In this episode, we speak with Devon Kirk, General Partner at Portage Capital Solutions, the flagship growth strategy within Portage, focused on providing flexible capital solutions to later-stage fintech and financial services companies.

Portage is a global investment platform with $6.4 billion in assets under management and more than 25 investment professionals across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. The firm has invested in over 100 companies since inception and invests across stages through Portage Ventures and Portage Capital Solutions. Portage is part of Sagard, a global multi-strategy alternative asset manager with over $46 billion in assets under management.

Devon joined the firm in 2022 and co-leads growth equity, structured equity, and special situations investments across financial technology and financial services companies globally, and helps drive the fund’s overall strategy. She is based in Toronto. Previously, Devon spent over a decade at CPP Investments, and earlier in her career worked at BMO Harris Nesbitt and Linklaters.

Portage Capital Solutions was recognized as a Top Growth Equity Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.

I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Reed Van Gorden, Managing Director of Deerpath Capital, a leading provider of cash-flow based senior debt financing to lower middle market companies across a diverse range of industries and transaction types.

Founded in 2007, Deerpath’s mission is to be the premier direct lending firm in the middle market, built on long-term relationships with investors, borrowers, private equity sponsors, and management teams. The firm has invested over $14.5 billion across more than 1,200 transactions and manages approximately $9 billion in assets, supported by a scaled origination platform across key U.S. markets and a global presence in Europe and Asia.

Reed is a Managing Director, member of the Investment Committee, and Head of Origination. He joined Deerpath in 2015 and brings 18 years of industry experience, with prior roles in leveraged finance and private equity at Golub Capital, Abingworth Management, and JPMorgan.

Deerpath Capital was recognized as a Top Private Credit Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.

Reed supports Make-A-Wish. To learn more about this organization click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Ben Levin, Co-Founder and CEO of Level Equity, a lower middle market private investment firm focused on providing capital to rapidly growing software and technology-enabled businesses. Founded in 2009, Level Equity has raised over $4.5 billion across closed funds and co-investments, completed more than 125 investments, and operates out of New York City and Greenwich, CT.

Ben shares how Level’s distinctive NextLevel Operations platform, a three-tiered operational model of internal operators, senior special operators, and curated external experts, drives tangible value for portfolio companies across go-to-market, product, and M&A initiatives. This approach ensures highly tailored support, enabling high-growth SaaS companies to scale efficiently and sustainably.

Drawing on his experience investing in high-growth software companies since 1997, Ben discusses the firm’s disciplined approach to AI adoption, strategic engagement with portfolio companies, and focus on building a sustainable, high-performance culture that develops top-tier talent while preserving operational excellence.

Level Equity and Ben Levin have received numerous accolades, most recently with Ben named a Top Software Investor of 2025 by GrowthCap, and Level Equity recognized as a Top Private Equity Firm of 2025, underscoring their enduring impact on the software growth investing landscape.

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In this episode, we speak with Jay Hoag, Founding General Partner at TCV. Founded in 1995, TCV has built a track record of partnering with private and public technology companies that have developed into global, category-defining players.

The firm has invested over $17 billion in more than 350 technology companies worldwide and has supported over 145 IPOs and strategic acquisitions, making it one of the most active technology investors. Select investments include Airbnb, Celonis, Clio, Cradlepoint, ExactTarget, Expedia, Facebook, Fandango, GoDaddy, GoFundMe, HomeAway, Netflix, Nubank, Revolut, Splunk, Spotify, Toast, Twillio, and Zillow.

Jay has been a venture capitalist and technology investor for 40 years. Prior to TCV, Jay was a Managing Director at Chancellor Capital Management, where he spent more than 12 years as a technology-focused venture capitalist and fund manager. Jay is currently on the board of directors of Netflix, Peloton, TripAdvisor, and Zillow.

Jay supports Part the Cloud. To learn more about this organization click here.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Arturo Elizondo, Co-founder and CEO of The EVERY Company, which is an American biotechnology company that develops proteins and other products traditionally sourced from animals.

The company’s versatile proteins are proven solutions for a variety of applications, from bars and beverages to bakery, alt meat and novel foods and beverages that benefit from a protein boost.

Arturo has led The EVERY Company as its Co-founder and CEO for the last decade from concept through commercialization.  The Company has raised over $200 million dollars from notable investors.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Aaron Katz, Co-Founder and CEO of ClickHouse. ClickHouse is an open-source database management system which allows users to generate analytical reports using SQL queries in real-time.

