BROADWING CAPITAL NAMED TO INC.'S 2026 FOUNDER-FRIENDLY INVESTORS LIST

Co-Founder and Managing Partner Eliot Kerlin, Jr. also named one of 36 investors every founder needs to know in 2026

DALLAS, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadwing Capital, the Dallas-based private equity firm specializing in the lower middle-market manufacturing, distribution, and services sectors, today announced that it has been named to Inc.'s 2026 Founder-Friendly Investors list for the first time.

In addition, Eliot Kerlin, Jr., Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Broadwing, was also named to Inc.'s 2026 Founder Champions list, which Inc. deems as "36 investors every founder needs to know in 2026." The list honors investment professionals with a track record of supporting founder-led companies and fostering meaningful, lasting partnerships.

Inc.'s Founder-Friendly Investors program recognizes private equity firms, venture capital firms, and lenders that back founder-led businesses and help them thrive. As part of the selection process, Inc. speaks directly with founders of each applicant's portfolio companies about their experience partnering with the firm.

"This recognition is especially meaningful to us because it reflects the experience of the founders we partner with," said Eliot Kerlin, Jr., Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Broadwing. "When a founder chooses Broadwing, they are putting their trust in our team to help carry forward something they have worked years, sometimes generations, to build. We take that responsibility seriously. For us, being founder-friendly is not a tagline. It is how we believe partnerships should work."

Broadwing's founder-friendly approach is central to how the firm builds every partnership. Broadwing often serves as the first institutional capital partner to the businesses it backs. Its team takes the time before an investment is made to understand what owners have built and what they hope to achieve through an outside investment. After closing, Broadwing works side by side with management teams, providing the resources and support needed to accelerate growth while preserving the people and values at the core of each business.

"We are proud to be honored with Inc.'s Founder Friendly Investor Award because our approach to working with founders and families is core to our strategy," said Andrew Boisseau, Co-Founder and Partner of Broadwing. "Our role is to bring the capital, people and operational resources that can help a business reach its full potential, while protecting the culture, relationships and entrepreneurial spirit that made it successful in the first place."

The recognition caps a milestone year for Broadwing. In August, the firm closed its oversubscribed inaugural fund, Broadwing Capital Fund I LP, with $465 million in total capital commitments, exceeding its $350 million target.

"With the current funding environment and rapid changes facing growing companies, founders are looking for more than just capital from their investors. They want true partners who believe in their business, but who are also able to provide the critical advisement and strategic support they need to reach their potential," says Bonny Ghosh, editorial director at Inc. "The 2026 Founder-Friendly Investor awards celebrate those firms –– the ones committed to partnership, excellence, and helping founder-led companies grow."

About Broadwing Capital
Broadwing Capital Management and its affiliates ("Broadwing") is a Dallas-based private equity firm specializing in the lower middle-market manufacturing and services sectors. The firm thoughtfully scales niche platforms into market leaders through hands-on operational support that enhances companies, cultures, and communities. Broadwing is known for its founder-friendly approach, deeply embedded resource partners, and a values-driven commitment to long-term value creation. Broadwing has had decades of combined private equity value-creation experience, has invested in 26 lower middle-market companies and manages over $700 million of regulatory AUM.

To learn more, visit our website and follow on LinkedIn.

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SOURCE Broadwing Capital