Why These Investors Keep Betting on Inc. 5000 Companies
Sep 17, 2023 | By Jennifer Conrad, Senior Writer
Cameron Newton and his brother, Dean, have quite the track record. In the decade since the launch of their Nashville-based Relevance Ventures, the company has invested in no fewer than three early-stage startups that have gone on to make our list of the fastest-growing private U.S. companies. Their secret? Backing founders who are already thinking about how to sell--and not counting on big tech to provide the payday. That's how these Inc. 5000 alums got the brothers' attention and, as a result, their funding.
Betting on Success
PASSPORT No. 4,552 in 2022 (also 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
A platform for collecting municipal parking payments
Winning pitch: "They had early traction, revenue, and customers," says Cameron, including the promise of a major municipal contract.
PETSCREENING No. 485 in 2023 (also 2022)
Tenant pet screening platform for landlords
Winning pitch: "The company is building a recurring revenue stream backed by a rich data set," says Dean. "That makes it valuable to potential acquirers seeking to capitalize on the multibillion-dollar pet market."
RENT READY No. 3,370 in 2021 (also 2019)
Property-transfer platform for management companies
Winning pitch: "A lot of property owners were still using dry erase boards," Cameron says. "It was very easy to make a case for a software system."