Its technology works 100-1000x faster than traditional database management systems, and processes hundreds of millions to over a billion rows and tens of gigabytes of data per server per second.

Before founding ClickHouse, Aaron helped grow salesforce.com between 2002 - 2014 from a private, 200 employee startup, to a $200 billion market leader. He was also part of the team that took Elastic public and drove revenue from $5 million to $500 million.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Andrea Auerbach, Head of Global Private Investments at Cambridge Associates.

Cambridge Associates is a global investment firm that works with endowments, foundations, healthcare systems, pension plans, and private clients to implement and manage custom investment portfolios. With 50 years of institutional investing experience, the firm delivers a range of portfolio management services, including outsourced CIO, non-discretionary portfolio management, staff extension, and asset class mandates.

Andrea leads a 50-person team sourcing and underwriting private equity, growth equity, distressed, and venture capital funds, as well as direct, co-investment, and secondary investment opportunities, resulting in over $10 billion being invested annually across these strategies. She is also a member of the firm’s Leadership Team and leads CA’s Discretionary Private Investments practice.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Lorien Gabel, Co-founder and CEO of Figment, the leading provider of blockchain infrastructure. The company has raised over $150 million and is backed by Thoma Bravo, B Capital, Two Sigma, and other notable investors.

Figment provides comprehensive staking solutions for over 250 institutional clients. The world’s largest asset managers, custodians, exchanges, foundations, and token holders leverage Figment’s infrastructure and APIs to earn staking rewards. Staking is a process in which token holders can earn rewards by helping to secure a blockchain network.

Before Co-Founding Figment, Lorien was both a serial entrepreneur and corporate executive.  Along with his brother, Lorien founded three companies - 1) pingg.com, which was acquired by 1800-Flowers, 2) Bird on a Wire Networks, which was acquired by AT&T Canada and 3) Interlog, one of Canada’s first commercial ISPs, which was acquired by a large multinational telecommunications provider.

Lorien also spearheaded the exponential U.S. growth of UK-based tech company MessageLabs as Global VP Business Development, ran a division of Fortune 500 company Micron, and has served on the advisory board of a number of start-ups.

Lorien supports The Murph Challenge. To learn more about the annual event click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Joanne Yuan of Turn/River Capital, a leading technology growth equity and buyout firm that specializes in buyouts, spin-outs, growth capital investments, founder liquidity, and recapitalizations of technology, web, and SaaS companies.

Based in San Francisco, the firm is highly effective in rapidly scaling operations. With deep expertise in sales, marketing, customer success, and finance, its team acts like a software firm - they adapt Silicon Valley’s best modern software growth tactics to companies everywhere, carving a path for capital-efficient growth without compromises. 

Joanne is a Partner at Turn/River. Growing up, she spent most weekends selling parts at computer trade shows, helping her dad run his one-man shop. That’s how she experienced firsthand the challenges bootstrapped companies face and the resiliency of their leaders. Joanne has invested in software from pre-launch to post-IPO, and worked everywhere from seed-stage venture to Google.

Joanne was selected as one of GrowthCap’s Top Women Leaders in Growth Investing of 2023.

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In this episode, we speak with Matt Aston, President and CEO of GPRS, who has built his company from an idea to over $160 million in annual revenue. GPRS or Ground Penetrating Radar Systems is the nation’s largest company specializing in the detection of underground utilities, video pipe inspection, and the scanning of concrete structures.

Matt founded GPRS in 2001 and the company has grown to be a great success in its market. Its 99.8%+ accuracy rating on over 250,000 projects leads the industry.  The company has worked on some of the largest and most significant construction projects in the country. GPRS is backed by CIVC Partners.

Matt supports LifeWise Academy. To learn more about this organization click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Marcelo Gigliani, Managing Partner of Apax Digital, where he is focused on growth equity investments in the software, internet, and technology-enabled services areas. He serves as a member of the Apax Digital Fund Investment Committee and the Apax Inclusion & Diversity Council.

Apax Digital partners with exceptional founders and leadership teams of innovative SaaS, internet, and tech-enabled services companies worldwide to unlock their maximum potential. The firm has 35 years of tech investing experience and typically invests $50-$200 million per partnership.

