Relevance Ventures Expands Platform, Names James Carey Managing Partner of Relevance Capital
EmitenTrust.com NASHVILLE, Tenn., October 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Relevance Ventures ("Relevance"), one of the only independently owned Native American venture capital firms in the United States, today announced the expansion of its platform under the Relevance Capital brand to support established companies through a funded independent sponsor model. James Carey, a veteran private equity investor, joins as Managing Partner of Relevance Capital.
"Our venture strategy remains unchanged, but James gives us the experience and relationships to capitalize on lower-middle-market opportunities using an independent sponsor model," said Cameron Newton, Managing Partner of Relevance Ventures. "We've listened carefully to the market and to our LPs, and this is a natural evolution of the Relevance platform. At the same time, the independent sponsor structure gives our investors greater choice through select co-investments in businesses with established revenue, profitability, and operating histories."
Relevance Capital will pursue a new growth equity strategy focused on more established, profitable health companies operating within the broader Relevance platform. Carey will lead its investment activity, targeting companies that typically generate approximately $1 million to $15 million of EBITDA with established operations and clear opportunities for continued growth, extending Relevance's reach later into the growth journey, while Relevance Ventures continues its existing venture focus on companies generating $1 million to $10 million in revenue with scalable solutions, large TAMs, and clear paths to profitability.
Relevance Capital will benefit from a differentiated competitive advantage through its ability to pursue new investments with a portion of the equity capital already committed through the broader Relevance network, providing greater transaction certainty, execution speed, and flexibility. Relevance Capital will identify and underwrite individual transactions and assemble additional capital around select opportunities. The approach complements Relevance's traditional fund investing, giving its investor network access to later-stage co-investment opportunities on a deal-by-deal basis, offering more discretion to choose which opportunities to join and cultivated with the discipline of a firm that has deliberately stayed small.
"The lower middle market has always been compelling to me because you are working with real businesses at meaningful inflection points," said Carey. "These companies have established customers, revenue, and profitability, but often reach a point where the right capital partner can help accelerate growth, pursue acquisitions or enter the next phase of the business. Relevance Capital gives us the flexibility to find those companies first and build the right investment structure around each opportunity."
"This is an extension of something we have been doing naturally for years," said Dean Newton, Chairman and General Partner of Relevance Ventures. "James allows us to institutionalize our capabilities and take it into the broader lower middle market. What is particularly interesting is combining an established venture platform and LP network with the flexibility of the independent sponsor model. We think that is a differentiated place to operate and a unique value proposition."
Carey joins Relevance from Next Sparc Growth Partners, the single-family office of entrepreneur Len Pagon, where he served as Partner and Head of M&A. He brings more than 20 years of private markets experience across private equity, growth investing, and transaction sourcing and execution, including significant time at global private equity firm H.I.G. Capital, along with deep relationships across the lower-middle-market private equity and intermediary communities.
"South Florida has become a very different investment market over the last five years," Carey added. "Miami is now the leading market in America for private capital, with private equity firms, family offices, hedge funds, entrepreneurs and operating companies continuing to build a presence here. I've spent my professional career in this market, and I'm excited to firmly cement Relevance into that ecosystem while executing Relevance Capital's strategy on a national basis."
Carey will be based in South Florida, where Relevance also plans to establish a physical presence in Miami, further extending its geographic growth beyond Nashville, Charlotte, and Denver. Carey has lived and worked in South Florida for more than two decades and brings extensive relationships across the region's private equity, investment banking, professional services, and business communities.
About Relevance Ventures
Relevance Ventures is a Native American, privately owned and operated venture capital firm with more than $100 million under management. The firm invests in high-growth companies across personal health, community health, digital health, and financial health. Founded by Cameron and Dean Newton, Relevance is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, with an expanding presence in multiple U.S. growth markets. The Newtons are members of the Patawomeck Tribe of Virginia.
For more information, visit www.Relevanceventures.com.
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SOURCE Relevance Ventures