Granite Creek Capital Partners Named to Inc. Magazine’s 2026 Founder-Friendly Investor List for Seventh Consecutive Year

CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 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 seventh consecutive year. The Inc. Founder-Friendly Investors list honors private equity firms, venture capital firms, and lenders with demonstrated track records of supporting founder-led companies. The final list acknowledges firms recognized by entrepreneurs as collaborative and supportive of 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.

“Founders trust us with businesses they’ve spent years building, and we never take that lightly,” said Brian Boorstein, Co-Founder and Partner at Granite Creek. “Seven years on Inc.’s list tells us our approach is working: listen first, work side by side with management, and help each company reach its next stage of growth while preserving the culture that made it successful.”

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.

“With the current funding environment and rapid changes facing growing companies, founders are looking for more than just capital from their investors. They want true partners who believe in their business, but who are also able to provide the critical advisement and strategic support they need to reach their potential,” says Bonny Ghosh, editorial director at Inc. “The 2026 Founder-Friendly Investor awards celebrate those firms –– the ones committed to partnership, excellence, and helping founder-led companies grow.”

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.

About Inc.
Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

About Granite Creek Capital Partners
Founded in 2005, Granite Creek is a Chicago-based private investment firm providing growth capital and strategic resources to lower-middle-market companies across manufacturing, business services, agribusiness, healthcare, and aerospace and defense. Known for its collaborative approach and operational expertise, Granite Creek has earned a place on Inc.’s Founder-Friendly Investors list for seven consecutive years, a testament to its successful partnerships with entrepreneurs. For more information, visit www.granitecreek.com or call 312-895-4500.

For more media information, contact:

Lisa Hendrickson, LCH Communications for Granite Creek

lisa@lchcommunications.com

516-643-1642

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