industries, Inc. is a manufacturer and seller of industrial protective clothing and accessories, catering to the global industrial and public protective clothing markets. The company offers a wide range of products, including limited use and disposable protective garments such as coveralls, laboratory coats, and hoods, as well as high-end chemical protective suits designed to shield against toxic substances and biological hazards. Additionally, Lakeland provides firefighting apparel, reusable woven garments, and high visibility clothing, including reflective vests and jackets. Their offerings also extend to specialized garments for various industries, such as petrochemical, automobile, and utilities. Lakeland serves a diverse customer base, including governmental agencies, scientific laboratories, and manufacturers across multiple sectors. The company, founded in 1982, is headquartered in Decatur, Alabama, and distributes its products through a network of approximately 1,600 safety and industrial supply distributors.

Pradco Outdoor Brands is a manufacturer based in Birmingham, Alabama, specializing in hunting and fishing products. The company is recognized as a leader in its industry, offering a diverse range of products that include game calls, scents, attractants, game feeders, game cameras, tree stands, and fishing lures. Pradco Outdoor Brands focuses on providing high-quality products to meet the needs of outdoor enthusiasts, ensuring that customers can access their desired items at competitive prices.

Ameris Bank is a commercial bank headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, established in 1971. It offers a comprehensive range of financial services, including commercial and business banking, mortgage and refinancing options, treasury support, and various investment and savings products. Serving small to middle-market companies, Ameris Bank also caters to individual customers across several sectors, such as healthcare, retail, energy, and transportation. With nearly $7 billion in assets, the bank has demonstrated consistent growth over two decades and has maintained profitability for over 16 consecutive quarters, effectively navigating recent economic challenges. Ameris Bank operates full-service banking and mortgage locations in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Southeastern Grocers LLC, parent company and home of BI-LO, Harveys and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is the fifth-largest conventional supermarket chain in the U.S. and the second-largest conventional supermarket in the southeast based on store count. The company employs nearly 66,000 associates who serve customers in 756​ grocery stores, 145 liquor stores and 504 in-store pharmacies throughout the seven southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Alabama Power Company is an integrated utility based in Birmingham, Alabama, that generates, purchases, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout the southern two-thirds of the state. Founded in 1906, the company generates electricity from a diverse mix of sources, including coal, nuclear, gas, oil, and hydroelectric plants. It serves retail customers in approximately 400 cities and towns, including major urban areas such as Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile, as well as rural communities. In addition to its retail operations, Alabama Power sells electricity wholesale to municipally-owned electric distribution systems. The company also offers electric appliances and outdoor lighting services, contributing to its comprehensive energy solutions for customers. Alabama Power is a subsidiary of The Southern Company.

Provider of engineering and hardware solutions based out of Huntsville, Alabama. The company engages in project management, weapon system engineering solutions, R&D, additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping, aircraft/platform modification, manufacturing and kitting, system documentation, and associated material purchasing.

Synovus Financial Corp., based in Columbus, Georgia, is a financial services company with approximately $29 billion in assets. It operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Synovus Bank, which offers a comprehensive range of commercial and retail banking services. These services include business banking, personal banking, mortgage services, and wealth management. Synovus Bank provides specialized offerings such as treasury management, asset-based lending, and international banking, along with financial planning and investment advisory services. The company serves customers through 28 locally-branded divisions, 253 branches, and 335 ATMs across Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. Founded in 1888 and originally known as Columbus Bank and Trust Company, Synovus Bank has been recognized for its reputation in the banking sector.

LL Funds, LLC, established in 2009 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an independent investment firm registered with the SEC. The firm specializes in investing in asset-backed securities (ABS) and targets specialty consumer finance companies that depend on the ABS marketplace for their growth and success. In addition to its focus on asset-backed securities, LL Funds engages in various private equity strategies, including buyouts and growth equity investments, across a range of sectors such as financial services, software, fintech, real estate technology, telecommunications, and media. As a Registered Investment Adviser, LL Funds aims to provide growth capital and lending solutions to enhance the development and sustainability of its portfolio companies.

