Growthcap Insights

In this episode, we speak with Nader Naini, Managing Partner of Frazier Healthcare Partners. Nader joined the firm in 1991 and has served on Frazier’s Management Committee, Investment Committee, and led its Growth Buyout practice since 1995. Under his leadership, the Growth Buyout team has scaled from an initial team of four to over sixty and raised over $5 billion AUM from institutional limited partners globally. During his over three-decade tenure with the firm, he has been responsible for and served on the Boards of numerous successful investments including Aspen Education Group, CHG Healthcare, Priority Solutions International, Bravo Health, Laboratory Supply Company, Pentec Health, Solis Mammography, DSI Renal, Northfield Medical, and United Digestive. He currently serves on the Boards of Elevate Patient Financial Solutions, Accuity Delivery Systems, and Effective School Solutions. 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 Taylor Rhodes, CEO of Applied Systems, the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and an innovation leader, Applied is the world’s largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems. Taylor joined Applied in 2019 after serving as Chief Executive Officer of SMS Assist, the leading cloud-based software platform for multi-site property management. Previously, he was CEO of Rackspace, where he led the company’s growth from a cloud pioneer to an industry leader with more than two billion dollars in revenue. Taylor was recognized as one of the Top 50 SaaS CEOs of 2023 by The Software Report. Taylor supports World Vision.  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 Alan Cline, Hg’s Head of North America, a Partner and a member of Hg’s Senior Leadership Team. He leads the firm’s activity across the USA and Canada. Alan has a long and impressive track record across leadership, tech investing and operations, having built the Foundation Fund within Vista Equity, following hands on experience as a technology entrepreneur.  He was previously Senior Managing Director, Fund Co-Head at Vista. Hg has over 400 employees across London, Munich, New York, Paris and San Francisco, and a current portfolio of around 52 businesses, worth approximately $135 billion in aggregate enterprise value. 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 David Ratner, CEO of HYAS, a cybersecurity company leading the charge in the war against attacks of all kinds, including ransomware, supply-chain attacks, phishing, and trojans. David’s career spans various areas of software and technology, from writing code for some of the first and largest mobile and messaging systems to scaling, growing, and exiting multiple venture-backed, private-equity-owned, and public software companies. Before joining HYAS, David was the CEO at Realm and CEO and President at Openwave Messaging. He earned his PhD and MS in computer science at UCLA and his undergraduate degree in mathematics and computer science at Cornell University. David was recognized as one of the Top 50 SaaS CEOs of 2023 by The Software Report. 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 “Kim” Lechà, CEO of Typeform, a no-code SaaS platform with thoughtfully-designed tools that help companies grow their business by engaging with their audience. It provides a refreshingly different form builder that helps companies collect zero-party data while providing a stellar brand experience. The company is backed by Sofina, General Atlantic, Index Ventures, and other notable investors. Kim joined Typeform in 2018 as Chief Operating Officer, bringing more than 20 years of experience at high-growth companies.  He was recently recognized by The Software Report as one of the Top 50 SaaS CEOs of 2023. 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 Daphne Tong, Partner and Co-Head of Investments at WestCap, an operating and investing firm for generational companies. WestCap invests in tech-enabled, asset-light marketplaces. Its focus areas include fintech, real estate tech, infrastructure tech, healthtech, and digital experiences. Prior to WestCap, Daphne was the Co-Head of the Private Equity Funds and Co-Investment Group in the Americas for GIC, a leading global investment firm established to manage Singapore’s foreign reserves. Prior to that, she was a Principal in Blackstone’s Private Equity division.  She started her career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs. Daphne was recognized by GrowthCap as one of the Top Software Investors of 2023. 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 Sean Hinton, CEO and Founder of SkyHive. SkyHive is a generative AI software company that rapidly re-skills companies and communities around the world. SkyHive invented Quantum Labor Analysis, the application of Artificial Intelligence to analyze a workforce at its most granular and real-time level. Sean is a member of the 2023 Class of Henry Crown Fellows within the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute and he was recently named one of The Software Report’s Top 50 SaaS CEOs of 2023. 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 Raghu Ravinutala, Co-Founder and CEO of Yellow.ai, a global leader in generative AI-powered customer service automation. Raghu co-founded the company with a vision to make customer and enterprise interactions more effective and effortless. Since its inception, Raghu and his team have successfully expanded Yellow.ai’s presence across the U.S., Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Japan, Australia and Latin America with over 1,000 customers in over 85 countries. Previously, Raghu worked for 16 years with leading tech companies such as Texas Instruments, and Broadcom across leadership roles in engineering, product management and business development both in the Bay Area and India. Raghu was recently recognized as one of the Top 50 SaaS CEOs of 2023 by The Software Report.  The company is backed by Salesforce Ventures, Sapphire Ventures, WestBridge Capital, and other notable investors. I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to follo

