Brian Carney
General Partner
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- Full Name
- Brian Carney
- Title
- General Partner / Partner, Growth Equity
- Firm
- Harbert Growth Partners / Harbert Management Corporation
- Firm Type
- Growth equity / venture capital affiliate of an alternative asset manager
- Investment Stage
- Emerging growth-stage, late-stage venture, and growth equity
- Check Size
- HGP typically invests $5.0 million to $10.0 million initially
- Target Company Profile
- High-growth technology and tech-enabled companies with scalable operating platforms, recurring revenue models, experienced management teams, large addressable markets, and defensible positions
- Sector Focus
- Enterprise software, cybersecurity, financial technology, real estate technology, healthcare IT, technology, IT, data, and healthcare
- Geographic Focus
- Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest; HGP also describes its focus as emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems outside Silicon Valley
- Location
- Richmond, Virginia
Background
Brian Carney is a Partner with Harbert Growth Partners and joined Harbert Management Corporation in 2007. Roots’ board biography says he has more than fifteen years of experience investing in high-growth companies and currently serves on the boards of HGP portfolio companies including Apkudo, Graylog, Healthcare Interactive, and TemperPack.
Before joining Harbert, Carney was an investment professional with Morgan Stanley Venture Partners, where he executed growth equity investments. He began his career at Morgan Stanley as a financial analyst in the Investment Banking Division.
Carney holds an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with honors, from Washington & Lee University. UVA Darden identifies him as MBA ’07 and notes his role as general partner at Harbert Growth Partners.
His community roles include service on the St. Catherine’s School Board of Governors, where he chairs the Finance Committee, past president of the St. Catherine’s School Foundation Board, and prior board service with the Council for Entrepreneurial Development in Durham, North Carolina.
Investment Thesis & Focus
- HGP invests in high-growth technology and tech-enabled companies that can transform their industries, using capital, strategic guidance, and network access to help them scale.
- The strategy targets emerging growth-stage companies in technology ecosystems across the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Southwest.
- HGP’s stated criteria emphasize “scalable operating platforms,” recurring revenue models, experienced management, large addressable markets, and defensible positions.
- Sector focus includes enterprise software, cybersecurity, fintech, real estate technology, healthcare IT, broader technology/IT, data, and healthcare.
- HGP is an active growth investor: the firm says it helps companies through strategic advice, operational support, and board participation.
- HGP typically invests $5.0 million to $10.0 million initially and continues investing through the growth of its portfolio companies.
Notable Investments
- Apkudo - Connected-device supply-chain automation platform; HGP co-led Apkudo’s $14 million Series B in November 2020, participated in a later Series C, and Carney serves on the board.
- Graylog - Security information and event management and log-management software company; Carney is listed as a Graylog board member representing Harbert Growth Partners.
- Roots / Roots Automation - AI agents and InsurGPT platform for insurance operations; HGP led Roots’ $22.2 million Series B in September 2024, and Carney is listed as a board member.
- TemperPack - Sustainable packaging company replacing single-use plastics for temperature-sensitive shipments; Harbert Growth Partners participated in its $22.5 million Series B in 2019, and Carney joined the board.
- Healthcare Interactive - Healthcare administration and insurance platform company; listed in Carney’s current HGP portfolio board roles.
- Envera Health - Healthcare engagement company; Carney previously served on its board, and the company was sold to Access Healthcare.
- Clinipace Worldwide - Digital contract research organization; Carney previously served on the board, and the company was sold to dMed Global.
- SafeGuard Cyber - Cybersecurity company; Carney previously served on the board, and HGP exited via secondary sale.
- Clarabridge - Customer experience analytics company; HGP worked on the investment, and the company was sold to Qualtrics.
- Kaleo - Pharmaceutical company; HGP worked on the investment, and the company was sold to Marathon Asset Management.
- Shipt - Same-day delivery marketplace; HGP worked on the investment, and the company was sold to Target.
- Wellcentive - Population health management company; HGP worked on the investment, and the company was sold to Philips.
- Levitate - AI-powered relationship marketing platform; HGP led a $16 million funding round in March 2026.
- Notable Systems - AI-driven healthcare documentation and claims platform; Harbert Growth Partners and Grotech led a $12 million growth investment in April 2025.
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