Riverside Acceleration Capital (RAC) provides growth lending and growth equity exclusively to B2B software companies between $2.5M and $20M in ARR. The questions below cover what RAC offers, who qualifies, and what working with RAC looks like.

Riverside Acceleration Capital (RAC) is a growth capital investor purpose-built for B2B software companies between startup and scale-up. RAC provides stage-appropriate, best-fit growth capital and programmatic operational support: pairing the right capital with the right resources to help companies reach their next stage of scale faster and more efficiently. RAC offers both growth lending and growth equity from the same investment team, with every investment including access to the full breadth of programmatic support, acceleration resources, and strategic collaboration, regardless of capital type or stage. RAC is part of The Riverside Company, a global investment firm with $13B+ AUM, 35+ years of experience, and more than 1,130 investments to date.

RAC invests exclusively in growth-stage B2B software companies: no consumer, no pure start-ups. The focus is companies between $2.5M and $20M in ARR that have a proven product-market fit and are building toward systematized scale. Different capital needs emerge depending on a company's maturity and goals: some companies are ready for non-dilutive growth lending, others for growth equity, and many partner with RAC across both over time. RAC invests in a small number of companies each year, which allows for meaningful support and significant follow-on capacity. To date, RAC has partnered with over 100 companies across North America, Europe, Israel, and Australia. Learn more about the RAC portfolio.

Every RAC investment, regardless of capital type or stage, includes full access to the RAC Acceleration Program: programmatic operational support, acceleration resources, and strategic collaboration, purpose-built for B2B software companies. The RAC Acceleration Program was built by operators, for operators, and goes well beyond advisory. Components include Direct Engagement (hands-on work with the leadership team), the Scale IQ platform, RAC Recruiting, the RAC Toolkit (a curated operational partner network), a Strategic Advisory Board, and the Riverside Network, a global network of executives, portfolio companies, and institutional relationships built across 35+ years. By pairing best-fit capital and operational support by design, companies can grow faster, reach key milestones sooner, and preserve control. Explore the RAC Acceleration Program.

Growth lending is non-dilutive financing for software companies that have proven their growth model and want to accelerate without giving up equity. RAC provides $1M–$5M in growth loans, either through revenue-based financing (RBF) or an aligned term loan. RBF is structured with a capped revenue share, rather than an interest rate, which aligns the performance of the loan to the growth of the company. Both structures carry a 5-year term with back-end weighted payments, designed to be aligned with a company's cash flow in the short and long term. Learn more about how RAC structures growth lending.

RAC's growth loans are non-dilutive upfront: no equity is issued at close, no valuation is set, and no ownership is transferred as part of the loan. Most investments include a small equity optionality component that only comes into play in future lending, designed to let founders access growth capital while preserving equity until they choose otherwise. Learn more about how RAC structures growth lending.

RAC growth lending targets B2B software companies at $2.5M+ ARR growing at least 20% annually on a capital efficient basis, with good retention and strong unit economics. Use of proceeds should be growth-oriented: expanding the team, entering new markets, launching new products, or funding an acquisition. Full criteria are on the Model page.

RAC lends from committed fund capital, not borrowed capital, which means the investment is structured around the company's growth, not the lender's cost of capital. Repayment is flexible, structured as revenue-based financing (RBF) or an aligned term loan depending on what fits the company, with payments back-end weighted to preserve cash in the early years. RAC does not require a prior institutional equity round to qualify, which is a common requirement for venture debt. The same RAC team manages the relationship from origination through the full investment lifecycle, and operational support through the Acceleration Program is included for every portfolio company; not a separate engagement. See how RAC's model compares.

Different capital needs emerge depending on a company's maturity and goals. RAC's approach is to match the capital to the moment; not force a predefined model. Growth lending fits when a company wants to preserve equity, has a clear growth-oriented use of proceeds, and doesn't need a large check: typically, $2.5M–$20M ARR with proven retention and capital efficiency. Growth equity fits when a company has demonstrated that its go-to-market approach works and is ready to scale it significantly, typically $4M–$20M+ ARR. Because RAC offers both instruments from the same investment team, the recommendation is driven by what fits the company's stage. See how RAC structures each instrument.

RAC’s growth equity investments are true scale-up capital, enabling a company to hire fast and grow quickly. RAC targets B2B software companies at $4M+ ARR with a scalable go-to-market approach and a clear market opportunity. Investments range from $10M–$40M, primarily as lead with capacity to follow. At this stage, the company should have demonstrated GTM repeatability, no longer founder-led sales, and be ready to invest behind scaling a model that's already working. See RAC's growth equity criteria.

Yes. The same investment team leads across both growth lending and growth equity, and companies are never handed off to a different team as their capital needs evolve. The approach is to match the capital to the moment: non-dilutive growth lending when a company wants to preserve equity, growth equity when it’s ready to invest behind scaling a model that’s already working. More than 50% of RAC portfolio companies receive multiple investments. Delaget, backed across multiple growth lending rounds through a $132M exit, and Consensus, backed from initial growth loans through a RAC-led Series A and B, are two examples of what a long-term RAC partnership can look like. See how RAC structures each instrument.

RAC publishes the Private Software Growth Index, a monthly benchmark tracking ARR growth rates, net revenue retention, gross margins, and burn multiples across hundreds of growth-stage B2B software companies. The data is aggregated from primary financial statements and validated by the RAC investment team, giving founders and finance leaders a concrete reference point for where their business stands relative to the market. Access the latest edition.