In this episode, we speak with Rodrigo Liang, the Co-Founder and CEO of SambaNova Systems. Customers turn to SambaNova to quickly deploy state-of-the-art generative AI capabilities within the enterprise.  Its purpose-built enterprise-scale AI platform is the technology backbone for the next generation of AI computing. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, the company was founded in 2017 by industry luminaries and is backed by investors including SoftBank, funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Intel Capital, Google Ventures, and other notable investors. 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 Princeton Equity Group Co-Founder and Managing Partner Jim Waskovich.  The firm is among the most experienced franchise and multi-unit investors in the United States, having sponsored investments in some of the most admired, growth-oriented brands in the consumer, healthcare, and business services industries. Jim co-founded Princeton Equity Group, co-leads its investment activities, and sits on the Firm’s investment committee. Prior to co-founding the firm, Jim spent nearly 20 years as a private equity investor at Summit Partners, ABS Capital, and Princeton Ventures, which he founded in 2006.  Jim is also the Founder and Chairman of Princeton Medspa Partners, a leading consolidator and franchisor in the noninvasive medical aesthetics industry. 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 Ernesto Aguilar, the President and CEO of Ardurra, which is a multidisciplinary services firm, providing broad-based solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of the public and private sector.  The company is backed by Littlejohn & Co, a middle market private equity firm. Ardurra provides services in the areas of water, transportation, public works, environmental, aviation, civil, aquatics, emergency management, transit, surveying, structural, community relations and landscape architecture, among others. Ernesto is a visionary leader and seasoned Professional Engineer with 30+ years of experience encompassing all aspects of operations, management, business development and project delivery for engineering and consulting. He also leads the sourcing, valuation and merging of acquired companies, with an emphasis on integration as the key to building a unified firm. 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 Tom Livne, CEO and Founder of Verbit, a provider of live captioning and transcription services. The company uses voice AI, integrations and professional transcribers to help businesses provide accessible, compliant meetings and events for a host of industries. A leader in the $30 billion transcription industry, Verbit has raised $360 million to date after closing its Series E funding round. A former lawyer, Tom founded Verbit knowing how much money was being spent on transcription. He saw that many more industries could benefit from access to accurate transcripts. He has expertise in enterprise software, as well as tech-enabled and SaaS businesses, and is an active investor in promising tech companies. Tom supports Keshet. To know more about the 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 Ross Hiatt, Head of H.I.G. Growth, the dedicated growth capital affiliate of H.I.G. Capital, a global alternative investment firm with nearly $60 billion in assets under management. The firm is a multi-industry investor with a primary focus in growing, technology-oriented businesses across sectors including SaaS, Cloud & Data, Software, FinTech, and Technology-Enabled Services. Ross was named one of GrowthCap’s Top Software Investors of 2023. He oversees all day-to-day activities of H.I.G. Growth. Prior to joining H.I.G., Ross was a technology investor at TPG. He also lived and worked in Asia, for a combined 10 years in Hong Kong and Tokyo, with both Goldman and TPG. 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 Daphne Dufresne of GenNx360 Capital Partners, a middle market private equity firm that invests in business-to-business services and manufacturing companies throughout North America. Daphne has over 25 years of investment experience and plays a crucial role in all aspects of the firm's investment activities and portfolio management. She led the firm’s investments in and chairs the boards of PAG, Genserve, AeroRepair and Whitson’s. Daphne was named one of GrowthCap’s Top Women Leaders in Growth Investing of 2023 and is a champion for the advancement of women and people of color in 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 Adam Harris, Co-founder and CEO of Cloudbeds, a leading cloud-based hospitality management system provider. Its software combines solutions for front desk, revenue management, distribution, guest acquisition, and guest engagement in a single unified system. The company has been through four financing rounds, acquired multiple companies, and driven billions in revenue for tens of thousands of properties. Today, Cloudbeds is in more than 157 countries. The company has raised over $240 million from investors such as Softbank, Viking Global, PeakSpan and other notable investors. Adam co-founded Cloudbeds in 2012 after finding it difficult to book local accommodation while traveling in Brazil. He and co-founder Richard Castle envisioned a platform that would allow any property, no matter their size, type, or location, to run their lodging business successfully. 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 Katie Storer, a Managing Director with Blackstone Growth. Katie was recently recognized by GrowthCap as a Top Woman Leader in Growth Investing of 2023. Katie focuses on investments in the consumer sector and was a leader of the all-female investment team for Spanx, the revolutionary womenswear brand founded by Sara Blakely. Katie has also been a leader in BXG’S Talent & Development committee, which focuses on the growth of employees and cultivating that pool of talent. 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. Katie supports Delivering Good. 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 Srikanth Velamakanni, Co-Founder, Group Chief Executive & Executive Vice-Chairman of Fractal, a provider of artificial intelligence to companies. Fractal's businesses include:  Crux Intelligence , which provides AI driven business intelligence;  Eugenie.ai  for sustainability;  Asper.ai  for revenue growth management; and Senseforth.ai, conversational AI for sales and customer service. Since its founding in 2000, the company has raised more than $680 million from TPG, Apax, TA Associates and other notable investors and has empowered more than 100 Fortune 500 companies with its AI, data, and analytics-driven business strategies. 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 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 abo

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.