Level 5 Capital Partners Commits $20 Million to Promising Pet Services Upstart, GoDog
Level 5 Capital Partners, a consumer growth equity firm, is excited to announce its $20 million investment in GoDog, a preeminent provider of pet services. This investment will jumpstart the company’s franchising platform as it aims to scale from a premium regional player to a dominant nationwide name in pet hospitality.
Founded in 2018 by father-son duo, Jess and Ben Eberdt, GoDog is a dog boarding and daycare concept located in the Southeastern U.S. The company currently has three locations in Durham, Nashville and Chattanooga with the potential for hundreds of locations nationwide thanks to its superior brand and de novo franchising program launching in 2023. A seasoned investor in the franchising space, Level 5 has had great success launching franchise programs, as evidenced by the momentum of franchise partner sales at portfolio companies including Big Blue Swim School, Restore Hyper Wellness, Heyday and KidStrong.
Level 5 has been eyeing the pet industry for quite some time, excited by the space’s explosive growth over the past few years but patiently waiting to partner with the correct team and brand. GoDog’s unit model and management team ultimately fit the bill. Unsatisfied by the existing offerings at the time and recognizing the massive market opportunity at hand, the Eberdts built a business that prioritizes quality care, cleanliness and fun for both pets and owners.
“Now more so than ever, pets are considered members of the family. GoDog has gone to great lengths to create an experience with every detail in mind to assure pet parents that their animals will be provided the most comfortable and enjoyable stay possible,” explained Ben. “We couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with Level 5 as GoDog embarks on this new phase of growth.”
Principal at Level 5, Duane LeVine, shared, “The Level 5 team has been quite impressed with the brand Ben, Jess and team have created thus far. In a highly fragmented and competitive sector, GoDog has managed to distinguish themselves from the pack. We believe with support from L5, combined with the existing brand and unit model strength, GoDog can scale to become the premier provider of pet services in the U.S.”
A testament to this confidence in the brand, Level 5 has committed to building its own GoDog franchisee platform, L5 Pups. Level 5 Managing Partner, Chris Kenny, explained, “L5 is energized by the prospect of becoming an anchor GoDog franchisee. With a nascent franchisor program at a market leader like GoDog, we are thrilled to get another bite at the apple, so to speak, by investing at both the franchisor and franchisee level. We look forward to serving as strategic partners to Ben, Jess and the team as we continue to build upon GoDog’s track record of success.”