Marcelo joined Apax in 1999 and co-founded Apax Digital in 2017. Marcelo has led a number of the Apax Funds’ digital deals, including Accurate Background, Boats Group (BoatTrader), Dealer.com, idealista, MetaMetrics, Solita, SoYoung, Trader Corporation (AutoTrader Canada), and Wizeline.

Marcelo supports BUILD NYC.  To learn more about this organization click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Devyn Smith, the CEO of Arbor Biotechnologies, which is an early stage life sciences company pushing the boundaries of biodiscovery.  Arbor has raised over $200 million dollars and is backed by Temasek and other notable investors.

Devyn also serves as Chairman of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) and advises multiple biotech companies. Previously, he was Chief Operations Officer and Head of Strategy at Sigilon Therapeutics, a clinical stage biotechnology company, and before that he was Head of Operations and Strategy, Medicinal Sciences at Pfizer.

Arbor’s platform employs a diverse set of technologies and techniques – including artificial intelligence, genome sequencing, gene synthesis and high-throughput screening – for accelerating the discovery of proteins for improving human health and sustainability.

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In this episode, we speak with Robert Collins of Partners Group, where he serves as Co-Head of Private Wealth, Head of the firm’s New York Office and a member of the Global Executive Board.

Partners Group is a leading global private markets firm. Since 1996, the firm has invested over $200 billion in private equity, private debt, private real estate, and private infrastructure on behalf of its clients.

The firm seeks to generate strong returns through capitalizing on thematic growth trends and transforming attractive businesses and assets into market leaders. Partners Group is a committed, responsible investor and aims to create sustainable returns with lasting, positive impact for all its stakeholders.

Robert leads Partners Group's US private wealth and defined contribution practice and is President, Portfolio Manager and Member of the Board of Managers of Partners Group Private Equity (Master Fund). He also chairs Partners Group (USA)’s Investment Committee. Robert joined the firm in 2005 as a member of the Private Equity investment team and has 23 years of industry experience.

Robert supports LUNGevity Foundation.  To learn more about this organization click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Phil Dur, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of PeakSpan Capital, a leading growth equity firm focused exclusively on high-growth B2B software companies.

Founded in 2015, PeakSpan manages $2.5 billion in assets and has a team of 24 investment professionals across its San Mateo and New York City offices. The firm has supported 54 software businesses, completed 19 full and partial exits, and raised approximately $1.9 billion in capital commitments, with each fund significantly oversubscribed.

Before co-founding PeakSpan, Phil spent a decade at Investor Growth Capital, where he led software investing, and previously worked at Morgan Stanley Venture Partners and Morgan Stanley Capital Partners in technology investing roles. He is a graduate of Princeton University and the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve for seven years.

Phil was recently recognized as a Top Software Investor of 2025 by GrowthCap, and PeakSpan was named a Top Private Equity Firm of 2025.

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In this episode, we speak with Andy Byrne, CEO and Co-founder of Clari. Clari is a platform that uses AI and machine learning to support sales teams by integrating with their existing CRM systems.

Thousands of sales, marketing, and customer success teams at leading companies, including Okta, Adobe, Workday, Zoom, and Finastra, use Clari’s execution insights to make their revenue process more connected, efficient, and predictable.

The company is backed by Blackstone, Silver Lake, Sapphire Ventures, Tenaya, Bain Capital, Sequoia and other notable investors.

Prior to Clari, Byrne was a founding executive at Clearwell, which he helped grow from pre-product and pre-revenue in 2005 to an $80 million annual revenue run rate until its acquisition by Symantec in 2011.

Andy supports Rise Against Hunger. To learn more about this organization click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Mike Palmer, CEO of Sigma Computing. Sigma is a cloud-native analytics platform that uses a familiar spreadsheet interface to give business users instant access to explore and get insights from their cloud data warehouse. It requires no code or special training to explore billions of rows, augment with new data, or perform “what if” analysis on all data in real⁠-⁠time.

Mike joined Sigma in 2020 and brought with him more than two decades of experience in the technology industry, developing and delivering solutions for the enterprise at startups and Fortune 500 companies.

Mike supports Teach For America. To learn more about this organization click here.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Juan Marcos Hill, a Partner at Stride Consumer Partners, which is a private equity firm that focuses on investing in the next generation of great consumer brands.

Founded in 2019, Stride’s unique approach brings together a fully integrated team of successful investors working alongside seasoned operators to help high-growth and disruptive consumer products and services businesses hit their stride.

