CHICAGO, October 28, 2025 — Granite Creek Capital Partners, L.L.C., a private investment firm based in Chicago, announced today that it was named to Inc’s List of Founder-Friendly Investors for the sixth consecutive year. The Inc. Founder-Friendly Investorslist honors the private equity and venture capital firms with top track records backing entrepreneur-led businesses. The final list recognizes firms that entrepreneurs have reported as collaborative and built to support the cultures of founder-led businesses. 

The prestigious Inc. list celebrates the investors who believe in backing founder-led businesses and helping them thrive. All companies on the list have successful track records of collaboration and remain actively involved with the businesses they invest in.

Granite Creek provides its portfolio companies with a wide range of resources including strategy consultation, business development, market intelligence, acquisition support, banking relationships, and operational best practices.

“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.”

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.

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