Founded in 1999, Enhanced Capital Partners is a New York-based investment firm managing over $400 million. It specializes in equity and debt investments for small to mid-sized companies across various sectors, with a focus on healthcare technology systems and TMT industries.

BankFirst Financial Services, headquartered in Columbus, Mississippi, has been serving its community since 1888. With 16 branch locations across Mississippi and Alabama, the institution operates as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) since 2010. The company offers a wide range of banking services, including personal checking and savings accounts, debit and credit cards, home mortgages, and various personal and business loans. BankFirst also provides modern banking conveniences such as online and mobile banking, online bill pay, and wealth management services. The commitment of its Board of Directors and management team is to establish BankFirst as a leading, community-focused, independent bank in the regions it serves.

leading global alternative asset manager

Southern Motion is a domestic manufacturer of upholstered motion furniture. The company produces a range of seating and related products, including motion sofas, recliners, accent chairs, lift recliners, and entertainment consoles with integrated mechanisms. It focuses on original styling, reliable delivery, and high quality, and offers a comprehensive special-order program to meet diverse customer needs. The company serves markets across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, providing furniture designed for comfort and adaptability.

Founded in 1876, Cadence Bank operates as a regional banking company with over $6.7 billion in assets. It provides commercial banking and financial services to individuals and small-to-medium businesses through its network of over 95 branches across Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas. The bank is committed to understanding its customers' needs and offering innovative products and top-tier professional services, while also contributing positively to the communities it serves.

Founded in 1875, Churchill Downs Incorporated is a leading gaming entertainment company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. It owns and operates the iconic Churchill Downs Racetrack, home of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, along with various racetracks, casinos, and online wagering platforms across the United States. The company also owns Big Fish Games, one of the world's largest casual games producers, and provides racing-related telecommunications services.

Renasant Corporation is a bank holding company based in Tupelo, Mississippi, that operates Renasant Bank, which provides a wide range of financial services across Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. Established in 1904, Renasant Bank offers personal banking services such as checking and savings accounts, personal loans, and wealth management, as well as retirement planning and credit services. For businesses, it provides checking accounts, treasury management, various loan options including SBA loans, and business insurance services. Additionally, Renasant Insurance, a wholly owned subsidiary, delivers insurance products. The company features automated teller machines throughout its service areas and offers online and mobile banking for convenient, round-the-clock access to banking services. Renasant Corporation further expanded its footprint through a merger with First M&F Corporation in 2013.

Meritus Ventures is a venture capital firm based in London, Kentucky. It makes equity investments in expansion-stage private companies, with a focus on rural areas of central and southern Appalachia. The firm targets opportunities in information technology, industrials, and technology, media, and telecommunications sectors, and its activity spans across Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Appalachian counties in Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. It may provide operational support to portfolio companies.

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is a member-owned cooperative that provides credit products and financial services to support housing and economic development in its member institutions across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas. By offering various financial tools, the bank enables its members to deliver essential financial products that fund housing, small businesses, rural development, and agriculture. Additionally, the bank focuses on specialized community investment, along with affordable housing loan and grant programs, aimed at financing community redevelopment and enhancing affordable housing opportunities in the regions it serves.

Epika Fleet Services operates a network of mobile and in-shop preventative maintenance service centers dedicated to supporting commercial fleets throughout the United States. The company partners with top industry players and operates under well-regarded brands such as LubeZone, ProFleet, All Star Truck Service, and Deaton Fleet Solutions. With a presence in California, Texas, Oklahoma, and Georgia, Epika maintains 11 quick service preventative maintenance locations, five full-service repair facilities, and 15 branch locations. Additionally, the company operates nearly 50 mobile service units across Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi. By focusing on preventative maintenance, mechanical repair, and mobile services, Epika helps clients minimize downtime and maintain their fleet operations at competitive costs.

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.

Southern Bancorp, Inc. is a community development bank dedicated to providing banking and lending services to underserved communities in Arkansas and Mississippi. Founded in 1986 and formerly known as Southern Development Bancorporation, the company has originated over $2 billion in development loans, primarily targeting individuals and organizations in economically disadvantaged areas. As a certified community development financial institution, Southern Bancorp aims to enhance financial access and investment, fostering economic growth in rural regions. The organization focuses on comprehensive community engagement, recognizing that access to capital alone is insufficient for meaningful change. Its efforts extend beyond traditional banking to include credit counseling and public policy advocacy, all aimed at empowering families and communities to achieve financial stability and growth.