The Stride Consumer team has worked with the founders and teams of Brew Dr, drybar, Essentia, First Aid Beauty, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Simms Fishing Products, Tatcha, Urban Decay, and Yasso, among other brands.

Juan Marcos’ passion for founder-led business began at an early age on his family’s coffee farm in El Salvador. Growing up in a family business cultivated his desire to understand the challenges of growing a business and the people behind them. Before joining Stride, he was with Castanea and Bain & Company.

Juan Marcos supports Glasswing International. To learn more about this organization click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Blair Greenberg of Bregal Sagemount, a leading growth-focused private capital firm with more than $5.5 billion of capital raised. The firm provides flexible capital and strategic assistance to market-leading companies in high-growth sectors across a wide variety of transaction situations.

Bregal Sagemount has invested in over 60 companies in a variety of sectors, including software, financial technology and specialty finance, digital infrastructure, healthcare IT, and business and consumer services. The firm has offices in New York, Dallas, and Palo Alto.

Blair Greenberg is a Partner and member of the investment committee at Bregal Sagemount. Blair also serves on the boards of DentalXChange, Open Lending Corporation, and Scorpion Enterprises and has previously served on the boards of Accela, Align Financial Holdings, Discovery Data, and Irth Solutions.

Blair is a Board Member at Per Scholas, a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for more than 25 years, unlocking the potential for individuals, communities, and employers through rigorous training for careers in tech. To learn more about this organization click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Niclas Luthman, Founding Partner of Nick’s. Based in Sweden, Nick’s develops "better for you" alternatives to popular sugar packed and carb loaded foods, such as confectionery, ice cream, snacks and sweeteners. Nick’s seeks to eliminate the gap between indulgent and healthy, through food innovation, to empower more people to make better food choices.

An entrepreneur with a mechanical engineering background, Niclas became a self taught food engineer in 2014 after having to change his diet and lifestyle.  He worked with food scientists to develop a range of sugar, wheat and gluten-free snacks that can be part of every-day life.  The Nick’s range has become a permanent fixture in the Swedish confectionery aisles and also has a home in the US.

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In this episode we speak with Ben Levin, Co-founder and CEO of Level Equity.

Level Equity is a private investment firm focused on providing capital to rapidly growing software and technology-driven businesses. Level provides long term capital across all transaction types in support of continued growth. The firm has raised $3.0 billion in committed capital, has backed over 100 companies since inception, and has offices in New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, and Greenwich, CT.

Level’s Operating Partner team, collectively known as NextLevel Operations, provides value-add strategies that allow it to develop world class management teams, financial sophistication, M&A capabilities, and exit readiness for its portfolio companies.

Ben has been an investor in rapidly growing private companies since 1997 and one of the first institutional investors in numerous category-defining software and technology businesses. Prior to co-founding Level, Ben spent over six years at Insight Partners, most recently as a Managing Director.

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In this episode, we speak with John Jahnke, the CEO of Tackle, the leading solution built to help software companies generate revenue through a data-driven Cloud go-to-market (Cloud GTM).

John is a business and technology leader with a successful track record of building great teams to drive emerging technology patterns.

Tackle works with more than 550 software companies including CrowdStrike, HashiCorp, Lacework, New Relic, VMware, and many more at every stage - from companies scaling their go-to-market to the largest software companies in the world.

They are venture backed by three of the world's top SaaS investors - a16z, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Coatue.

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In this episode, we speak with Jack Purcell, a Managing Partner of Ridgemont Equity Partners, which is a Charlotte-based middle market private equity firm with $9 billion in assets under management that has provided buyout and growth capital to industry-leading companies in the business and tech-enabled services, industrial growth, and healthcare sectors for three decades.

The principals of Ridgemont have refined a proven, industry-focused model designed to build distinctive middle market companies.

Jack focuses primarily on investments in business and tech-enabled services as well as industrial growth.  Previously, Jack worked with Banc of America Capital Investors, which he joined in 2002.

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In this episode, we speak with Jim Donnelly, Co-founder of Restore Hyper Wellness. Restore delivers expert guidance and an extensive array of cutting-edge health modalities, such as IV drips and cryotherapy, integrated under one roof. With multiple franchise locations across the U.S., the company is a national presence and leading brand in the Hyper Wellness space.

Restore was founded in 2015 in Austin, Texas after Jim used cryotherapy while training for a triathlon. The success of the Austin location accelerated the brand into a franchise entity, and they are planning to have 500 locations by the end of 2024.

