Enlightened Hospitality Investments

Enlightened Hospitality Investments (EHI) is a growth fund established to leverage the expertise and network of Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) in identifying and supporting high-growth companies within the hospitality and restaurant sectors. EHI partners with portfolio companies to provide strategic direction, operational experience, increased visibility, and access to relationships, resulting in significant value creation for all stakeholders.

EHI's investment strategy involves making minority growth equity investments ranging from $15 million to $30 million in high-growth, category-leading companies. The fund primarily focuses on fine casual restaurants and technology companies that fuel hospitality, all of which share USHG's 'Enlightened Hospitality' strategy and mindset of prioritizing employees among all other stakeholders to drive customer satisfaction and ultimately attractive and sustainable investor returns.

Since its inception, EHI has raised over $550 million across its funds and has made fourteen investments in industry-leading hospitality, technology, and consumer businesses, including Joe Coffee, Resy, Salt & Straw, Goldbelly, Dig, Tripleseat, BentoBox, Madison Reed, Banza, CLEAR, Tacombi, 7shifts, NotCo, and withco. The Fund I portfolio has experienced several exits and liquidity events including Resy's acquisition by American Express in 2019, CLEAR's public market debut on the New York Stock Exchange in June 2021, and BentoBox's acquisition by Fiserv in October 2021.

EHI's value extends far beyond its capital commitment, offering a unique ecosystem among its community of companies and strategic investor base. The fund provides its partners with ample opportunities to collaborate, learn, and exchange ideas with a network of passionate leaders who share common values, and offers a deep bench of expertise to help drive portfolio companies' growth.

EHI's investment philosophy is inspired by USHG founder Danny Meyer's philosophy of Enlightened Hospitality, which emphasizes putting employees first, translating into happy customers and long-term business success. This approach has been instrumental in EHI's ability to identify and support companies that prioritize employee satisfaction and sustainable growth.