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Kinderhook Industries Named a Top Private Equity Firm for Entrepreneurs and Founders

Kinderhook Industries Named a Top Private Equity Firm for Entrepreneurs and Founders

October 29, 2025

New York, NY – Kinderhook Industries, LLC (“Kinderhook”) is pleased to announce that the firm has been named to Inc. Magazine’s annual Founder Friendly Investors list, honoring the private equity and venture capital firms with a track record of backing founder-led companies.  This is the fifth year in a row that Kinderhook has been named on the Founder Friendly Investors list.

Rob Michalik, Managing Director at Kinderhook, commented, “We are honored by Inc. Magazine’s recognition in 2021-2024, and now again in 2025. Kinderhook is a unique investment firm. We believe that people come first and that an organization’s people and culture are critical to its success.”

“Kinderhook’s core values – straightforward approach, treating people fairly, and hustle – are the same guiding principles that successful entrepreneurs use to build their companies.  This shared vision allows us to establish strong partnerships with founders and management teams who are motivated to grow their companies,” said Chris Michalik, Managing Director at Kinderhook.

“Since inception, Kinderhook has partnered with over 200 founders to grow their businesses.  We offer strategic and operating insight, resources, and relationships to help our entrepreneur partners build scalable platforms,” said Tom Tuttle, Chairman of Kinderhook.


About Kinderhook Industries

Kinderhook Industries, LLC is a private investment firm that has raised over $11 billion of committed capital and has made 500+ investments and follow-on acquisitions since our founding in 2003. We match differentiated, growth-oriented investment opportunities with our financial expertise and proprietary network of operating partners. We focus on middle market businesses with defensible niche market positioning in environmental & equipment services, healthcare services, and industrials & manufacturing.

For more information, please visit https://www.kinderhook.com

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