Prior to founding Restore, and after serving in the military, Jim founded and backed multiple ventures.  He also co-founded IgoUgo.com, a  leader in user-generated travel website content, which was later sold to Sabre Holdings / Travelocity.

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In this episode, we speak with Michael Fisch, Founder and CEO of American Securities.  Based in New York with an office in Shanghai, American Securities is a leading U.S. private equity firm that invests in market-leading North American companies with annual revenues generally ranging from $200 million to $2 billion. American Securities and its affiliates have more than $26 billion under management.

Originating as a family office founded in 1947, in 1994, American Securities opened its private equity investment activities to outside investors seeking attractive risk-adjusted rates of return.

Michael is a founder of American Securities and has been CEO since its inception in 1994. Before founding the firm, Michael was a partner in two private equity funds, a consultant in the Paris office of Bain & Company, and a professional in the mergers and acquisitions department of Goldman Sachs.

Michael earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, where he is a Member of the President’s Leadership Council, and an MBA from Stanford University, where he has been a guest lecturer since 2006.

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In this episode, we speak with Dave Evans, Partner at Apax Digital, the technology and growth equity investment arm of Apax Partners. Apax Digital focuses on growth equity and buyout investments in high-growth enterprise software, consumer internet, and technology-enabled services companies worldwide.

The team leverages Apax Partners’ deep tech expertise, global platform, and specialized operating experts to help companies accelerate growth and realize their full potential. Apax has raised and advised funds with aggregate commitments of approximately $80 billion across three sectors—Tech, Services, and Internet/Consumer—providing long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies.

Dave joined Apax in 2009 and focuses on high-growth internet, enterprise software, and tech-enabled services companies. He was previously in Morgan Stanley’s Financial Sponsors Group and holds an MBA from Wharton and a BA from Duke University.

Dave was recently recognized as a Top Software Investor of 2025 by GrowthCap.

Dave supports Innocence Project. To learn more about this organization click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Sarah Jones Simmer, CEO of Found, a company with a mission to make evidence-based, sustainable weight care accessible for all.

Prior to joining Found in 2021, Sarah was the COO of Bumble, where she was responsible for core strategy, international growth, marketing initiatives, and business operations, as well as the expansion of Bumble’s rapidly growing team.

She started her career analyzing equities and market conditions at a Los Angeles-based hedge fund with ~$5 billion AUM.

Found has raised over $130 million and is backed by WestCap, Google Ventures, Atomic and other notable investors.

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In this episode, we speak with Guillermo Rauch, Founder and CEO of Vercel, the frontend cloud that gives developers the frameworks, workflows, and infrastructure to build a faster, more personalized web.

Founded in 2015, the company has raised over $300 million dollars and is backed by GGV Capital, Accel, Bedrock Capital, CRV, and other notable investors.

Vercel unlocks developer potential and enables users to go from idea to global application in seconds. Vercel enables customers like Under Armour, Nintendo, The Washington Post, and Zapier to build delightful user experiences on the Web.

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In this episode, we speak with Eric Dawson, Founder and CEO of RIVET, which channels the collective economic power of young people to fund their work as social innovators.

Young people control over $3 trillion of spending power and are hungry for authentic avenues to express their values.  Meanwhile brands are hungry to connect to young consumers.  Combine those two facts and add in the tremendous energy driving the youth social change movement and you have RIVET.

Prior to RIVET, Eric co-founded Peace First as a freshman at Harvard, leading it to become a global nonprofit that now supports over 13,000 youth-led projects in over 150 countries. As an Ashoka, Echoing Green, and Pop!Tech Fellow and best-selling author, Eric is a globally recognized expert on youth empowerment.

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In this episode, we speak with Kristin Gunther, a Partner at Revolution Growth which has more than $1 billion in assets under management and backs category-defining companies.

Revolution is a D.C.-based investment firm founded by AOL cofounder Steve Case in 2005. Through its family of funds – The Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, Revolution Ventures, and Revolution Growth – Revolution partners with founders at every stage of the startup lifecycle.

Kristin brings over 15 years of experience in private equity, finance, and operations. Prior to joining Revolution, she spent five years at Perseus where she worked with portfolio companies and management teams on growth strategies, operating and finance matters, and exit planning.

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In this episode, we speak with Kevin Frick, Co-Founder and Partner of Serent Capital, a leading lower-middle market private equity firm focused on investing in high growth service and technology businesses.

