Updated:
Runway Growth Capital
David Spreng's Runway Growth Capital has deployed venture debt to over 90 late-stage companies since 2015, a strategy acquired by BC Partners Credit in...
Runway Growth Capital
Spreng founded Runway in 2015, bringing decades of venture lending and growth-equity experience to a market he saw as under-served: late-stage companies with strong fundamentals but over-complicated capital structures. The Chicago-based firm, with additional investment offices in Menlo Park and New York, focuses exclusively on senior secured term loans rather than equity, positioning itself as an alternative to dilution-heavy venture rounds for companies generating revenue but not yet ready for public markets. Since inception it has deployed capital to more than 90 companies, with individual loans ranging from $10 million to $150 million. Runway targets companies across technology, healthcare, and consumer sectors, with a loan book that confirms a preference for enterprise SaaS, AI/ML, and financial technology. Disclosed portfolio names include Betterment, Brilliant Earth, FiscalNote, INRIX, JW Player, and Ouster, alongside medical-device companies like Route 92 Medical and Nalu Medical. The firm provides senior debt at the corporate level — rather than venture debt layered on top of equity rounds — which gives it structural seniority in capital stacks and a direct claim on enterprise value. Runway co-invests alongside venture and growth-equity sponsors but does not take board seats, maintaining a lender relationship with borrowers across North America. The management team includes Chief Credit Officer Avisha Khubani, CFO and COO Tom Raterman, and healthcare-focused Managing Director JD Tamas. In January 2025, BC Partners Credit — a credit platform within the $40 billion alternative asset manager BC Partners — acquired Runway Growth Capital. The firm continues to operate independently under its existing brand and team structure, and remains the investment adviser to Runway Growth Finance Corp. (NASDAQ: RWAY), a publicly traded business development company that shares the same strategy and likely provides permanent capital alongside BC Partners' institutional LP base. Headcount details are not disclosed, but the firm maintains a dedicated investment team across its three offices. Runway is structurally distinct from most venture-debt providers: it is not a bank, and since its 2025 acquisition it is backed by a large institutional credit manager rather than a venture capital platform. This gives it a permanent-capital funding model that does not depend on drawing down committed funds within a fixed investment period. The publicly listed RWAY vehicle sits alongside the institutional funds, adding a layer of liquidity transparency that is uncommon among private lenders. For borrowers, the structure means Runway can hold loans to maturity and is not forced to syndicate or sell positions, which appeals to founder teams seeking a single, long-term lending partner rather than a syndicate of rotating credit providers.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2015
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Chicago
Corporate office
205 N Michigan Ave #4200, Chicago, IL 60601
Additional offices
Menlo Park, CA, United States · New York, NY, United States
Principals
David Spreng
Founder, CEO, and CIO
Tom Raterman
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer
Avisha Khubani
Chief Credit Officer
JD Tamas
Managing Director, Healthcare
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Runway Growth Capital?
David Spreng is the firm's Founder, CEO, and CIO, and the origination and underwriting processes are led by him and his senior investment team. Managing Directors Jeff Goldrich, Ryan McCarthy, and Ted Cavan lead technology coverage, while JD Tamas oversees healthcare. The Chief Credit Officer, Avisha Khubani, manages credit approval and portfolio risk, indicating a centralized investment committee structure.
How is Runway Growth Capital structured after the BC Partners Credit acquisition?
In January 2025, BC Partners Credit — a credit platform within the $40 billion alternative asset manager BC Partners — acquired Runway Growth Capital. The firm continues to operate independently with its full team intact and remains the investment adviser to Runway Growth Finance Corp. (NASDAQ: RWAY). This structure combines institutional permanent capital from BC Partners with public-market capital through RWAY, while keeping the existing origination and underwriting team in place.
Does Runway Growth Capital make equity investments alongside its loans?
No. Runway provides senior secured term loans to late-stage and growth-stage companies, and does not take equity stakes, board seats, or warrants as a standard part of its financing. The firm's value proposition is minimally dilutive capital for founders and management teams who have already raised significant equity rounds and want to avoid further ownership dilution.
What is the typical loan size and target company profile for Runway?
Runway's loans range from $10 million to $150 million and are structured as senior secured term loans to venture-backed, late-stage companies with strong fundamentals and clear growth trajectories. Target sectors include enterprise SaaS, AI/ML, fintech, healthcare technology, and consumer. The firm focuses on companies generating revenue that need balance-sheet capital to extend runway or bridge to a larger equity or liquidity event.
What is Runway Growth Finance Corp. (NASDAQ: RWAY) and how does it relate to Runway Growth Capital?
Runway Growth Finance Corp. (RWAY) is a publicly traded business development company (BDC) that is managed by Runway Growth Capital as its investment adviser. RWAY shares the same strategy of providing senior secured loans to late-stage companies, and its public listing likely serves as a permanent capital vehicle alongside the institutional funds managed by Runway following its acquisition by BC Partners Credit.
Where does Runway Growth Capital source its investment opportunities?
Runway sources opportunities through direct relationships with venture capital and growth-equity firms, founder networks, and its own origination team across Silicon Valley, Chicago, and New York. The firm describes itself as a partner to existing investors rather than a competitor, and its loans are typically made to companies that have already been institutionally backed, indicating that venture capital firms are a primary origination channel.
How does Runway Growth Capital's lending model differ from bank venture debt?
Unlike bank venture debt, which often requires a recent equity round as a credit anchor and typically includes warrants, Runway provides corporate-level senior secured loans based on fundamental credit analysis of the business rather than equity round linkage. Following its acquisition by BC Partners Credit, Runway has institutional permanent capital that enables it to hold loans to maturity rather than syndicating them, offering borrowers a single, long-term lending relationship.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on family offices?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: