Sixth Year Straight: Kian Capital Recognized by Inc. Magazine as a Founder-Friendly Investor

We are proud to announce that Kian has been named in Inc. Magazine’s annual Founder-Friendly Investors list for the sixth consecutive year. This recognition honors private equity, venture capital and direct lending firms with an established track record of partnering with and driving growth of founder-led businesses.

“We’re thrilled to be recognized by Inc. for the sixth year in a row,” said Rick Cravey, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Kian. “Kian was founded upon the concept of forging long-lasting, impactful relationships that empower growth and build enduring value for each founder, business owner and company that chooses to partner with us. It’s an honor to be continuously recognized for our efforts as we strive to provide transformational capital solutions and outstanding outcomes.”

Founder-friendly investors feature an established history of effective partnership and sustained engagement with their portfolio companies. To compile the list, Inc. conducts direct outreach to founders and entrepreneurs who have worked with private equity, venture capital and direct lending firms, gathering insights about their partnerships and documenting how these relationships have driven company growth. This annual list serves as a valuable guide for business owners seeking capital partners who will help scale their operations and drive growth while allowing them to retain an ownership stake.

At Kian, we take pride in the genuine partnerships we have created with the founders and management teams of our portfolio companies. Two founders shared the following in their experience working with Kian:

Sabine Randon, Founder and CEO, Eden Brothers: “Kian’s focus on partnering with founder-owned businesses and their expertise in e-commerce business models — with a specialization in enthusiast customer bases — really stood out to me. In addition, their collaborative approach to growth gave me the confidence to choose Kian as the right partner for this next phase of the business.”

Gary Ovsiowitz, Founder, Westcoast Gate, and Active Board Member, Kian-Backed Diamond Landscaping: “Kian’s partnership-oriented approach and commitment to supporting founders like me was invaluable. Their guidance helped drive meaningful growth for Westcoast Gate and a meaningful exit for all parties involved. The trust we built together has carried forward into our continued relationship today as board member for their portfolio company Diamond Landscaping. I value the way Kian empowers founders, while staying actively engaged as a thoughtful, collaborative partner.”

Kian is a lower-middle-market-focused private investment firm with $1.1 billion of capital under management. We partner with founder/owner-operated businesses in the essential services and value-added distribution sectors. Our team of seasoned investors brings over 100 years of collective experience to provide board-level strategic and operational guidance to drive transformational growth by implementing our proven Blueprint for Enduring Value.

“Our sixth time on the Founder Friendly list is not only a testament to our incredible team, but to the exceptional entrepreneurs and business leaders we’ve had the chance to partner with over the years,” said Kevin McCarthy, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Kian. “We tailor our strategy for each portfolio investment, concentrating on accelerating expansion and establishing lasting value that delivers meaningful results today, and we believe, will also deliver meaningful results tomorrow. We look forward to continuing to drive growth and create enduring, long-lasting value for our founders.”

The full list of firms and accompanying article can be viewed here. 

_Disclaimer:

_{Inc.’s Founder-Friendly Investor list comprises firms identified by Inc.‘s editors or submitted to Inc. through an application process. Kian Capital (“Kian”) applied to be considered. Inc. gathers data on how the firms’ portfolio companies have grown and interviews founders about their experiences with the firms to establish the annual list. The list recognizes firms with a track record of backing entrepreneurs by providing the financial support needed to help businesses accelerate growth while remaining actively involved following the firm’s investment. The recognition reflects Inc.’s assessment of founder support and investment activity over a five-year look-back period beginning January 1, 2020, and ending at the 2025 application cutoff date of June 20, 2025. Kian paid for both the fee to participate and to acquire rights to the Inc. logo for the years 2020 – 2025. The Inc. Founder Friendly list was officially announced on October 28, 2025.} 

_{This article does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase any investments or securities, including any securities of Kian, or any funds or accounts managed or advised by Kian in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation.}

_{Any such offer or solicitation may be made only by means of the delivery of a confidential private offering memorandum, which will contain material information not included herein regarding, among other things, information with respect to risks and potential conflicts of interest, and other offering and governance documents of any given fund or account.}