Serent’s portfolio includes more than 60 founder-led, industry-changing companies that it partners with who are scaling up by using Serent’s toolkit of growth resources.

Kevin has a long track record of working with CEOs and their management teams to help their companies achieve their full potential, and has engaged on topics of strategy, organization, sales & account management, marketing and lead generation, product road-mapping, pricing, operations, and mergers & acquisitions.

Prior to co-founding Serent, Kevin was a partner at McKinsey & Company, where he led McKinsey's West Coast Private Equity practice. He has worked with over 100 companies in a counseling capacity with an exceptional track record of helping management teams achieve bottom-line improvements.

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In this episode, we speak with Rajeev Shah, the Co-Founder and CEO of Celona, the enterprise 5G company that enables a new generation of AI-powered business critical apps in the enterprise and helps organizations accelerate their digital transformation journey.

Before founding Celona, Rajeev was the VP of product management and marketing for Federated Wireless, where he launched the industry’s first and leading Spectrum Access System. Prior to Federated, Rajeev held multiple product management leadership positions at Aruba Networks, including creating its Cloud Wi-Fi business.

Taking advantage of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum, Celona’s solution architecture is designed to simplify and automate deployment of cellular wireless technology by enterprise IT organizations and managed service providers.

The company was born with the idea that a combination of 5G radio technology, edge computing and machine learning software will fundamentally change how organizations work and do business.

Celona is backed by Digital Bridge Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, Norwest, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and other notable investors.

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In this episode, we speak with Vivek Sunder, CEO of Cuemath, an online supplemental learning platform. Cuemath started in India in 2013 with a mission to transform the way children learn math.

The company started as an offline tutoring center with a small group of students but is now the world's leading online math education platform. Backed by marquee investors such as Google and Sequoia, Cuemath is present in 80+ countries today and is trusted by over 200,000 students for all their math needs.

Prior to working at Cuemath, Sunder worked for more than two decades at P&G and served as COO of Swiggy, an India-based food ordering and delivery platform. Sunder leads Cuemath’s mission to be a global math powerhouse with 21st century techniques and technology.

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In this episode, we speak with Jim Carlisle, Managing Director of THL Partners, a private equity firm investing in middle-market growth companies across financial technology and services, healthcare, and technology and business solutions.

Jim is the Head of the Technology & Business Solutions vertical, the Automation Fund and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. Leading a team to develop the firm’s technology practice and build leadership in its automation theme, Jim contributes thought leadership to THL’s Identified Sector Opportunity (ISO) platform and fosters a thriving culture through specialization and professional development opportunities.

THL has raised more than $35 billion of equity capital, invested in over 170 companies and completed more than 600 add-on acquisitions representing an aggregate enterprise value at acquisition of over $250 billion.

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In this episode we talk about value creation, which is critical to how growth investment firms consistently succeed in transforming their portfolio holdings into category leading expansion companies built for the long term.

Firms and groups such as Blackstone Growth, Great Hill Partners, Insight Partners and Vista Equity shared with GrowthCap on the Growth Investor podcast how they think about value creation and their approach to closely partnering with management teams to optimize key operational areas that are critical for rapid scale to occur.

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In this episode, we speak with Maxim Melamedov, the CEO of Zesty, which has developed the next generation of cloud management solutions.

Maxim came to Zesty from a prior career in homeland security and is a veteran of the Israeli Air Force.

Zesty helps cloud engineering teams to slash cloud costs, maintain perfect app performance, minimize the hassle of managing infrastructure, and fully realize the true flexibility of the cloud.

The company has raised over $116 million since its founding and is backed by B Capital, Sapphire Ventures, and other notable investors.

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In this episode, we speak with Dan Williams, Partner at Delta-v Capital, an investment firm focused on growth-stage software and technology services businesses.

Founded in 2009, Delta-v Capital has provided flexible growth capital solutions to innovative companies across infrastructure software, cloud services, CxO software, and vertical software sectors for more than a decade. The firm manages over $1.3 billion in assets and maintains offices in Denver, CO, and Dallas, TX.

Dan leads Delta-v’s infrastructure software practice, focusing on cybersecurity, AI, and DevOps. He has led investments in companies including Arctic Wolf, Claroty, Corelight, Teamworks, CloudBees, LogRocket, and You.com, with successful exits such as Socrata and Venafi. Before joining Delta-v, Dan held product, engineering, and corporate development roles at Cisco and worked in the buyout group at American Capital. He holds a BS in computer science from MIT and an MBA with honors as a Palmer Scholar from the Wharton School.

