VSS Capital Partners (“VSS”), a leading private investment firm focusing on tech-enabled, lower middle market companies in the business services, healthcare, and education sectors, is proud to announce that it has been named to Inc.’s 2026 List of Founder Friendly Investors for the fourth consecutive year. The annual honor highlights the private investment firms with the best track records of success backing founder-owned businesses.
“Our approach is grounded in a simple conviction: the right capital partner should support a founder’s vision while helping build long-term value,” said Jeffrey Stevenson, Managing Partner of VSS. “Our flexible, structured capital approach helps entrepreneurs pursue their next stage of growth while preserving meaningful ownership. Recognition from Inc. for the fourth consecutive year is a testament to the trust our founder partners place in us and our shared commitment to building lasting value.”
With over three decades of experience and a track record of partnering with over 100 companies, VSS has supported exceptional management teams of U.S. lower middle market businesses leveraging operational, financial and industry expertise, and working side by side to maximize long-term value, strengthen boards and identify strategic acquisitions. Through a highly tailored buy and build approach, VSS has supported over 600 add-on acquisitions across its portfolio companies.
In July 2026, VSS announced its successful exit from Centroid Systems, a leading business services company focused on Oracle Cloud solutions for middle-market and enterprise clients. “We are extremely grateful for the strategic guidance and partnership that the VSS team showed us over the course of our joint journey. Providing much more than financial support, VSS met us right where we were, understood our unique ambitions and goals, and helped us navigate key milestones. Behind every step and decision, there was collaboration and trust, which has positioned our business for sustained long term growth,” said Scott Morrell, Managing Partner and CEO at Centroid.
Learn more about Inc.’s 2026 Founder-Friendly investor list here: www.inc.com/founder-friendly-investors/
About VSS Capital Partners
Headquartered in New York, VSS is a private investment firm that invests in business services, healthcare, and education companies. Since 1987, VSS has partnered with lower middle market companies, working closely with management teams, to facilitate their next stage of growth. VSS provides capital for growth financings, recapitalizations, strategic acquisitions, and buyouts with the flexibility to invest control or non-control capital, based on the needs and objectives of each company. With approximately $4 billion in committed capital across eight funds, VSS has completed over 100 platform investments and more than 600 add-on acquisitions. See also www.vss.com
VSS was ranked #1 in three categories by PitchBook, an independent data provider, in its 2025 Global Manager Performance Score League Tables: Global Private Debt, Global Mezzanine, and North America Private Debt (as of December 31, 2025, and published on July 28, 2026). The annual report highlights top private capital managers across 29 strategic and geographic categories, ranked by historical performance. For a breakdown of the rankings by strategy, please see here.
Inc.’s 2026 List of Founder Friendly Investors: Published in October 2026. Based on firms that exited at least one founder-led portfolio company within the previous five years. It evaluates growth among companies partnered with private equity, venture capital, or debt firms. Compensation was provided by the adviser.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261027199225/en/
Media gallery
