Runway Growth Capital hired Brad Pritchard as Managing Director, Technology.
Operating out of the Silicon Valley office and reporting directly to Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Investment Officer, David Spreng, Pritchard will primarily make investments in the broader technology industry, including in companies focused on sustainability. Additionally, he will target top venture capital firms and the management teams of leading late-stage technology companies.
“Brad will be responsible for identifying technology companies who can benefit from venture debt, whether to help them grow and scale their businesses or to avoid a down round amidst unfavorable market conditions,” said Spreng. “Brad is an expert in building rapport with management teams and helping them optimize their capital structure. His network and industry knowledge will bolster new and existing relationships, help keep Runway top-of-mind with companies seeking the flexible financing that venture debt offers, and significantly deepen our bench strength in technology origination. We are thrilled to welcome Brad to Runway.”
Before Runway, Pritchard was a Managing Director at BlackRock for more than eight years and led the venture lending efforts globally. As part of BlackRock’s U.S. Private Capital (“USPC”) group, he originated, executed, and managed new investment opportunities in technology and technology-related companies. He also served on both the Investment Committee and the Valuation Committee for USPC, and was President and Chief Operating Officer of BlackRock Direct Lending Corp, a private business development company (“BDC”).
“Runway has great people, an incredible reputation and is a leading investment platform in venture and growth lending,” explained Pritchard. “It is exciting to join Runway, a firm that is clearly passionate about lending to exceptional companies with outstanding management teams. I view this as a fantastic opportunity to work with David and the rest of the talented Runway team to provide customized financing solutions that address a company's liquidity needs while minimizing dilution.”
Pritchard has more than 20 years of experience helping companies raise debt and equity as an investor and investment banker. Before joining BlackRock, he was a Managing Director at Hercules Capital, a venture lending BDC. Prior to Hercules, he worked at several leading financial services companies, including Wells Fargo Securities, Banc of America Securities, SG Cowen and GE Capital. Pritchard earned an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.
Runway Growth Capital LLC is the investment advisor to investment funds, including Runway Growth Finance Corp., a business development company, and other private funds, which are lenders of growth capital to companies seeking an alternative to raising equity. Led by industry veteran David Spreng, these funds provide senior term loans of $10 million to $75 million to fast-growing companies based in the United States and Canada.