GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Emil Capital Partners (ECP), a leading private investment firm focused on early-stage growth companies across the consumer sector, today announced it has been named to the fifth annual Founder-Friendly Investors list compiled by Inc. The list recognizes 218 firms that remain actively involved with the businesses they invest in, earning the trust of the entrepreneurs they support to help drive growth.
“From our current portfolio companies like Ollie, Zeel, NextFoods and ALOHA to our exited investments like Chefs Plate (HelloFresh) and Bare Snacks (PepsiCo), our mission at Emil Capital Partners has always been providing founders active counsel and trusted partnership for as long as it takes to build a successful business. We are honored by Inc.’s recognition and by the endorsements from our founders who participated in the survey,” said Marcel Bens, managing partner and chief operating officer of ECP. “We also extend our congratulations to the other firms on this year’s list.”
Founded in 2011, ECP exclusively focuses on early-stage consumer businesses across multiple verticals. Its team brings experience from major brands and firms like General Mills, Morgan Stanley and GE Capital, and its partners have built an extensive network of resources now being leveraged for the benefit of founders.
Companies currently in its portfolio include NextFoods, the parent company of functional beverage brands GoodBelly and Cheribundi; No Meat Factory, which announced expansion plans to the United States earlier this year with a new production facility for plant-based alternative proteins; ALOHA, a certified B Corporation offering great-tasting and healthy snacks; and Milk + Honey, a collection of premier spas and producer of luxurious skincare products made with all organic ingredients.
“Now more than ever, founder-led companies need financing partners that offer guidance, expertise, and understanding—not just capital. These are the private equity, venture capital, and debt firms that have founders’ backs when it comes to accelerating growth,” said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Business Media.
To compile the list, Inc. went straight to the source: entrepreneurs who have sold to private equity and venture capital firms. Founders filled out a questionnaire about their experiences partnering with private equity, venture capital and debt firms and shared data on how their portfolio companies have grown during these partnerships
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 complete list is featured in the November 2023 issue of Inc. magazine, available online now and at newsstands.
About Emil Capital Partners
Founded in 2011, Emil Capital Partners invests in early-stage growth companies in the consumer goods, consumer technology, retail, and digital media sectors. Recognized as one of the most active investment companies in the consumer space, ECP has partnered with more than 40 companies through its value-add investment approach. Representative past and present portfolio companies include Bare Snacks®, TCHO, Chefs Plate, Persona, Ollie, No Meat Factory, NextFoods (parent of Cheribundi® and GoodBelly®), Amour Vert, Base Culture®, PetFriendly and ALOHA. The fund is headquartered in Greenwich, CT. For more information visit www.emilcapital.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
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.