TechFarms is a consulting firm that offers hybrid outsourcing, staff augmentation, product development, and mail services. It also operates a venture capital arm, TechFarms Capital, which makes early-stage and seed investments in technology startups, with a focus on Intelligent Systems and Cybersecurity in the Southeast United States, and is based in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Tencarva Machinery is a prominent distributor of process equipment and services, catering to industrial and municipal clients across the Southeast United States since 1978. The company specializes in providing a wide range of pumping systems, fluid handling systems, air handling equipment, and liquid process equipment tailored for various industries, including chemical, citrus, paper, textile, and power. In addition to its diverse product offerings, Tencarva also operates repair centers and field service teams capable of servicing most types of rotating process equipment. This comprehensive approach ensures that clients receive reliable and cost-effective solutions that meet their specific application needs.

Founded in 1993, Steel Dynamics is one of the largest U.S. steel producers and metal recyclers, with over $8 billion annual revenue, approximately 7,700 employees, and facilities across the United States. The company operates six steel mills producing high-quality sheet and long products for various industries such as automotive, construction, manufacturing, and energy. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, OmniSource Corporation, manages ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal recycling. Additionally, Steel Dynamics offers fabrication services through New Millennium Building Systems.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. is a public utility holding company based in Houston, Texas, engaged in the delivery of energy services across various segments. The company provides electric transmission and distribution services, primarily serving over 2.5 million customers in the Houston area and southern Indiana. Its Natural Gas Distribution segment supplies regulated intrastate natural gas and transportation services to approximately 4 million customers, encompassing residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Additionally, CenterPoint Energy's Energy Services division offers natural gas supplies and management services, while its Infrastructure Services segment focuses on underground pipeline construction and repair. The company also participates in midstream operations, providing natural gas and crude oil gathering and processing services, as well as pipeline transportation and storage. Founded in 1866, CenterPoint Energy plays a vital role in the energy sector, operating across multiple states including Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas.

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.

Founded in 1980, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering sustainable communities across America. LISC provides comprehensive community development programs, including loans, grants, equity investments, technical assistance, and policy support to local organizations. Its mission is to transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy, sustainable, and thriving communities.

Southeastern Grocers is a regional grocery retailer and the parent company of BI-LO, Harveys, and Winn-Dixie stores. It ranks among the largest conventional supermarket chains in the United States by store count and is the second-largest in the Southeast. The company operates grocery stores, liquor stores, and in-store pharmacies across seven southeastern states—Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina—and employs about 66,000 associates serving customers in roughly 756 grocery stores, 145 liquor stores, and 504 pharmacies.

Founded in 1984, Landscape Workshop is a full-service grounds management company specializing in commercial properties across the Southeast. It offers landscaping construction, maintenance, design, irrigation services, facility services, and snow removal, serving industries such as healthcare, retail, office parks, multifamily facilities, and municipalities.

The Southern Appalachian Fund is a $12.5 million venture capital firm based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with an additional office in London, Kentucky. It invests in early and expansion-stage companies operating in the interactive home entertainment, manufacturing, technology, and software sectors, with a focus on small businesses in southern Appalachia, particularly in Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Appalachian counties of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. The fund typically invests between $200,000 and $600,000 in its portfolio companies, often leading investment syndicates or co-investing with other institutional investors and seasoned angel investors. It seeks to generate market-rate returns for its investors while promoting shared and sustainable business growth and wealth creation in its target region. The fund's mission is to provide not only equity capital but also operational assistance, active board participation, and mentoring to its portfolio companies.

Advantage Capital Partners is a United States‑based venture capital firm that provides growth equity, debt, and mezzanine financing to small and mid‑market companies, with a focus on underserved communities and state and local economic development. The firm invests across sectors including manufacturing, technology, business services, life sciences, and energy, and also supports real estate development projects with equity and debt. It typically makes initial investments ranging roughly from half a million to ten million in companies with modest sales, and may participate in larger follow‑on rounds or co‑invest with other firms. It uses senior debt, mezzanine debt, subordinated loans, and government‑guaranteed lending, and often pursues equity positions through preferred shares or convertible notes. Advantage Capital operates nationwide in the United States, with roots in New Orleans and offices in multiple states, and has backed thousands of jobs and housing projects as part of its mission to expand inclusive economic growth.

The U.S. Department of Energy is a government agency established in 1977, located in Washington, D.C. Its primary mission is to ensure the security and prosperity of the nation by tackling energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges. The Department focuses on promoting transformative scientific and technological solutions to address these issues, thereby supporting the country's energy needs and environmental sustainability.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) leads initiatives in food, agriculture, natural resources, and rural development. It aims to expand markets for agricultural products globally, foster alternative markets domestically, improve rural infrastructure, enhance food safety, promote nutrition education, and manage public lands collaboratively.

