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Press Contact:
Kim Blomquist
Senior Director, Marketing and Communications
kim@mhub.org
National recognition highlights mHUB Ventures' commitment to supporting hardtech founders with capital, infrastructure, and expertise to accelerate commercialization
(Chicago, IL – October 27, 2026) – mHUB Ventures, the investment management arm of mHUB, the nation’s largest independent hardtech innovation center, has been named to Inc.’s 2026 Founder-Friendly Investors list, recognizing investment firms with demonstrated track records of supporting founder-led companies. This year’s list honors 294 private equity firms, venture capital firms, and lenders across the investment landscape.
The annual recognition celebrates investors that go beyond providing capital to build lasting partnerships with entrepreneurs, offering the strategic guidance, resources, and support needed to help companies navigate growth and achieve long-term success.
mHUB Ventures invests in early-stage hardtech companies developing breakthrough physical technologies across critical industries, including energy, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and deep technologies. Its investment approach combines capital with access to mHUB’s prototyping infrastructure, technical expertise, and industry partnerships to help founders overcome the unique challenges of bringing physical products to market
Through its integration with the broader mHUB innovation ecosystem, mHUB Ventures provides founders with resources that extend beyond traditional venture capital. Startups gain access to specialized prototyping facilities, engineering capabilities, and connections to industry partners that can help accelerate product development, validate technologies, and create pathways to commercialization.
Since opening its doors in 2017, mHUB has supported more than 500 startups developing technologies that address critical industrial and societal challenges. Companies in the mHUB community have collectively generated more than $5 billion in economic activity and created over 7,200 jobs. With a network of more than 200 public and private partners, mHUB connects emerging technologies with the expertise, infrastructure, and industry relationships needed to scale.
The recognition from Inc. adds to a growing list of national honors for the mHUB innovation ecosystem. In August 2026, mHUB ranked No. 14 on TIME’s America’s Best Incubators & Accelerators list, recognizing its track record supporting early-stage companies. In 2025, mHUB was also named among Fast Company's Best Workplaces for Innovators, highlighting its commitment to fostering an environment where innovation can thrive.
“With the current funding environment and rapid changes facing growing companies, founders are looking for more than just capital from their investors. They want true partners who believe in their business, but who are also able to provide the critical advisement and strategic support they need to reach their potential,” said Bonny Ghosh, editorial director at Inc. “The 2026 Founder-Friendly Investor awards celebrate those firms — the ones committed to partnership, excellence, and helping founder-led companies grow.”
To compile the Founder-Friendly Investors list, Inc. gathered feedback directly from entrepreneurs who have partnered with private equity, venture capital, and debt firms. Founders completed questionnaires about their investment experiences and shared data on how their companies performed during these partnerships. The resulting list highlights firms recognized by founders for their commitment to building strong, supportive investment relationships.
The full Inc. 2026 Founder-Friendly Investors list is available at inc.com/founder-friendly-investors.
About mHUB Ventures
mHUB Ventures is the investment management arm of mHUB, governing both venture capital and real estate funds to accelerate hardtech innovation and strengthen U.S. industrial competitiveness. Its venture platform invests in early-stage startups across energy, medical technology, and advanced manufacturing, leveraging mHUB’s world-class prototyping facilities, engineering talent, and corporate partnerships to reduce risk and speed commercialization. Its real estate platform focuses on transformative industrial redevelopment and next-generation manufacturing facilities designed to support the full lifecycle of product development. Together, these integrated platforms create a unique engine for scaling physical technologies and driving manufacturing industry growth.
About mHUB
mHUB is an innovation platform that drives the commercialization of hard tech, helping companies build, scale, and innovate with speed and purpose. The platform includes a Chicago-based incubator and prototyping lab; venture and real estate investment company, mHUB Ventures; and an engineering and product consulting arm. Together, infrastructure, capital, and expertise combine to enable emerging technologies, create new manufacturing businesses, and strengthen U.S. industry. To date, mHUB has worked with over 200 public and private partners and supported over 500 startups that have collectively generated $5B in economic activity. Learn more at mhub.org.
About Inc.
Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the rist-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. In. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.