Cypress Growth Capital

Ed Mello co-founded Cypress Growth Capital in 2010 and oversees the firm's investment activities while supporting portfolio companies on growth initiatives. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer of CSC Consulting, a division of Computer Sciences Corporation, was an early senior executive at the Internet services company Viant, and was President of nGenera (now Moxie Software). He began his career at EDS after serving as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and holds a degree from the University of Notre Dame.

Cliff Sentell is a Partner at Cypress Growth Capital with over 25 years of entrepreneurial and operating experience in software and services. He co-founded Compass Professional Health Services, a software-enabled healthcare engagement company that grew to 350 employees before its 2018 acquisition by Alight Solutions, where he led product integration. He holds a patent for AI that recommends physicians to patients and earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Duke University.

Pat McCaffrey is a Partner at Cypress Growth Capital with over 30 years of operating experience leading and scaling software and tech-enabled services companies, and serves on the firm's Investment Committee. He previously was Chief Operating Officer of Omnitracs, a Vista Equity Partners company offering SaaS-based fleet management and logistics solutions, and held executive roles at TeleTech, BT Global Services, Optum, Viant, and Computer Sciences Corporation. He began his career at EDS and holds a business degree from Miami University (Ohio).

CFA-credentialed managing director on the Cypress Growth Capital investment team.

Emily Hyde joined Cypress Growth Capital as an Associate in June 2024, where she focuses on deal sourcing. She previously served as Director of Venture Dallas and as Director of Sales & Marketing at HG Partners, and worked as an Innovation Strategist at o9 Solutions. She holds a Bachelor's degree and a Master of Science in Engineering Entrepreneurship from SMU, and founded The AROS Project, a non-profit focused on removing plastics from waterways.

Sean Ferguson joined Cypress Growth Capital in 2024 as an Analyst working on deal sourcing. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics with Finance Applications and a minor in Business from Southern Methodist University, and also studied at the London School of Economics and the Institute of American Universities. He previously worked in Trading and Settlements at Wedbush Securities.

Appeared on the How to SaaS Podcast discussing how founders can evaluate whether non-dilutive, royalty-based growth capital is right for scaling without giving up equity.