TT Capital Partners is the private equity arm of TripleTree and an independent investment firm based in Minnesota, with offices in Minneapolis and New York. It concentrates on growth equity investments in healthcare and technology companies, including healthcare services, clinical services and healthcare technology, aiming at innovative, high-growth firms expanding their customer base or entering new markets. The firm typically seeks majority stakes and combines principal investing with advisory capabilities rooted in its merchant banking heritage. TT Capital Partners focuses on opportunities within the healthcare and technology sectors and supports portfolio companies through strategic growth initiatives.

Ameris Bank is a commercial bank and financial services provider based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1971, it offers full-service banking and mortgage services to individuals and small to mid-sized businesses, with locations across Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The institution maintains nearly $7 billion in assets and serves a diversified client base, including sectors such as insurance, software, retail, chemicals, healthcare, energy, and transportation. Its service lines cover mortgage and refinancing, treasury support, and various investment and savings options, complemented by commercial and business banking for middle-market companies. The bank emphasizes growth and profitability through a broad geographic footprint and a range of financial products for both individuals and businesses.

WisdomTree is a global provider of exchange-traded products and asset management services, offering a broad range of ETFs and related products across equities, fixed income, currencies, and alternatives. The company develops its own fundamentally weighted indices, licenses its indexes to third parties, and supports retirement and advisor platforms with integrated solutions. It provides investment advisory services and is expanding into digital funds, tokenized assets, and a blockchain-native wallet called WisdomTree Prime. Founded in 1985 and based in New York, WisdomTree operates as an ETF sponsor and asset manager with a growing focus on digital investing.

Founded in 2004, Pine Street Capital Partners is a Massachusetts-based independent firm that provides financing solutions to lower mid-market companies. They invest with experienced management teams in established businesses, offering mezzanine and equity capital for strategic acquisitions, private equity-sponsored buyouts, management buyouts, recapitalizations, and shareholder dividends.

Castle Crow & Company is a merchant banking and private equity firm focused on middle-market opportunities in the United States and Canada. It specializes in recapitalizations, management buyouts, leveraged buyouts, and mezzanine capital investments, as well as growth capital and industry consolidation. The firm makes equity and debt investments in privately held companies and in subsidiaries or divisions of public companies, and pursues minority equity investments. In addition to investments, Castle Crow & Company provides advisory services to owners and management teams to help create growth strategies and exits. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in San Francisco, the firm maintains additional offices in Atlanta and Reno.

Entergy Corporation is a Fortune 500 integrated energy company that focuses on electric power production and retail distribution. It owns and operates generating assets with approximately 30,000 megawatts of capacity, including nearly 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power, and serves about 3 million customers through five regulated utilities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The company also engages in wholesale energy activities and provides services to support its generation and distribution network. As a holding company, Entergy coordinates generation, transmission, and distribution operations to deliver electricity and related services across its regional markets.

Founded in 1871, Truist is a banking organization headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It offers a wide range of consumer and commercial financial services including retail banking, small business lending, asset management, insurance, mortgage lending, investment brokerage services, wealth management, asset-based lending, commercial mortgage lending, leasing, payment solutions, supply chain financing, and commercial deposit services.

Triangle Tweener Fund, established in 2021 and based in Raleigh, North Carolina, is a venture capital firm focused on investing in early-stage, high-technology startups within the Triangle area, which includes Raleigh, Durham, and surrounding regions. The firm aims to build a comprehensive index of private company investments that meet its specific 'Tweener List' criteria, targeting promising ventures at a critical stage of their development. By concentrating on seed and early-stage investments, Triangle Tweener Fund seeks to support the growth of innovative companies that have the potential to contribute significantly to the local economy and the tech landscape.

PNC Mezzanine Capital is the mezzanine and growth capital arm of The PNC Financial Services Group, headquartered in Pittsburgh. It provides subordinated debt, mezzanine financing and related equity solutions to middle market companies in the United States and Canada, supporting leveraged buyouts, acquisitions, recapitalizations and growth initiatives. The firm typically invests in companies with revenues ranging from roughly $20 million to $100 million and EBITDA from about $3.5 million to $25 million, and structures its transactions with debt and equity instruments, often taking a majority stake. Investment sizes commonly span from about $5 million up to $70 million in equity and up to $40 million in debt, with a preference for combinations including subordinated debt, debt with warrants, or equity in conjunction with mezzanine. Target sectors include niche manufacturing, value-added distribution, commercial and business services, and consumer services.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent federal agency that funds and promotes artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. Since its founding in 1965, the NEA has awarded more than $5 billion to support diverse opportunities for arts participation. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA works to strengthen the creative capacity of communities across the United States. Headquartered in Washington, District of Columbia, the NEA plays a crucial role in advancing artistic excellence and enriching the cultural landscape of the nation.

Founded in 1852, Wells Fargo is a diversified financial services company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It provides banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services to individuals, businesses, and institutions worldwide.