PotlatchDeltic is a timber manufacturing company that specializes in producing high-quality lumber and plywood. The company operates primarily through three segments: timberlands, wood products, and real estate. Its timberlands segment is responsible for the planting and harvesting of trees, along with the construction and maintenance of access roads. The wood products segment focuses on the manufacturing and distribution of various wood products, including lumber and plywood. The real estate segment involves generating sales from company-owned timberlands and managing commercial and residential properties. The timberlands and wood products segments together account for the majority of PotlatchDeltic's revenue, reflecting the company's integral role in the forestry and wood manufacturing industries across multiple states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Minnesota, and Mississippi.

Ampersand Capital Partners is a middle market private equity firm established in 1988 and headquartered in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The firm specializes in growth expansion investments, primarily focusing on the healthcare and industrial sectors. Ampersand invests in areas such as healthcare services, laboratory services, laboratory products, contract manufacturing, pharmaceutical services, and specialty pharmaceuticals. As a Registered Investment Adviser, the firm is dedicated to fostering growth in its target industries through strategic investments.

Florida Funders, LLC is a venture capital firm based in Tampa, Florida, founded in 2013. The firm specializes in early-stage investments, primarily in technology, health science, and engineering sectors within Florida. It focuses on companies with annual revenues ranging from $0.25 million to $2 million and typically invests between $0.5 million and $1 million in each venture. Florida Funders operates as an angel investor syndicate with a network of over 1,500 members, leveraging the expertise of successful entrepreneurs and seasoned investors. The firm aims to identify and support promising early-stage companies across various industries, offering not only capital but also venture-building services to help these businesses succeed.

Cantor Fitzgerald is a global financial services firm founded in 1945 and headquartered in New York City. The firm specializes in investment banking and brokerage services, offering a comprehensive range of capital-raising expertise that includes public and private debt and equity financing, as well as mergers, acquisitions, and advisory services related to capital structure and restructuring. Cantor Fitzgerald serves a diverse array of sectors, including healthcare, biopharma, industrial technology, and sustainability, among others. The company is recognized for its commitment to client-centered innovation, leveraging advanced technologies to enhance market access and assist clients in achieving their financial and strategic objectives. This approach has fostered long-lasting relationships with institutional investors and corporations worldwide.

HCI Equity Partners is a private equity firm established in 2003 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., with additional offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Northbrook, Illinois. The firm specializes in leveraged buyouts and investments in growth-oriented lower middle-market companies, particularly those that are family or founder-owned. HCI focuses on a range of sectors, including industrial manufacturing, aerospace and defense, automotive aftermarket, foodservice, and energy services, among others. The firm typically invests between $15 million and $75 million in companies with enterprise values ranging from $20 million to $150 million, aiming for majority ownership while considering minority positions. HCI Equity Partners emphasizes building strong relationships with management teams, leveraging its extensive operational expertise to support growth initiatives and enhance the performance of its portfolio companies.

Leonard Green & Partners is a private equity investment firm based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 1989. The firm specializes in various sectors, including consumer products and services, healthcare, business services, retail, distribution, and industrial sectors. Leonard Green & Partners emphasizes a collaborative approach to investment, fostering open dialogue and mutual respect among its team members while maintaining a focus on effective decision-making. As a Registered Investment Adviser, the firm is committed to adhering to regulatory standards while pursuing its investment strategies.

Oak Hill Advisors L.P. is a privately owned investment manager based in New York, with additional offices in major cities across the globe. Founded in 1991, the firm specializes in alternative credit management, focusing on leveraged loans, high yield bonds, distressed securities, and structured products. Its investment activities target the North American and European markets, managing a diverse range of funds including distressed funds, credit hedge funds, and customized accounts. Oak Hill Advisors employs a fundamental value-oriented strategy, emphasizing credit analysis and active risk management. The firm typically invests between $5 million and $100 million in small to mid-sized companies, engaging in various investment strategies such as acquisitions, buyouts, and turnaround situations. It primarily seeks opportunities in sectors such as energy, natural resources, healthcare, and business services. The firm serves a global clientele, including pension funds, insurance companies, and family offices, and is registered as an investment adviser.

leading global alternative asset manager

Service Provider Capital is a venture capital firm established in 2014 and located in Golden, Colorado. The firm focuses on co-investing in seed and series A rounds, primarily in collaboration with institutional venture funds. It targets a diverse range of sectors, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, cannabis, cybersecurity, e-commerce, education technology, fintech, hardware, information technology, robotics, and health. By concentrating on these industries, Service Provider Capital aims to support innovative companies at critical stages of their development.

SpringOwl Asset Management provides investment management services.