Women-Led Businesses Thrive With Private Equity
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, the American Investment Council is highlighting women-led businesses and the private equity industry’s support for female entrepreneurship.
Sunshine Beverages is a fast-growing energy drink manufacturer aiming to redefine the market with healthier, natural ingredients. Private equity has helped this Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based company grow its distribution network, establish key grocery chain partnerships, and continue to deliver on its promise of great taste, no artificial flavors, and lower sugar.
Watch Sunshine Beverages CEO Lizzie Ward Roediger talk about how private equity helped her female-led, majority female business take on the beverage industry.
Sunshine Beverages are now available in more than 3,500 retail stores, including Food Lion, Lowes Foods, QuikTrip, The Fresh Market, 7-Eleven, Harris Teeter, and Public. In the coming months, the company plans to roll out its products in select Walmart and Wakefern locations as it continues to see steady growth under private equity ownership.
Other women-led businesses supported by private equity include:
Advanced Agrilytics, a portfolio company of Paine Schwartz led by Kay Kuenker: a high-touch agronomic services business with proprietary digital capabilities providing farmers throughout the Midwest customized strategies to improve yield and improve sustainability.
AskBio, a portfolio company of TPG led by Sheila Mikhail: a North Carolina-based company working to advance genetic medicine and erase genetic disease.
Bumble, a portfolio company of Blackstone led by Whitney Wolfe Herd: a Texas-based dating app which allows women to initiate the conversation, working towards a goal of recalibrating gender norms and empowering people to connect globally.
Infinite Electronics, a portfolio investment of Warburg Pincus led by Penny Cotner: a leading omnichannel supplier of electronic components sold under 13 proprietary brands that serve a diverse set of end markets including broadband and wireless infrastructure, military / defense, industrial automation, medical equipment and consumer electronics.
Intelligent Medical Objects, a portfolio investment of Warburg Pincus led by Ann Barnes: leading provider of software products leveraging clinically-vetted terminologies and value sets to increase operational efficiency, care coordination, and interoperability across provider settings.
n2y, a portfolio company of Riverside and Providence Equity Partners led by Chrissy Wostmann: a special education software company based in Ohio with 60,000 service providers in all 50 states working to provide students everywhere with access to a great education.
NORDAM, a portfolio company of Carlyle led by Meredith Siegfried Madden: one of the world’s largest independently owned aerospace companies located in Oklahoma, employing 2,500 stakeholder across multiple facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.
Outset Medical, a portfolio investment of Warburg Pincus led by Leslie Trigg: a San Jose, CA based pioneering medical technology company focused on commercializing a novel therapy for patients suffering from end stage renal disease or kidney failure.
Procare Solutions, a portfolio investment of Warburg Pincus led by JoAnn Kintzel: a leading provider of child care management software, integrated payment processing, technology and services. Procare offers web-based, on-premises and cloud hosting solutions, and supports customers of all sizes, from single-center operations to complex multinational enterprises.
Shutterfly, Inc., a portfolio company of Apollo led by Hilary Schneider: the leading retailer and manufacturing platform for personalized products and communications based in California.
SmartSweets, a portfolio company of TPG led by Tara Bosch: an innovative candy provider located in California that is producing sweets free from sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners.
Sparta, a portfolio company of New Mountain Capital led by Dana Jones: the leading provider of quality management software to the pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer products industries located in New Jersey.
Topix, a portfolio company of New Mountain Capital led by Brenda Wu: the New York-based, independent leader in professional & natural consumer skincare with a portfolio of clinically-proven products and brands.
WebPT, a portfolio investment of Warburg Pincus led by Nancy Ham and co-founded by Dr. Heidi Jannenga: a cloud-based electronic medical record platform for physical therapists. In addition to its patient documentation software, WebPT offers software and services for billing, practice management and patient engagement.
WEX, a portfolio investment of Warburg Pincus led by Melissa Smith: a leading financial services technology provider of vertical-focused payment / transaction processing and software solutions, serving the fleet, healthcare / employee benefits, travel, and general corporate markets.
24 Seven, a portfolio company of Morgan Stanley Capital Partners founded and led by Celeste Gudas: a global human capital management firm specializing in the placement of freelance digital marketing, creative, and technology talent, with the goal of empowering our client’s digital transformation.