Founded in 2012, Compass is a real estate technology company that provides an online platform for buying, renting, and selling properties. Its end-to-end platform supports the entire transaction workflow by pairing industry talent with technology to create intelligent and seamless experiences. Compass operates across multiple regions in the United States.

Washington Trust is a financial institution that provides a range of banking and wealth management services. It offers personal and commercial banking products, including checking and savings accounts, loans, and mortgages. The bank also specializes in investment management, trust services, and financial planning for individuals and businesses. With a focus on client relationships, Washington Trust aims to deliver tailored financial solutions that meet the unique needs of its customers. The institution is dedicated to fostering community engagement and supporting local initiatives, reflecting its commitment to the areas it serves.

Founded in 1994, Housatonic Partners is a private equity firm based in San Francisco with additional offices in Boston. The firm specializes in investments in middle market companies across various sectors including recurring services, media, business services, tech-enabled services, healthcare, and communications industries. They typically invest between $10 million to $50 million, seeking companies with EBITDA margins greater than 20 percent.

KeyBank Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization. KeyBank Foundation supports organizations and programs that prepare individuals for thriving futures.

Exact Sciences is a leading molecular diagnostics company specializing in colorectal cancer detection. It offers Cologuard, a non-invasive stool-based DNA screening test, which is recommended by major healthcare guidelines. The company also provides Oncotype DX, a suite of tissue-based genomic tests for breast and colon cancers.

Battery Ventures is a technology-focused investment firm founded in 1983 and based in Boston, Massachusetts. It engages in venture capital and private equity investments in technology companies, with emphasis on software (including application and infrastructure software), IT infrastructure technologies, consumer internet and mobile services, industrial technologies, and life science tools. The firm seeks to back category-defining businesses with potential for scalable growth, often supporting companies through multiple stages and across select global regions.

Founded in Boston in 2006, SLR Credit Solutions specializes in providing private credit solutions to middle-market companies undergoing restructuring or bankruptcy. The company offers innovative capital, debt-structuring expertise, and industry-specific knowledge to support these businesses.

Alaris is a Canadian company that provides alternative financing to profitable, well-managed private businesses in North America. It offers long-term equity capital to companies seeking an alternative to traditional debt or private equity, allowing owners to retain control of their business.

HUB International is a full-service insurance brokerage firm based in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1998. It provides a wide range of insurance products and services, including business insurance such as commercial property, general liability, cyber, professional liability, and automobile coverage. The company also offers employee benefits products like health and retirement planning, personal insurance for property, casualty, health, and life, and risk management solutions. Additionally, HUB International provides human resources consulting services. It serves various industries including agribusiness, construction, education, healthcare, hospitality, real estate, sports, and transportation. The company has offices across North America and Canada.

National Institutes of Health is a biomedical research agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, based in Bethesda, Maryland. It is the primary U.S. government organization devoted to biomedical and health research, conducting science through the Intramural Research Program and funding external research through the Extramural Research Program. The NIH comprises 27 institutes and centers and supports about 1,200 principal investigators and more than 4,000 postdoctoral fellows across basic, translational, and clinical research. It has contributed to major advances such as vaccines and therapies and is dedicated to advancing knowledge and translating discoveries into improvements in public health. Established in 1887, NIH operates as a central hub for medical research in the United States.

Established in 1819, BankNewport is a commercial bank based in Middletown, Rhode Island. It offers a comprehensive range of banking services, including loans and deposits, catering to both individual customers and businesses across the state.

MassChallenge is a global startup accelerator supporting early-stage entrepreneurs across various industries. Founded in 2009, it provides mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities through its programs worldwide.

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.

White Star Capital is a global multi-stage technology investment firm and venture platform headquartered in New York, with a presence across North America, Europe and Asia. It backs exceptional entrepreneurs building ambitious, internationally scalable tech companies, helping portfolio founders scale their businesses from Series A onwards through its experience, networks and value-add support. The firm invests across software, information technology and digital assets, operating a core venture program and a dedicated digital asset strategy that backs crypto networks and blockchain-enabled businesses. Its offices span New York, London, Montreal, Toronto, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong, enabling it to partner with founders to expand internationally.

Specialty Welding and Turnarounds is a service provider that delivers specialty welding, piping fabrication, and technical maintenance for the oil and gas, petrochemical, and industrial sectors. Founded in 2014 and based in Gonzales, Louisiana, the company manages both planned and unplanned turnaround projects, including FCCU, cokers, gas, crude, ammonia, and power plant operations. Its offerings encompass furnace and boiler erection, tower and drum work, heat exchanger services, quality assurance, general contracting, and subcontractor coordination. The firm emphasizes high craftsmanship and project controls to support clients’ operational reliability.