Hercules Capital Launches Growth Lending Fund IV LP
Investment Advisor for Hercules Capital Announces the Closure of Fourth Private Fund Valued at $1.6 Billion
Hercules Capital, a leading venture and growth-stage credit investor, has announced the launch of its fourth institutional private credit fund, the Hercules Growth Lending Fund IV LP (Fund IV). The fund, managed by Hercules Capital's wholly-owned investment adviser, is focused on senior secured lending to high-growth venture-backed technology and life sciences firms.
Scott Bluestein, the CEO and CIO of Hercules, sees significant opportunity for the fund to continue backing venture and growth stage technology and life sciences companies. He expresses gratitude towards long-term investors supporting the Hercules platform, attributing the launch of Fund IV to the confidence of partners in Hercules' disciplined approach to venture and growth stage lending.
Fund IV aims to provide venture and growth-stage credit to innovative companies in the technology and life sciences sectors, especially those at critical inflection points in their growth trajectories. The fund leverages Hercules Capital's deep industry relationships and rigorous underwriting framework to identify and support these companies.
Primarily employing first-lien loan structures, Fund IV emphasizes downside protection for investors. Its goal is to support companies at critical stages of growth, leveraging Hercules Capital's scale and industry relationships.
As of March 31, 2025, Hercules Capital manages over $5 billion in assets and has committed over $22 billion to more than 680 portfolio companies since inception, reflecting a strong institutional investor base and experience. The launch of Fund IV marks the fourth fund in Hercules Adviser's portfolio, with a total managed capital of approximately $1.6 billion.
Fund IV is positioned to finance some of the leading institutionally-backed growth stage companies in the ecosystem. By scaling Hercules’s credit platform further, it is expected to continue the company's successful track record of providing capital to high-growth venture-backed technology and life sciences firms.
[1] Source: Hercules Capital Press Release, July 2025 [4] Source: PitchBook Data, Inc. [5] Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence
In summary, the Hercules Growth Lending Fund IV LP focuses on senior secured lending to high-growth venture-backed technology and life sciences firms, using a disciplined credit approach to provide downside protection and capitalize on growth opportunities in an established private credit platform.
- Scott Bluestein, the CEO and CIO of Hercules Capital, believes that there are abundant opportunities for the Hercules Growth Lending Fund IV LP to continue investing in high-growth venture and growth stage technology and life sciences companies.
- The Hercules Growth Lending Fund IV LP aims to finance some of the leading institutionally-backed growth stage companies in the ecosystem, with the goal of continuing Hercules Capital's successful track record in providing capital to high-growth venture-backed technology and life sciences firms.
