ZMC Named in Inc.’s 2021 List of Founder-Friendly Investors
October, 5 2021
ZMC is pleased to announce it has been included in Inc.’s third annual Founder-Friendly Investors list, honoring the private equity and venture capital firms with the best track record of success backing entrepreneurs. The final list recognizes 146 firms that entrepreneurs can trust and collaborate with while receiving the financial support they need to help accelerate growth. All 146 have a successful track record of remaining actively involved in the businesses after their investment.
“Over the past 20 years, ZMC’s investment philosophy has been centered on being of service to founders and management teams. We strive to be a trusted partner and work collaboratively to execute strategic goals and maximize value. Most importantly, we aim to do this in a culture of transparency, integrity, high performance and kindness,” said Strauss Zelnick, founder and managing partner of ZMC. “Given that capital availability is at an all-time high, enjoying the people with whom you are partnering and aligning strategic and cultural views is of utmost importance. We are honored to be included in Inc.’s 2021 List of Founder-Friendly Investors,” added Sheila Dharmarajan, partner and head of investor relations and business development.
Since its inception 20 years ago, ZMC has built a strong track record of working with founder owned companies in a variety of markets including e-commerce, content and intellectual property and managed services. ZMC actively works with management teams to help identify, prioritize and execute initiatives including sales, business development, product expansion, technology development, organizational scaling, key-hire recruiting and M&A. The firm leverages deep industry insight across media, communications and technology-enabled services to develop and implement highly effective post-transaction value creation initiatives.
To compile the list, Inc. went straight to the source: entrepreneurs who have sold to private equity. 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.
To see the complete list, go to: https://www.inc.com/founder-friendly-investors/2021
Introduced in 2019, the Founder-Friendly Private Equity Firms 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.
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 ZMC
ZMC is a leading private equity firm comprised of experienced investors and executives who invest in and manages a diverse group of media and communications enterprises. Founded in 2001, ZMC's investment philosophy centers on operational value creation driven by targeted investment themes, deep sector expertise, and strong partnerships with industry and operating executives. ZMC approaches its investments in collaboration with management teams and has a successful track record of actively adding value to portfolio companies. ZMC is currently investing out of ZMC III, L.P., which closed on $775 million in commitments. For more information, visit www.zmclp.com.