Dan was recently recognized as a Top Software Investor of 2025 by GrowthCap.

I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Ned Gilhuly and Scott Stuart, the founding partners of Sageview Capital, which is a private investment firm with over $2 billion in assets under management focused on enduring software and tech-enabled businesses.

Ned and Scott founded Sageview in 2006 after their nearly two decade careers at KKR.

Ned joined KKR in 1986 in San Francisco and rose to establish and oversee all aspects of KKR’s business in Europe as well as serve on KKR’s Investment Committee.

Scott joined KKR in 1986 in New York, and rose to become responsible for the utilities and consumer products industry groups as well as serve on KKR’s Investment Committee.

Historically, the Sageview team has been the single largest investor in every fund, making up over 20% of its invested capital.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode we speak with Saar Safra, CEO and Co-Founder of Beewise. 75% of all the fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts that we consume around the globe are pollinated by bees. We’re talking for 8 billion people.

Beewise’s mission is to help beekeepers pollinate and produce honey by saving their bees, utilizing modern technology. The company has redesigned the beehive with today’s technology providing climate & humidity control, pest control, autonomous swarm prevention, automated harvesting and real-time problem alerts.

The company has raised over $120 million from leading investors including Insight Partners, Corner Ventures and other notable firms.

Saar is a seasoned entrepreneur and has had three successful exits from the five companies he founded prior to Beewise.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Pawan Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of Fashinza, a next generation supply chain and a fashion marketplace for brands and manufacturers.

The platform supports everything from design to delivery, with end-to-end production and merchandising support. It provides direct access to vetted suppliers, real-time production tracking, digitized assembly lines, and data driven quality control.

Previously, Pawan co-founded Curofy, which today is the largest network of Doctors in India.  Curofy was acquired by a large US corporate, Edifecs, in an all-cash deal in 2017.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.

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In this episode, we speak with Matt Schwartz, Co-Founder and CEO of Afresh. Afresh is on a mission to reduce food waste globally by transforming the fresh food supply chain. The company builds AI-powered solutions that meet fresh food’s many challenges to optimize grocery retail forecasting, ordering, and operations.

Matt co-founded Afresh in 2016 while pursuing his MBA at Stanford.  He began his career as a consultant with Bain & Company.

Afresh has raised approximately $150 million and is backed by Insight Partners, Spark Capital, Walter Robb and other notable investors.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode we speak with Sean Behr, CEO of Fountain. Founded in 2014, Fountain started with a vision to transform the hiring of hourly workers. The company’s purpose-built solution is designed to help companies hire high volumes of workers, faster by combining the power of automation with a data-driven applicant tracking system.

The company is backed by B Capital Group, Softbank, DCM Ventures, and Y Combinator, among others.

Sean joined Fountain as CEO in 2020. Prior to joining the company, he served as CEO and Founder of Stratim (acquired by KAR), an intelligent mobility and fleet infrastructure platform powering the future of transportation.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Jonathan Winer, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP). SIP was formed in 2019 and is backed by Alphabet, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, and StepStone Group as its anchor partners. SIP’s mandate is to transform infrastructure by harnessing the power of technology.

Jonathan has led three private equity platforms and personally led investments of over $3B with a focus on the application of technology to real assets. Previously, Jonathan was Head of Investments for Alphabet’s urban innovation platform. Earlier in his career, Jonathan worked at the D. E. Shaw group where he built the private equity team across venture capital, growth equity, and structured finance.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Jon Korngold, Global Head of Blackstone Growth (BXG) and Global Co-Head of Technology Investing.  We chat about the macro growth equity picture, BXG’s focus areas and its key developments over the last two years.

I’ve met hundreds of private equity and growth equity investors over the past two decades and Jon is someone truly unique, not just because of his professional accomplishments, which are many, but because of his insights, thoughtfulness and humility.

Blackstone Growth is Blackstone’s dedicated growth equity investing platform.  It is backed by the scale, operating expertise, and global reach of the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone has $975 billion in assets under management and includes investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Mark Machin, Co-Founder and CEO of Opto Investments. Opto Investments’ platform provides financial advisors with expert insights and tools to help them discover, execute, and service private investment strategies, such as private equity, real estate, and venture capital, that help their clients build long term wealth.

