Kian Capital Named to Inc.’s Founder-Friendly Investors List for Seventh Consecutive Year

We are proud to announce that Kian has been named an Inc. Founder-Friendly Investor for the seventh year in a row. The annual list spotlights private equity, venture capital and direct lending firms known for building long-standing partnerships with founder-led companies and scaling their businesses.

"This recognition is a testament to the founders and business owners who have trusted us with the companies they've dedicated years to establishing," said Kian Co-Founder and Managing Partner Rick Cravey. "Our approach has always centered on listening first, respecting what our partners have created and working side by side with them to advance their vision. We're grateful to Inc. for this honor and remain committed to being the partner we'd want for ourselves."

To compile the list, Inc. interviews founders and entrepreneurs who have partnered with private equity, venture capital and direct lending firms, asking how those relationships worked and how they contributed to growth. The Founder-Friendly recognition helps business owners identify capital partners who can support expansion while allowing them to retain an ownership stake.

At Kian, we value the authentic relationships we've formed with the founders and leadership teams we partner with. Two leaders from Kian portfolio companies shared what the firm's founder-friendly approach has meant for their businesses:

Raitis Raisian, CEO, Integrity Landscape: "Kian's founder-friendly approach was clear from our first conversation through closing. They respected the trusted name Integrity has built over the years, invested in our leadership team and gave us the autonomy to keep doing what we do best. Their support has positioned us to grow without losing the culture and service standards our customers count on. We couldn't have asked for a better partner for Integrity's next chapter."

Mike Hirschman, President, Allen Supply: "As a family-owned business, we wanted a partner who saw Allen Supply as more than a transaction, and that's exactly what we found in Kian. They took the time to understand what matters most to our team and customers, and their deep value-added distribution experience is helping us expand our reach while staying true to the service and expertise our customers depend on. This recognition is well deserved."

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.

"Founders come to us at one of the most important moments in their company's history, and earning their trust is something we care deeply about," said Kian Co-Founder and Managing Partner Kevin McCarthy. "No two businesses are alike, so we approach every partnership with fresh eyes, aligning with management on a shared vision and bringing the right resources to help them execute. We're proud of this milestone and even more excited about what's ahead for our portfolio companies."

The full list of firms and the 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, 2021 and ending at the 2026 application cutoff date of June 12, 2026. Kian paid for both the fee to participate and to acquire rights to the Inc. logo for the years 2020 - 2026. The Inc. Founder-Friendly list was officially announced on October 27, 2026.

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.