Growth Investor with GrowthCap‘s RJ Lumba – Details, episodes & analysis

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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