Why These Investors Keep Betting on Inc. 5000 Companies

By Jennifer Conrad, Inc.

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."