The company is backed by Tiger Global, 8VC, and MSD Capital, among other notable investors.

Prior to joining Opto Investments, Mark was the President & CEO at CPP Investment Board, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing institutional investors with net assets over $520 billion.  Mark spent the first twenty years of his career with Goldman Sachs investment banking culminating in his role as Asia Ex-Japan Head of Investment Banking and Vice Chairman.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.

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In this episode, we speak with Sonya Brown, General Partner and Co-Head of Growth Equity at Norwest. Norwest is a leading venture and growth equity investment firm managing more than $12.5 billion in capital. Since its inception, the firm has invested in more than 650 companies and currently partners with over 200 active companies in its venture and growth equity portfolio.

Sonya is focused on growth equity and buyouts investing across a wide range of sectors including consumer, retail, internet, education and business services. Her current investments include Babylist, Forum Brands, Jolyn, Junk King, Kendra Scott, Madison Reed, Senreve, and SmartSign. Before Norwest, Sonya was at Summit Partners for almost a decade.

Sonya was recognized by GrowthCap as one of the Top Women Leaders in Growth Investing of 202.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.

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In this episode, we speak with Agam Khare, Founder and CEO of Absolute, a bioscience company leveraging the best of nature, science and innovation to build a better future for people and the planet.

The company’s AI-driven operating system can be implemented across vertical farms, greenhouses, open farms, and other areas, enabling farmers to grow crops without using synthetic enzymes and GMOs.

Based in Delhi, India, Absolute operates across 16 countries and is backed by Sequoia, Tiger Global, and Alpha Wave.

Prior to Absolute, Agam ran India's leading Industrial Robotics & Factory Automation company working across various sectors - Food & Beverage, Pharma, Auto, Oil & Gas, Steel & Cement.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.

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In this episode, we speak with Jeffrey Stevenson, Managing Partner of VSS Capital Partners, a private investment firm that invests in healthcare, business services, and education companies.

Since its founding in 1987, VSS has partnered with lower middle-market companies, working closely with management teams to facilitate their next stage of growth. With approximately $4 billion in committed capital across eight funds, VSS has completed over 100 platform investments and more than 600 add-on acquisitions.

Jeffrey has overall responsibility for the management of the firm and each of its funds. He joined VSS in 1982, shortly after its formation, and founded its private equity business in 1987. He currently serves as Chairman of the Investment Committee and has been a board member of over 31 portfolio companies. 

VSS was recently recognized by GrowthCap as a Top Private Equity Firm of 2025.

Jeffrey supports The Center for Discovery. To learn more about this organization click here.

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In this episode, we speak with Chris Miller, CEO of Everside Health, one of the largest direct primary care providers in the U.S., operating over 375 health centers in 34 states.

Chris is a recognized leader and entrepreneur known for building and scaling companies. He offers a unique blend of business acumen, strategic vision and service delivery to achieve organizational success.

Everside Health, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, offers patients direct and convenient, 24/7 access to their physicians by combining increased physician involvement with a data-driven approach focused on delivering better health outcomes.

The company started as four companies that came together to create a different kind of healthcare experience. It is backed by New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Oak HC/FT, Alta Partners, Greenspring Associates and other strategic investors.

I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.

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In this episode, we speak with Warren Valdmanis, Partner at Two Sigma Impact, the impact investing business of Two Sigma exclusively focused on workforce impact.

Two Sigma Impact combines active, principled ownership and data science with the goal of achieving superior returns and positive social outcomes. It invests in industries that rely heavily on human capital such as education and training, healthcare, consumer, and business services.

They believe improving employee engagement and creating more good jobs can improve business performance and create a model for other companies to emulate.

Previously, Warren was a Managing Director at Bain Capital, where he helped launch the firm’s first dedicated social impact fund and develop the firm’s strategic approach to social impact investing.  Warren worked at Bain Capital from 2005 to 2019.

I am your host RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show.

In this episode, we speak with Don Muir, Co-Founder and CEO of Arc Technologies. Founded in 2021, Arc provides a better way for software startups to raise capital without incurring costly dilution and risky debt.    Arc converts a startups’ future revenue into upfront capital, provides a cash management account to store, manage and spend funds, and delivers financial analytics to drive growth.    The Company is backed by Left Lane Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, NFX and Atalaya Capital, among others.   I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.