Inc’s Annual roundup highlights the private equity, venture capital, and debt firms with outstanding records of backing entrepreneurs

BOSTON – October 31, 2023 – Berkshire Partners today announced the firm was recognized on Inc.’s fifth annual Founder-Friendly Investors list and as one of the private equity firms with a strong record of backing entrepreneurs.

“We’re humbled and honored to receive this award from Inc. which is a direct reflection of the dozens of amazing founders we’ve partnered with since our inception almost 40 years ago,” said Josh Lutzker, Managing Director, Berkshire Partners. “At Berkshire Partners, we place a premium on deep collaboration with ambitious and insightful entrepreneurs who are seeking to elevate their businesses to the next stage of growth. We’re eager to continue our partnership with founder-led businesses to help surface untapped potential and enduring growth opportunities across the sectors in which we invest.”

To compile the list, Inc. went directly to the source by speaking with entrepreneurs who have sold to private equity firms. Founders filled out a questionnaire about their experiences partnering with private equity firms and shared data on how their portfolio companies have grown during these partnerships.

Having worked with many founder-led businesses over the firm’s 35-year history, Berkshire Partners has many success stories working with founder-owned businesses looking for a partner who can help them with operational improvement and an overall growth strategy.

The final list recognizes 218 firms that remain actively involved with the businesses they invest in, and that have earned the trust of the entrepreneurs they support to help drive growth. Introduced in 2019, the Founder-Friendly Investors list quickly established itself as one of Inc.’s most resourceful franchises. It has become a go-to guide for entrepreneurs who want to grow their companies while retaining an ownership stake.

To see the complete list, go to: https://www.inc.com/founder-friendly-investors/2023

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ABOUT BERKSHIRE PARTNERS

Berkshire Partners is a 100% employee-owned, multi-sector specialist investor in private and public equity. The firm’s private equity team invests in well-positioned, growing companies across consumer, healthcare, services & industrials, technology & communications, and digital infrastructure. The firm's public equity group, Stockbridge, founded in 2007, manages a concentrated portfolio seeking attractive long-term investments. The firm’s Stockbridge and Private Equity teams frequently collaborate and leverage their collective industry expertise across sectors. For additional information, visit www.berkshirepartners.com.

About Inc.

The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community they need to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

About the 2023 List of Founder-Friendly Investors

The 2023 List of Founder-Friendly Investors was created by Inc. and was based on references shared by Berkshire Partners in July 2023. The full extent of the scope of firms considered for this award is unknown. The fee to apply for this award was $1,495. There was no compensation paid for winning the award. Inc. is not affiliated with Berkshire Partners or is an investor in an investment vehicle sponsored by Berkshire Partners. There can be assurance that other firms or surveys would reach the same conclusion.